The poorest of the poor are selected through a Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercise. Grants (in the form of free assets, not cash) are offered to ultra-poor women who are single or lead households amidst severe economic stress and social marginalisation. Prior to extending the grant, necessary training is provided to manage the asset. They start generating income from this asset and are consequently able to sustain their livelihoods. It is seen that within 24 months of this grant intervention, the ultra-poor beneficiaries develop enterprise skill. They start to graduate, transitioning themselves from extreme poverty, and get linked to mainstream society thereby leading a life of respect with economic security.

This programme follows a 360-degree approach. Besides free assets, programme provides consistent counselling, mentoring and extensive capacity building in asset management, savings, enterprise promotion, basic business accounting, among others.  A weekly consumption stipend (considerable amount of cash) is also provided to these women to meet their daily basic expenses until the assets begin to yield returns. To ensure that they make informed financial decisions, the programme imparts financial literacy to them. They are encouraged to open a savings account with any bank. To enable them to live better and seamlessly enter the mainstream economy, there is empowerment around socially relevant issues and access to diverse social protection schemes under government. Overall confidence building is done so that they do not fall in the poverty trap again.