Upaya Social Ventures

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When Tasleem first joined Sirohi, she brought with her skills passed down through generations, and a determination to build something lasting for her family.

She's been able to save and plan ahead for emergencies, tight months, and most of all, for her daughters. Her earnings help meet her household's basic needs, but what drives her is something bigger: making sure her girls can pursue any path they choose in life. ✨

"My daughters have my relentless support for anything they want to pursue in life. I have been saving money for this and I feel happy that they are working with me."

Sirohi connects skilled women artisans in rural India to modern markets through handcrafted, functional products. What began in 2012 with a single woman artisan in Haryana has grown into a movement, supporting more than 2,500 artisans and counting. 🧵

At Upaya, we invest in mission-driven businesses like Sirohi who know that a dignified job is a foundation for the next generation. 💙

💝 Donate today and help create more dignified jobs: https://www.upayasv.org/give-to-upaya

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For Agni Mitra, Sourav Dey and Avijit Rajak, being sustainable means creating products that are better for both people and the planet. Through Amwoodo, they are rethinking everyday products with community well-being and environmental responsibility at the core. 🌱

🎋 As demand for eco-friendly alternatives grows across India, Amwoodo is helping lead the shift toward bamboo-first manufacturing by partnering with farmers and artisans to create sustainable products. The enterprise also supports them with training, technical expertise, and sustainable practices such as hydroponic bamboo farming.

🌍 By combining sustainability, community education, and responsible business practices, Amwoodo is strengthening climate resilience, supporting local livelihoods, and creating dignified work opportunities.

🚀 Since Upaya’s investment, Amwoodo has increased total jobs by 124%, creating 1,010 dignified jobs in West Bengal, India. Together, the Amwoodo team is building a greener future, one bamboo product at a time.

✨ Donate today and help us support more entrepreneurs to create dignified jobs: https://www.upayasv.org/give-to-upaya

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Some of the most valuable gifts we can offer are not financial, they are our time, networks, experience, and leadership. 🌟

Upaya Social Ventures is looking for its first-ever Austin Chapter President: a volunteer leadership role for a senior professional who is passionate about bringing people together around a shared purpose.

📈 Since 2011, Upaya has worked to fight extreme poverty in India through dignified job creation. Together with our enterprise partners, we have helped create more than 110,000 dignified jobs. Now, we're building a community of local leaders across the United States to help accelerate that impact.

As Austin Chapter President, you'll serve as a connector, ambassador, and community builder.

⏰ This is a high-impact volunteer opportunity requiring approximately 6 to 8 hours per month, designed to respect your professional commitments while providing a meaningful way to give back.

If you're a leader who believes in the power of entrepreneurship, opportunity, and community, we'd love to hear from you.🎖️

💌 Learn more and express your interest here: https://www.upayasv.org/jobs/volunteer-city-chapter-president-austin

Your employer may match your donations through platforms like Benevity, making it simple, secure, and instantly multiplying your impact. 💫

At Upaya, every gift helps create dignified jobs and more stable futures for families across India. With a matching gift, that impact grows even further. 🌿

👉 See if your employer matches donations and turn one gift into twice the opportunity.

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The force behind our investments in resilient and deep-impact businesses. 🚀

Upaya’s team works closely with entrepreneurs tackling some of India’s toughest challenges across sectors such as agriculture, clean energy, waste management, and the artisan economy.

They identify high-potential businesses, conduct rigorous due diligence, and deploy the right kind of capital to help founders grow. The team also provides hands-on support to founders—from refining business models and strengthening operations to unlocking strategic partnerships and follow-on capital. 💹

Together, they bridge capital and impact, helping entrepreneurs build resilient companies that create safe, stable, inclusive, and rewarding jobs for people living in extreme poverty. 🌿

🌐 Explore our work and learn more about our approach here: www.upayasv.org/our-approach

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When Mogili first partnered with Pasidi Panta in his village in Telangana, many farmers were hesitant to trust a new system. But Mogili believed farmers deserved better: fairer prices, reliable support, and more stability for their families.

What started with uncertainty grew into a thriving network of hundreds of farmers working together to strengthen their livelihoods and futures. Today, farmers in Mogili's community are better able to get fair market rates, support their children’s education, and invest back into their farms. 🌾🚜

Pasidi Panta is an agritech company that helps smallholder farmers increase their incomes by providing training, farm inputs, and market access across the red chilli, turmeric, and black pepper value chains. Through this model, farmers are gaining more than income—they are gaining confidence and opportunity. ✨

At Upaya, we believe dignified work doesn’t just uplift one person. It creates ripple effects that strengthen families, empower communities, and open doors for future generations. 💛

Donate today and help create more dignified jobs: https://www.upayasv.org/give-to-upaya

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This 🌍, climate change isn’t just environmental, it’s human.

It’s a livelihood, equity, and poverty crisis— and lasting solutions must address all three.

With your support, Upaya invests in businesses that create dignified jobs for people living in extreme poverty—building stronger, more climate-resilient communities. 🌱

Together, we’re working toward 300,000 jobs by 2030 across India.

Be part of shaping an inclusive, sustainable future 🤝🌍 Learn more at https://www.upayasv.org/

For 15 years, Upaya’s has been grounded in a simple idea: when entrepreneurs receive patient capital and hands-on support, they can build businesses that create dignified jobs at scale. 🌱

Since 2011, Upaya has backed 56 businesses across 16 states, helping create more than 100,000 dignified jobs. 📈
Each job represents more than income.
It means dignity, resilience, and the ability to plan a livelihood beyond immediate survival. 💛

This is what 15 years of our model has made possible.

As we mark this milestone year, it’s a reminder of what’s possible—proving that when deep-impact businesses receive the right support, job creation can become a powerful engine for systemic change.
And we’re just getting started. 🚀

🎥 See our Theory of Change in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQwU5RVsm4U

This impact has only been possible because of the entrepreneurs, partners, and supporters who have believed in this work alongside us. 🤝

Theory of Change '25 | Upaya Social Ventures 🪔✨ At Upaya, we believe a dignified job has the power to break the cycle of poverty.Through impact-first investments, technical support, and impact measurement ...

🌱 Our Gala Spotlight Company, Manikstu Agro, is transforming communities through dignified jobs and their innovative Goat Bank model. A big thank you to co-founder Biren Sahoo, who shared his inspiring story as our keynote speaker at the 2026 Upaya Gala.

🐐 Watch Mankistu Agro's story here: https://youtu.be/fHj6Vz1HO3o?si=WTTvTMfQrHUUf_Dg

#PortfolioSpotlight Mankistu Agro | Upaya Gala 2026 Changing lives, one job at a time. 🌱Meet Mankistu Agro and see how their innovative Goat Bank model is creating opportunity, empowering families, and buildi...