Our Projects
This initiative addresses the challenges faced by new and existing community leaders in Pullar, India, particularly those working among marginalized and lower-caste communities. Many of these leaders are eager to drive change but lack the necessary training and resources to effectively serve their people.
Step Up Now, with the support of Gemeinde Zentrum Bethel donors, has stepped in to equip these leaders with the knowledge and skills required to foster sustainable development within their communities.
To strengthen this effort, we launched a "Train the Trainer" program aimed at empowering church and community leaders to take on greater leadership roles.
The program includes:
Six-Month Online Training – Leaders participate in structured classroom sessions (one day per week) to build foundational knowledge in leadership, community development and entrepreneurship. Alongside the training, we care for their physical needs by providing daily meals and food packages for their families, ensuring they can focus on their development without worry.
Two-Week Intensive On-Site Training – A hands-on, immersive experience where leaders receive practical coaching and mentorship to implement change effectively in our newly build multipurpose building
This initiative goes beyond leadership skills. By incorporating Biblical leadership principles, we empower leaders not only to organize and uplift their communities but also to bring spiritual transformation and lasting impact.
Next Steps:
In 2025, we will launch the 4th cohort of our leadership training program, continuing to equip local community leaders with the skills needed to drive sustainable change. To expand and enhance this initiative, we need your support to:
Cover transportation costs for participants, ensuring accessibility for those traveling from remote areas.
Provide daily meals to sustain and nourish trainees throughout the program.
Equip our classroom with essential resources, including furniture and teaching equipment like projectors, to improve the learning experience.
Your investment in this program will help raise up strong, capable leaders who can transform their communities from within. Partner with us today to make a lasting impact!
Equipping Community Leaders in Kothapalli Mitta, India
Fishponds in Pullur, India
The Fish Pond Project is an innovative initiative aimed at improving the lives of impoverished, low-caste communities in India, offering them a sustainable source of food and income. Thanks to a government incentive that provides wild land to low-caste individuals, this project allows them to transform barren land into productive aquaculture. If the land is cultivated and maintained for five years, the landowners secure long-term land ownership, significantly enhancing their economic stability and prospects for the future.
By developing fish ponds over 2 acres of land, this project offers an opportunity for both food security and financial independence. With an investment of USD 12,000, the project can yield substantial returns. Each acre of fish pond is expected to produce approximately 6,000 kg of fish annually, with a market value of about USD 1.20 per kg. This translates to an annual revenue of USD 7,200 per acre, and USD 14,400 for the full 2-acre pond.
After accounting for operational costs, including fish seed, feed, and maintenance (approximately USD 5,000 per acre), the projected annual profit is about USD 4,400 per acre. In total, the 2-acre pond could generate a net profit of USD 8,800 annually.
Beyond providing a reliable food source, the Fish Pond Project creates long-term employment opportunities for community members, contributing significantly to local economic development.
Next Steps:
This model can be replicated across other regions of Asia and Africa, providing a scalable solution to poverty and food insecurity.
Planting organic Basmati Rice in Pullur, India
The Organic Basmati Rice Project in Pullur is designed to create job opportunities and generate revenue for the local community by cultivating organic rice on 4 acres of land. This project benefits from a government incentive in India that provides wild land to impoverished individuals. If the land is cultivated and maintained for five years, the landowners gain long-term land security, greatly improving their economic stability and future prospects.
The goal of the Organic Basmati Rice Project is to develop a sustainable farming model for the community, focusing on the cultivation of organic Basmati rice. With an investment of USD 10,000, the project aims to cultivate rice on 4 acres of land. In the initial years, each acre is expected to yield approximately 2 x 1,600 kg of organic Basmati rice, with a market price of USD 1.50 per kg. This would generate annual revenue of USD 5,400 per acre, or a total of USD 21,600 for the 4-acre plot. After accounting for operational costs, including seeds, organic fertilizers, and labour (estimated at USD 3,200 per acre), the projected annual profit in the early years is approximately USD 4,800 per acre, or a total of USD 19,200 for the entire 4-acre farm.
