APT is a UK based charity dedicated to reducing the poverty of vulnerable people in Africa and South Asia by promoting the development of micro and small enterprises (MSEs).

There is a huge range of ‘MSEs’, including:

Poor rural farmers and livestock owners, street traders selling lamp oil, fish or other basic items, blacksmiths, tin smiths, tailors, shoe makers, carpenters, metal workers or other craftsmen and women.

This empowers men and women in poor communities to:

• Generate their own income, enabling them to buy food, medicine and education and provide for their families' survival.
• Obtain employment where opportunities are very limited, or simply do not exist, especially for poor and vulnerable people.
• Raise their quality of life, their self esteem and their dignity; and participate more fully in developing their communities.
• Build their self reliance, supplying the basic needs of their communities and stimulating local economies.

Targeted beneficiaries are those who are particularly vulnerable. They include those:

• with disabilities and those affected by HIV/AIDS
• rebuilding lives following conflict or other disasters
• facing harsh conditions in their environment (such as pastoralist or slum areas),
• and poor women facing additional challenges

Projects targeted to specific groups of beneficiaries help us to understand in more depth the nature of their poverty and marginalisation. Other projects consider the needs of all particularly vulnerable groups.

Our projects enable people to generate their own income, and sustain their initiatives using local resources and the technical and business skills passed on to them by APT and our local partner organisations.