Ranchi, Nov. 1 : MetLife Foundation and Trickle Up, an international non-governmental organization (NGO), kicked-off its innovative economic and social empowerment program, Graduation Approach, at an event in Jharkhand on Tuesday, November 1.
The program was launched by Jayant Sinha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India, in Hazaribagh district, Jharkhand. Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Paritosh Upadhyay, IFS, Chief Executive, Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society, Krishna Thacker, Director � Financial Empowerment Asia, MetLife Foundation and Amalendu Sen, Asia regional representative of Trickle Up.
Graduation Approach is aimed at helping ultra-poor families move out of poverty in a sustainable and time-bound manner and further integrate them into the formal financial system. As a roll-out of the program, 20 Gram Panchayats have been identified across Mandu, Church and Dadi blocks in Jharkhand in addition to Manoharpur Block of West Singhbhum District and Maheshpur Block of Pakur District.
Under the three-year long initiative, women from ultra-poor households will be identified and organized into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to promote women solidarity and empowerment.
The alliance partners will provide coaching for skill development and work closely with the participants on their individual project.
They will gradually be equipped with the required grants and further integrated into the financial system to enable them to gain access to government programs and benefit from its financial support schemes.