This project not only creates a reliable source of food but also generates significant economic opportunities for the community. It provides employment in farming, from sowing and harvesting to processing and distribution. Additionally, the long-term viability of this project contributes to the local economy, strengthening the community's ability to support itself and improving overall livelihoods.
Next Steps:
This model can be replicated across other regions of Asia and Africa, providing a scalable solution to poverty and food insecurity.
Entrepreneurship and Farming in India Fishponds and Organic Basmati Rice
In Hawassa, Ethiopia, the healthcare system is primarily composed of small clinics and underfunded public hospitals that struggle to provide adequate medical assistance, especially to the poor and those with specialized needs. Many people in the region lack access to quality healthcare, facing long wait times, limited medical equipment, and a shortage of trained professionals.
Our vision is to establish a full-service Primary Hospital that not only meets international healthcare standards but also ensures that no one is turned away due to financial hardship. This hospital will be structured to operate sustainably—generating revenue from those who can afford care while utilizing donations and profits to provide free medical assistance to the underprivileged.
Beyond offering quality healthcare, this facility will also serve as a hub for medical training and knowledge transfer. We aim to welcome volunteers from first-world countries, including doctors, nurses, and medical professionals, who can donate their time and expertise to improve patient care while training local staff. By fostering a culture of education and skill-sharing, we can equip Ethiopian medical personnel with the tools and knowledge to offer world-class healthcare services to their communities.
This hospital will be a beacon of hope in the region, addressing critical healthcare gaps and ensuring that everyone—regardless of background or financial status—has access to life-saving medical care.
Next Steps:
This project is focused on transforming an existing hospital structure into a fully operational primary healthcare facility within one year. With a $500,000 investment, our next steps include:
Completing Construction – Adding two additional levels to expand capacity and services.
Equipping the Facility – Installing essential medical equipment and furnishings, prioritizing ambulance services, Maternal and Child Health (MCH), and Delivery Services.
Bringing in International Specialists – Recruiting medical professionals and trainers from first-world countries to volunteer, train local staff, and enhance medical expertise.
Ensuring Sustainable Operations – Establishing a self-sustaining financial model, leveraging profit-based services to fund free care for the underprivileged.
Be a Part of This Life-Changing Project
We are on a mission to transform an empty building into a fully operational hospital that will provide quality healthcare to thousands in Hawassa, Ethiopia. With your support, we can make this vision a reality within one year.
Here’s how you can help:
Donate – Your contribution will help fund construction, medical equipment, and essential services. Organizations and businesses can collaborate to expand healthcare access.
Sponsor Equipment or Services – Support specific needs like an ambulance, maternity care, or critical medical equipment.
Volunteer Your Skills – If you’re a medical professional, mentor and train local healthcare workers.
Every gift, every effort, and every partnership brings us one step closer to saving lives. Join us today in building a hospital that will serve generations to come!
A Vision for a Fully Equipped Primary Hospital in Hawassa, Ethiopia
Hunger remains a daily struggle for many vulnerable communities, particularly among the lowest caste groups in India and impoverished rural populations in Africa. Many families, especially in Pullur, India, and across Ethiopia, live without regular access to food, leading to malnutrition, illness, and hardship.
Through our feeding and nutrition programs, we provide regular meals, food packages, and nutritional support to ensure that those in need receive nourishment and dignity. Our feeding initiatives take many forms:
Community-Based Soup Kitchens: Located in Pullur and other rural villages
Food Packages: Essential staple foods like rice, lentils, and cooking oil are distributed to families struggling to survive.
School & Community Feeding Programs: Every community center we establish includes a feeding program, ensuring that adults and children attending education and leadership training receive proper nutrition.
Disaster & Emergency Feeding: During crisis situations such as monsoon seasons in India or droughts in Ethiopia, we provide emergency food relief to displaced families and disaster victims.
