Award-winning Nottingham entrepreneur and national financial literacy advocate Tara Askham is swapping boardrooms for backroads as she prepares to take on a 1,200km rickshaw rally across India to raise funds for women and girls.
Flying out on 27 February, Tara will join 50 female founders and business leaders in the Sisterhood Rickshaw Rally 2026, driving from Chennai to Goa between 2–8 March and finishing on International Women’s Day.
The ambitious challenge aims to raise £150,000 for grassroots projects supporting education, skills training and maternal health for vulnerable women and girls in India.
“We’re not just talking about change – we’re driving it,” said Tara.
“Entrepreneurship has given me opportunities I never saw growing up. This challenge is about using that platform to create opportunity for women and girls who deserve access to education, independence and better health.”
Brands led by women taking part include Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Killing Kittens, Ideas Fest, Think Tank Academy, Beyond Beautiful and Karma Group.
From Finance to 1,200 Kilometres on the Road
The rally will see participants navigate chaotic city traffic, rural highways and unpredictable conditions across Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore and into Goa all in auto-rickshaws.
The Sisterhood Group, founded in 2006, is known for taking on extreme endurance challenges to raise money for women’s and children’s charities. Past challenges include the Amazon raft race, Kilimanjaro, Marathon des Sables and a world-record dragon boat crossing of the English Channel. To date, they have raised more than £1.15 million.
Driving Real Change on the Ground
Funds raised will directly support three high-impact initiatives in partnership with Ladies Circle India and Round Table India:
Building Safe Classrooms
• Constructing weatherproof classrooms in government-supported schools.
• Supporting all-girls schools and special needs schools.
• Increasing enrolment and preventing drop-outs due to unsafe facilities.
Anaemia Prevention Mission
• Tackling postpartum anaemia at Kilpauk Medical College (6,000 deliveries per month).
• Providing nutritional support and improved blood bank access.
• Reducing preventable maternal complications and deaths.
Skills Development Mission
• Training 1,500 underprivileged women annually.
• Courses in nursing, IT, accounting, web development and trade skills.
• 70–75% placement success rates.
More than 15,000 women have already been supported through the programme.
A Business Leader Committed to Access and Opportunity
Alongside running her business, Tara plays a national role in shaping conversations around entrepreneurship and financial literacy. She is a Steering Committee Member for the Government-backed Maple Review and a member of Xero’s Financial Literacy Taskforce.
“Access changes expectation. When women are given education, skills and financial independence, it impacts families, communities and future
generations. This rally is about action, not just intention.”
How to Support
With only days to go before departure, Tara is calling on Nottingham businesses and individuals to help reach the £150,000 target.
• Donate – Every £10, £20 or £50 makes a tangible difference.
• Sponsor – Branding opportunities alongside high-profile female founders.
• Partner – Provide products, services or creative collaborations.
Donate: https://fundraiser.bhumiusa.org/page/SisterhoodRally2026.
Sponsorship & Press Enquiries: tara@tkafinancetraining.co.uk | 07763 817205.
Follow the journey: @thesisterhoodgroup.
