Social worker Chandra Mishra from Odisha has come up with a unique concept that has turned around the lives of 14 poor families – the Beggars Corporation. His slogan is “Don’t Donate, Invest,” and he has encouraged people not to give alms to beggars but to invest in them instead. Within six months, Mishra gave the initial investors their money back with an added 16.5 per cent profit. The Beggars Corporation came into being in August 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown, when many underprivileged people approached Mishra for help. He trained them in skills like making bags and gave them jobs. Slowly but steadily, more beggars joined the corporation, and Mishra’s initiative was appreciated by reputed people.
“We then returned the money to the people from whom we took the money in six months with 16.5 per cent ROI (Return on Investment),” said Chandra Mishra, reported India Today. “We did not think that we would be able to do this, but we wanted investment, not a donation, which we got. And when the time came, we returned it, and the investors made a profit,” he added.
In August 2022, along with his partners, Badrinath Mishra and Devendra Thapa, Mishra registered the Beggars Corporation as a “For Profit Company.” Today, he has turned 14 beggar families into entrepreneurs. Twelve families are collaborating with them to produce bags, while two other families have established shops near temples where they sell flowers and religious items.
Mishra’s approach necessitates just Rs 1.5 lakh per beggar, with Rs 50,000 spent on a three-month skill training program and the remaining sum spent on creating the infrastructure necessary for the individual’s business. He has also started the School of Life along with the Beggars Corporation, specially dedicated to children who beg at the ghats of Varanasi.
The Beggars Corporation has gained recognition and earned Chandra Mishra a place in 100 Innovative Startups, and later, he was included in the Top 16 Mindful Startups. Initially, 57 people invested in his campaign, and with their money, Mishra provided skill training to them and set up their employment. Mishra’s initiative has proved to be a unique way of changing the lives of beggars and has inspired many to invest instead of giving them donations.
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