Feeding During Missionary Trips in Africa: As part of our outreach efforts, we distribute food to the hungry in the regions we serve
Next Steps:
Providing food is not just an act of charity—it is central to our mission. When people receive the nutrition they need, they gain the strength to build a better future. With your support, we can expand these programs to reach even more individuals who struggle with hunger every day. . Let's work together to make sure no one is left without food.
Feeding the Hungry, India & Africa
During the monsoon season (July to September) in Kothapalli Mitta, the most vulnerable members of the community face the devastating loss of their makeshift homes—often little more than a piece of plastic covering suspended from a tree. As floods and heavy rains destroy these fragile shelters, many families are left without protection or basic necessities.
Step Up Now steps in to offer temporary accommodation through local partnerships and volunteers, ensuring that displaced individuals have access to meals, blankets, and a safe, dry place to stay. In addition to providing immediate relief, we work to support their journey back to stability by offering the necessary resources until victims can return to their homes and rebuild their shelters.
Next Steps:
As we look to extend our disaster relief efforts to other areas in the Chittoor district, we need your help to ensure we can respond quickly and effectively when disaster strikes again. With your support, we can continue to be a lifeline for those in urgent need during times of crisis. Let's work together to make sure no one is left without help when disaster strikes.
Supporting Victims affected by the Monsoon season in Kothapalli Mitta, India
Step Up Now is dedicated to strengthening vulnerable communities by building multipurpose centres that serve as vital hubs for social, educational, and spiritual growth. Our Community Centre in Chittoor, India, is a key example of this commitment. Located in Kothapalli Mitta, a community with the lowest caste members, including individuals without homes or basic infrastructure, this building provides a safe space for access to essential resources, community building, and life transformation.
The three-story building serves multiple purposes: it operates as a school facility for both adults and children, offers a soup kitchen to feed the community, and provides temporary shelter for the homeless and vulnerable during the monsoon season. Additionally, it hosts community events to engage and unite local residents.
Next Steps:
Looking ahead, we are committed to making the Community Centre in Chittoor self-sustainable, ensuring long-term support for the community. To achieve this, we plan to install solar panels for energy provision, continue our ongoing food distribution to provide daily meals to the poor, and install 40 bunk beds to offer shelter to the vulnerable.
Your support can make a significant difference!
Community Development & Multipurpose Community Centre in Chittoor, India
We are committed to improving the lives of vulnerable children across multiple regions in India. Many of these children come from the lowest caste communities and face significant barriers to education and basic needs. Our projects aim to uplift them from their circumstances and provide them with the tools they need to build a better future.
We focus on shelter, education, feeding programs, clothing, blankets, and weekly programs to ensure that these children have access to essential resources and a sense of self-worth. Our initiatives give children a safe space to grow and learn, regardless of their background or financial status.
Our projects are currently active in the following locations, where we are making a real difference in the lives of children:
Pullur
Basivireddi Palli
Gopaiah Gunta
Morrava
Chevvakaluru
Thoppathipalli
Kanipakkam
E R Kandriga
Mitta Kandriga
Chittoor
Modhallapalli
Our projects ensure that these children receive practical aid, including food packages, clothing, and blankets. We also offer weekly programs focused on education and personal development. With future plans to establish schools in these areas, we are committed to providing access to quality education for children who would otherwise be excluded, giving them a sense of self-worth and the chance for a brighter future.
Next Steps:
We are committed to providing a brighter future for the children in Kothapalli Mitta, particularly those from the gypsy communities who face tremendous barriers to education. To break the cycle of poverty and provide these children with opportunities for a better life, we plan to open a primary school dedicated to the gypsy children in this area.
Your donations will go directly towards building and maintaining the primary school, ensuring that education is accessible for these vulnerable children. Your support can change the lives of these children, giving them the education they deserve and the opportunity to escape a future of hardship. Together, we can build a brighter future for the next generation.
