Across many communities, poverty is driven not by a lack of effort, but by unstable income. When earnings change from week to week, families live under constant pressure, and that pressure often falls on those with the least ability to absorb it. Children leave school early, girls remain at home, and parents are forced into decisions shaped by survival rather than choice.
Level Up exists to address this reality by supporting families to earn in ways that are steady, practical, and rooted in dignity. By strengthening income at household level, the programme reduces pressure, protects education, and allows families to plan for the future with greater confidence.
Level Up supports individuals and households to move from unstable or informal income into work that is safer, more predictable, and capable of sustaining a family over time. While delivery adapts to local culture, markets, and customs, the core approach remains consistent wherever the programme operates.
Livelihoods vary by context and may include
Transport and delivery services.
Food stations with outdoor seating .
Fishing boats and seafood farming.
Sustainable crop cultivation
Duck and chicken farms
Honey cultivation
Garment production units and other locally viable trades.
In every case, support combines assets, skills, systems knowledge, and follow-up, recognising that income becomes sustainable only when these elements are developed together.
Digital skills such as mobile payments, basic bookkeeping, and record keeping are built into every pathway, alongside guidance on licensing, safety requirements, and local regulations, helping people earn with confidence and legitimacy.
Income instability affects entire families, not only individuals. When earnings are irregular, children are more likely to work, girls are more likely to leave school early, and families may feel forced into decisions that compromise long-term wellbeing.
By supporting more reliable livelihoods, Level Up eases these pressures. Increased household income allows children to remain in education, supports girls to stay in school for longer, and reduces the risk of early marriage driven by financial strain. These outcomes sit at the heart of the programme, linking livelihoods directly to education, protection, and family stability.
All assets provided through Level Up are given as gifts, without interest or debt. The programme does not use loans or credit mechanisms, recognising that debt often deepens vulnerability rather than reducing it.
Assets are treated as a trust and participants engage in training, agree to clear conditions around responsible use, and understand that resale is not permitted. Where a pathway proves unsuitable, there is space to return assets without distress. Ongoing support helps participants plan for licensing costs, maintenance, fuel, and future replacement of key components, protecting income over time.
No livelihood is introduced without preparation. Training covers practical skills related to the chosen work, alongside foundational knowledge such as bookkeeping, income planning, and record keeping.
Participants are also supported to understand the systems surrounding their work, including food safety requirements, transport regulations, cooperative membership, trade-specific identification, and quality standards. This knowledge reduces risk, strengthens confidence, and helps livelihoods operate sustainably within local systems.
A typical Level Up transport pathway may involve an individual receiving a small vehicle, such as an electric three-wheel vehicle or rickshaw, suited to local demand. Before the vehicle is handed over, the participant completes training covering road safety, local transport laws, basic maintenance, and income planning.
Support includes guidance on obtaining the correct licence and registration, safety equipment, and planning for routine servicing and longer-term costs such as battery replacement. Participants are encouraged to set aside small amounts regularly to protect against breakdowns or loss of income. Clear agreements prevent the vehicle being sold as a short-term cash option, while follow-up support helps address challenges as they arise.
Through this structure, participants are able to earn steady income, support their households, and plan with greater confidence.
Level Up supports both individual livelihoods and cooperative models. Collective pathways may include farming groups, fishing collectives, garment units, or shared food enterprises, where collaboration strengthens access to skills, markets, and stability.
Cooperatives are developed carefully, with attention to governance, trust, and fair participation, recognising that group-based livelihoods require time and support to function well.
Level Up is primarily a zakat-funded programme, supporting individuals and families who fall within eligible categories due to financial hardship and limited earning opportunities. Zakat contributions are used to provide income-generating assets and practical support that allow families to earn in a sustainable and dignified way.
The long-term intention is to support families to move from dependence toward stability and self-reliance, with success understood not only through income improvement, but through reduced vulnerability, stronger family outcomes, and the possibility that one day participants themselves may give zakat.
Donations to Level Up fund real livelihoods. Support covers tools, business setup, training, and follow-up, ensuring livelihoods are established responsibly and supported during their early stages.
Where a donor chooses to support a full livelihood setup, such as a food station or a transport-based business, one-to-one feedback can be provided on how that support has helped a family establish their income. This feedback is shared carefully and respectfully, focusing on progress and outcomes while protecting dignity and privacy. Every donation, regardless of size, contributes to the same programme and the same principles, strengthening families over the long term.
Blackstone Trust is a registered charity with the charity Commission in England and Wales.
Charity Number 1203588
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