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'Stories of Compassion and Strength', the E-book prepared on the activities of NHG members across the state during the lockdown period has been launched. The E-book features 30 different stories of a few Kudumbashree members across the state who made great efforts during the time of the spread of covid-19 pandemic. During this time of Covid-19, NHG members coordinated activities as per the instructions from the state level and district level and also as per the need of the people of the respective localities. A few success stories of the activities and sacrifices of Kudumbashree members are featured in this book.

'Stories of Compassion and Strength', the E-book on the activities of NHG members during the lockdown period is jointly prepared by Chaithanya G and Manjary Asok, Communication Specialists of the Public Relations team of Kudumbashree. S.Arun, Graphic Designer, designed this book. The book is available at the 'Books and Brochures' section of the website.

The E-book brings out some stories on effective interventions that Kudumbashree members made in the social sector during different situations. The compassionate face and the social commitment of Kudumbashree NHG members could be seen throughout these stories.

Kudumbashree has about 3 lakh neighbourhood groups (NHGs) with 45 lakh women as members and this network is the strength of this women empowerment and poverty eradication programme. Kudumbashree has always lent helping hands to all whenever they are in trouble, disasters, challenges, whatever the crisis be. We had explained about the various activities Kudumbashree had implemented during the floods of 2018, 2019 and the activities implemented to overcome the challenges caused by covid-19 pandemic.

Click to read the E-book: http://www.kudumbashree.org/storage//files/vuoun_kanivinteyum_karuthinteyum_kadhakal%202.pdf

'Naam Munnot', the special weekly television discussion programme featured Kudumbashree Mission and the various programmes Kudumbashree had been implementing in Kerala. The 108th episode of 'Naam Munnot' programme was a quick documentation of Kudumbashree’s success story. A concise review on the growth of Kudumbashree and the activities Kudumbashree have been implementing in Kerala could be seen through this programme. In addition, the achievements and progress of Kudumbashree in the last four years (through new programmes) was also highlighted.

'Naam Munnot', is a program conducted in the presence of the Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, generally aimed to get an assessment of governments programs, to take feedback from the public and to solve issues, if any. The 108th episode was on Kudumbashree, the State Poverty Eradication Mission of the Government of Kerala. Usually the programme was planned as a discussion and interaction of experts and the Honourable Chief Minister. After the lockdown of COVID - 19 pandemic started, the discussion mode of the programme was altered by the production team and it was restructured as a documentary.

To watch the episode of 'Naam Munnot' programme on Kudumbashree,click this link: http://www.kudumbashree.org/videos/6.

As it would take more time for the functioning of the BUDS institutions in the normal state like in the pre covid days, Kudumbashree is implementing the concept of extending training and services for the students of these institutions through an online platform. The videos would be prepared and would be brought to the parents of the BUDS Institutions through various online mediums. The videos prepared include videos of activities on daily life, knowledge of nature, mathematics skills, primary health skills, primary domestic skills and social skills. Also, videos of activities on livelihood activities such as paper bag making, paper pen making, handicraft making etc. are also prepared.

As of now, 289 BUDS institutions function under the leadership of Kudumbashree. 9002 children studies at the 138 BUDS Schools and 151 BUDS Rehabilitation Centers altogether. 430 specially trained teachers and 351 other staff coordinate the functioning of these BUDS Institutions. Institutions provide all support to students through these teachers and staff. Before launching this concept a discussion was made with the teachers of the BUDS Institutions regarding video classes. The direction was to prepare videos on the important activities that could be done through the parents. BUDS teachers have prepared many such videos. These videos would be brought to the parents through Youtube Channel, WhatsApp, Facebook etc. BUDS teachers would ensure that all the students watch these videos regularly and do their activities with the help of parents. The District Programme Managers of Kudumbashree would monitor these activities.

Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/STATE-BUDS-BRC-116333783392685/) and Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJzWrG-myT3fJ-0UdIvbMtQ) had been started for sharing these videos. As the next phase, Kudumbashree aims at preparing videos of health exercises for children with the help of therapists and aims at taking them to the children and parents. BUDS teachers are making relentless efforts to ensure that such academic-training activities of the BUDS Institutions are ongoing without any fail.

BUDS Institutions of Kudumbashree, work in convergence with the LSGIs for the specially abled children. As part of containing the spread of covid-19 pandemic, just like all other educational institutions, BUDS Schools were also closed. Kudumbashree had been providing support to the children of BUDS Institutions and their parents during the lockdown period as well.

Kudumbashree got the opportunity to take up some construction activities of Smart City, Thiruvananthapuram. Kudumbashree construction units got the chance to construct three different works of the Thiruvananthapuram Smart City project. The Smart City officials provided the work to Kudumbashree Construction groups, once the work could not be awarded to bidders as no one took the work. Kudumbashree construction teams units received this responsibility wholeheartedly and are working on it.

