UPRP

Ultra-Poor Responsive Gram Panchayat (UPRP) Initiative

Our Partners:

Strengthening local systems so the most vulnerable households can build sustainable livelihoods.

The Ultra-Poor Responsive Gram Panchayat (UPRP) initiative works alongside Gram Panchayats (village councils) and communities in India to ensure that households experiencing the highest levels of poverty are identified and supported to build pathways out of extreme poverty.

The project helps households access government entitlements, strengthen their financial resilience, receive ongoing coaching and mentoring, and build sustainable sources of income. Simultaneously, it invests in community institutions and local leadership so support systems can continue long after the project ends.

Rather than focusing on a single intervention, UPRP takes a systems approach. Community members, Panchayat representatives, and frontline workers work together to identify vulnerable households, develop tailored livelihood plans, connect families to government services, and provide ongoing coaching as livelihoods grow.

Continued mentoring, market linkages, financial inclusion, and stronger community institutions are helping households build resilience while preparing local systems to continue supporting families into the future.

How UPRP Creates Change

Sustainable livelihoods

Participants receive regular coaching and technical support to strengthen livelihood activities that match their skills and local needs, including backyard poultry, vegetable cultivation, duck rearing, and more

Ongoing mentoring helps participants strengthen existing businesses, access new markets, diversify their income sources, and better manage seasonal and market risks

Stronger local governance

UPRP works closely with village councils to improve the way vulnerable households are identified and supported

Families receive assistance accessing identity documents, food security programs, and other government entitlements

Strengthening local systems helps ensure that support continues beyond the life of the project

Sustainable livelihoods

Participants are encouraged to save regularly through self-help groups and formal banking channels

Participants are taught how to improve household financial planning and access appropriate financial services

Project Highlights

Throughout its implementation, the UPRP project has demonstrated that combining livelihood support with stronger local systems creates lasting change.

Key achievements include:

Greater participation in self-help groups and community platforms

Increased household savings and stronger financial planning

More stable livelihoods through continuous coaching and follow-up support

Improved access to government initiatives and social protections

The project also highlighted several important lessons:

  • Households with multiple income sources are better able to withstand seasonal and market shocks
  • Regular coaching remains essential for sustaining livelihood improvements
  • Strong community institutions encourage peer learning, accountability, and collective problem-solving
  • Access to government entitlements is a critical foundation for economic inclusion, as they provide the stability that allows families to invest in productive livelihoods, build assets, increase savings, and strengthen resilience against future shocks
  • For many households, barriers such as missing documentation, limited awareness, and challenges navigating government systems prevent them from accessing services design to support them
  • Lasting pathways out of extreme poverty depend not only on stronger livelihoods, but also on stronger local systems that ensure no household is left behind

Story of Change

Jaleswari Kumari: Building Independence Through Backyard Poultry

After losing both their vision as children and later their parents, Jaleswari Kumari and her brother Mahendra learned to live independently despite enormous challenges. Although both worked whenever possible, their livelihoods remained uncertain.

Through UPRP, the siblings were identified as one of the Panchayat’s most vulnerable households. Support from the Gram Panchayat Help Desk assisted them in gaining access to important government services, while a tailored livelihood plan introduced backyard poultry as a sustainable income opportunity.

With training and technical guidance, they established a poultry enterprise that now provides both food and income. By selling eggs and birds while maintaining their flock, they earn approximately INR 10,000–12,000 each year.

“After our parents passed away, our childhood was filled with hardship. We even lost our sight. But when my brother and I decided to live independently, everything started to feel possible.”
— Jaleswari Kumari