The three works undertaken by Kudumbashree include the construction of the Interactive Information Kiosks at Corporation premises and Gandhi Park (Rs 6.66 lakhs), the renovation of the toilets at KSRTC Bus Station, Thampanoor (Rs 7.3 lakhs) and the construction of rain water harvesting system at Corporation premises and Women's College, Thiruvananthapuram (Rs 61 lakhs). Kudumbashree received these construction activities two months ago. Kudumbashree construction units could successfully complete the first task i.e., the construction of the interactive information kiosk. The construction activities of the renovation of the toilets at KSRTC Bus Station, Thampanoor is progressing. The design and schedules of work for the rain water harvesting system is ready now.

Kudumbashree women construction groups have already started taking up some big scale house construction works and are getting more opportunities to function extensively. The opportunity received as part of the Thiruvananthapuram Smart City Project is the latest among these. Various works would be finished by Kudumbashree's construction groups in time with utmost quality. Kudumbashree construction groups are aiming at progressing to greater heights by taking up such challenging opportunities.

Connect to Work', the new concept presented by Kudumbashree as part of Rebuild Kerala Project got approval and is in the implementation phase now and would be launched soon. Connect to Work is conceived as a Programme which identifies the drawbacks of each individual, resolves it and extends the best quality training and makes them highly employable. Kudumbshree have come in contract with ASAP (Additional Skills Acquisition Programme) for extending the training.

Though there are as many qualified youth in our society, the deficiency of soft skills, lack of knowledge on how to attend an interview, the inability to identify jobs through online and other media and the lack of skills in turning such opportunities to jobs etc pose great challenges to them and they fail in getting the right job on time and therefore they find it difficult to find jobs or connect themselves to jobs. Many people in the society are facing such issues and they need support and assistance to get connected to work. This led Kudumbashree to think of implementing 'Connect to Work' as a finishing School programme.

Those people with qualifications such as ITI, Polytechnic Diploma, Graduation, Post Graduation etc could participate in this training programme. Any family member of the trainee should be part a Kudumbashree Neighbourhood Group member or he/she should belong to a BPL (Below Poverty Line) family and the maximum age for getting enrolled for the programme is 35 years. The interested candidates may contact the nearest CDSs.

In the first phase it is planned to select one panchayath each from 152 blocks in the state and 33 people each from every panchayath would be given training which will equip them to get jobs. It is planned to connect 5000 people to jobs in phase 1. The selected youth would be provided with our course of 120 hours duration. They would be taught personal skills, social skills, organisational skills, professional skills, presentation skills, entrepreneurship skills etc. Based on the success of the first phase, the training for more batches will also be started.

At present, 152 CDS s had already been selected. They were given directions to do convergence with local bodies so that panchayats will provide their own existing facilities to implement ‘Connect to Work’ Project. Each CDS had been given Rs 2,10,000 each for arranging computer, projector, board, table, chair, travel allowance for the students, and for arranging the honorarium for the resource persons for coordinating the training centres. The actions for setting up the basic amenities in the panchayats is progressing. Resource Persons had been entrusted in every panchayats to coordinate the activities. The activities to select the first level trainees has also been started. The trainees would be selected before 15 August 2020.

ASAP trainers would lead the classes at 152 centres and the training module is being prepared. The training centres would function under the respective CDSs. When the crisis of covid-19 would be ended, the training would be started on getting the direction of the government. This programme could bring in a big change in society and help many to improve themselves, and find livelihood of their own.

Kudumbashree's Annashree have started delivering tasty food from the Kudumbashree Catering units in Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. AIFRHM (Adebha-Adhithi Devo Bhava- Institute of Food Research and Hospitality Management), the master training agency that extends catering training across the state and one among the best enterprise models of Kudumbashree has devised this new project of their own. They have come up with a mobile application named 'Annashree' which delivers food to the needy.

The Annashree project is presently being piloted in Thrissur and Ernakulam districts. 'Annashree' is developed in the model of other online delivery apps like Zomato, Swiggy etc. The cafe, canteen, catering units under Kudumbashree may register for delivering food through this application and all those who download this application may order and buy food items directly from Kudumbashree entrepreneurs.

As part of piloting the app, activities are being held in Thrissur and Ernakulam districts. In Thrissur, 8 hotels have registered in the application until now. An average of 30 home deliveries are done a day. Two Kudumbashree members from Panancherry Panchayath are delivering the food. The project was started in Ernakulam district on 29 June 2020. In Ernakulam, 9 Units from Kalamassery and Choornikkara have made registrations until now. Sales of Rs 5000- Rs 15,000 is recorded a day. AIFRHM has decided to expand the activity after completing this pilot project for 6 months.

It was understood that, though Kudumbashree hotels have registered in other food delivery applications, they were not getting enough publicity. It was noticed that paid promotions may be required for most of the existing food delivery apps for getting prominence for Kudumbashree's hotels. And that led Kudumbashree to try to experiment with the possibility to move forward with the idea of a new app. This will be an app where the trustworthiness and originality of Kudumbashree food units can be experienced by all customers.

Kudumbashree received a mandate to operate canteens at all ITIs established by the Department of Labour and Skills, Government of Kerala. This approval is as per Government order (G.O(MS) No.29/2020/ Labour). The requirement is to operate canteens as per guidelines of the ‘programme for providing nutritious food/ noon meal’ at 96 ITIs in Kerala. Through this, the students in these ITIs would get food at prescribed rates and the Kudumbashree entrepreneurs working in the catering sector would get an opportunity to get a regular income.

As per this order, Kudumbashree units will get the opportunity to implement programmes for providing nutritious food at 82 ITIs and to provide food as per noon meal Programme at 14 ITIs. 30,000 student trainees of ITI s would be beneficiaries of the ‘Nutritious Food Programme’ and 6000 trainees would become part of the ‘noon meal’ programme. The Nutritious Food Programme provides for a fund of Rs 15 per student per day. For the noon meal programme, Kudumbashree units would get Rs 340 per trainee for a week at the ITIs where the number of students is less than 500. The rate will be Rs 325 per student for a week in those ITIs where the number of students is greater than 500.

There are about 4500 canteen- catering units functioning under the umbrella of Kudumbashree in Kerala. This new opportunity will bring more livelihood opportunities in the catering sector for Kudumbashree entrepreneurs. As per the order received in 2018, (G.O (Rt) No.2143/2018.LSGD) Kudumbashree got the approval to run canteens in all Local Self Government Institutions.

Sales of umbrellas worth half crore rupees has been recorded through 'Orumayk Oru Kuda Akalam' (Umbrellas for Unity) Campaign, which is being implemented for taking the slogan of 'Social Distancing' to the NHGs. As per the campaign started during the month of May, a total of 20,384 umbrellas were sold through 678 CDSs and sales of more than Rs 55 lakhs was recorded.

'Orumayk Oru Kuda Akalam' (Umbrellas for Unity) campaign is being implemented through Kudumbashree's community network. As per this campaign, umbrellas produced by Kudumbashree enterprise units are marketed through Community Development Societies (CDS). Umbrellas were distributed to CDSs according to the orders received and are being sold to the NHG members though CDSs. When the concept of 'Orumayk Oru Kuda Akalam' was introduced,the CDSs came forward showing greater interest.

The umbrellas produced by the umbrella making units under Kudumbashree were collected through district teams and were brought to CDSs. CDSs sold these umbrellas to the NHG members. Four types of umbrellas viz., 3 fold, 2 fold, kids umbrella and gents umbrella were given to CDSs. The NHG members were provided with an option to pay the cost of the umbrella to the CDS in instalments (12 weeks duration). This amount would be handed over to the state mission and the same would be distributed among the respective units.

Through this campaign, support was given to the entrepreneurs engaged in umbrella production and they were assisted to get a good market. Further, through this campaign, Kudumbashree could make the members aware of the significance of maintaining social distancing for containing the spread of coronavirus.

Kudumbashree entrepreneurs from Kannur are all set to produce designer masks after getting special training from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). After the issue of the government directions that it is mandatory to wear face masks, both low quality masks and expensive masks became available in the market. On realising this, our Kudumbashree Kannur District team decided to produce reliable branded designer masks through the entrepreneurs working in apparel, tailoring sector.

The district team approached the National Institute of Fashion technology (NIFT) for extending training for entrepreneurs. 30 Entrepreneurs got the first phase of training on 3 June. The training was provided in the faculties of designing as well as production. Later, on 19 June, special training was given on the aspects such as packing, branding and also on fixing rates. The training was extended by a team including the faculties and officials of NIFT. Mukthi Sumangala, Shangrella Rajesh, Manuprasad Mathew and Nithin took the leadership for imparting training.

Presently, 30 units are making two or three layered masks using cotton and chiffon. The masks are being produced after ascertaining the needs and interests of the people from various sectors of the society. Different designs of masks are there for women and men. Separate types of masks are being produced for children from 2 to 7 years of age and those from 8 to 14 years of age. It is planned to launch the designer masks by 15 July after completing the package design. It is also planned to market these masks through Kudumbashree organisational system, shops, hospitals, medical shops, Government departments etc.

Kudumbashree would extend services at COVID Firstline Treatment Centres across the state. Kudumbashree is extending two types of services at these centres as per the guidance of the respective District Collectors and the District Health Department.

Serving needed food is one of the important services that Kudumbashree extends to these centres and they also extend housekeeping services at selected Firstline Treatment Centres as well.

As of now, Kudumbashree serves food to the treatment centres at 14 locations.Kudumbashree serves food at 3 First Line Treatment Centres each at Palakkad, Malappuram districts and 2 centres each at Pathanamthitta, Kottayam districts. Kudumbashree entrepreneurs provide an average of 1200 food packets to these Firstline Treatment Centres across Kerala on a daily basis. In addition, Kudumbashree members extend the housekeeping services to 6 Firstline Treatment Centres.

Firstline Treatment Centres are being opened in all districts under the leadership of the Health Department in connection with the spread of covid-19 pandemic. These are developed as the centres that treat the covid-19 patients in the primary phase. Till 9 July 2020, more than 30 Firstline Treatment Centres were opened in Kerala. It brings immense pride to Kudumbashree NHG members and CDSs that they are able to provide services in the needed areas converging with the Health Department and district administration for fighting back Covid.