The fourth phase of the Gender Self Learning Programme was officially launched. Shri. A.C. Moideen, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala inaugurated the NHG level campaign of the fourth phase of Gender Self Learning Programme at District Co-operative Bank Hall, Thrissur on 14 January 2019.

Kudumbashree Mission had been framing and successfully implementing different programmes focusing women through Gender Self Learning Programme (GSLP) for the past 11 years. Vulnerability study, crime mapping, Neetham campaign, Pusthaka yatra were the activities implemented by Kudumbashree as the after effect of Gender Self Learning Programme. The themes Women & employment, Women & health Women & mobility had already been discussed in the last 3 modules of Gender Self Learning Programme.

The programme is organised in NHGs through group discussions. Gender Status- Equality & Justice will be the theme discussed in the fourth module.The concept is meant to create an environment for women to learn what empowerment is for themselves and how they should learn to recognize suppression, vulnerability etc. The GSLP programme will be organised at NHGs for 6 months. A book has also been prepared for the self learning process reach to the 43 lakh members in 2.77 NHGs. 300 facilitators from 14 districts across Kerala had been selected and trained. The facilitators will select one member each from every NHGs and thereby equip the NHGs for the self learning programme.

Gender Self Learning Programme could be regarded as the first social educational process that would have direct implications on rights and entitlements of women in grass roots. Unlike conventional women empowerment programmes that adhere to awareness classes, gender self learning programme aims at facilitating neighborhood groups on discussions that reflect on discrimination, violence and inequality. Each woman represented in the network is regarded as a participant, information provider and knowledge creator.

Kudumbashree Wellness Centre is opened at Kunnamkulam Municipality of Thrissur district of Kerala to address the lifestyle diseases caused by the unhealthy food habits. Life style diseases are quite common in Kunnamkulam Municipality. The health issues can be reduced to a large extend by practicing yoga or physical fitness exercises and there arise the scope of a Wellness centre.

Kudumbashree Welless centre is one of the initiatives implemented in Kunnamkulam Municipality after assessing the demand. The wellness centre is launched as NULM individual enterprises for men and women. Named as 'Bull International Wellness Centre' the centre is fully equipped for women and men with adequate parking facility and all are viable for economic and social context. This centre includes a yoga trainer, dietitian and a gym trainer.

The certified yoga trainer of the wellness centre give the three vital components that make the practice whole: breathing exercise, body postures and meditation to the clients. The dietitian works closely with clients who are over weight, have medical illness that prevent them from losing weight , diabetes etc and also help clients make meal plans and change the course of their life with the food they eat each day.The certified gym trainer give the fitness classes which consist of heavy duty treadmill, motorized treadmill, orbit rack steel type machine , leg press machine etc. Smt. Sudha, one of the Kudumbashree member is the yoga trainer and Shri. Jiju Mon, the entrepreneur himself is the certified gym trainer of the wellness centre.

A total of Rs 8 lakhs was invested in the enterprise and was done through NULM bank loan and beneficiary share. Rs 6 lakh was availed as loan and Rs 2 lakh was the beneficiary share. The Wellness Centre have a total of 6 shifts of 1 hour each everyday . A shift can maximum incorporate around 10 persons. Rs 1500 is the fee per month. The percentage of women who are over weight or obese in Kerala is 28% .The problem of obesity has been particularly increase in urban area ,as there is a drastic change in living standards and life style of people over the recent years.It is for addressing such health issues caused because of unhealthy life style that the wellness centre was launched.

Self Employment Programme Component of NULM focus on financial assistance to individuals/groups of urban poor for setting up gainful self-employment ventures/ micro-enterprises, suited to their skills, training, aptitude and local conditions.

Mother Kitchen and Take away counter is offering nutritious and healthy food at Kozhikode. Kudumbashree Mission has created its brand in Canteen and restaurants, it has now come out with a diverse concept called Mother Kitchen and Take away counters. The idea behind the concept is that the food would be cooked in a central location kitchen and would be marketed through take away counters or outlets. Mother kitchens menu comprises of nutritious and healthy food. In this busy world, mother kitchen cum take away counter is a helping hand for office personnel’s under Kozhikode corporation.

The NULM (National Urban Livelihoods Mission) team had explained about the innovative projects in an Area Development Society (ADS) meeting and a group with three members from 63rd division of Kozhikode Corporation expressed their willingness to start the Mother Kitchen and Take Away. The group consists of three members from three different Neighborhood groups. Smt. Shyamala from Azhakodi NHG, Smt. Sandhya from Nandanam NHG and Smt. Sunitha from Subhasree NHG are the members of the group. Within limited time, 'Ruchikkoot' Mother Kitchen and Take Away Counter was started on 24 November 2018.

In the initial time the group did’t had a location to set the take away outlet and the same was discussed with Kozhikode District Mission. With the help of Kozhikode District Mission, the unit managed to get the offer to start the Mother Kitchen at Government Veterinary Hospital, Kozhikode. As it is located near to NGO Union office and other different shops, it is really a great opportunity for the Kudumbashree group.

The Mother Kitchen and Take Away Counter was started with a total investment of Rs 2.5 lakhs as loan in the beginning stage and out of that Rs 1.9 lakhs was availed through NULM's Self Employment Programme. The Self Employment Programme focus on financial assistance to individuals or groups of urban poor for setting up gainful self-employment ventures or micro-enterprises, suited to their skills, training, aptitude and local conditions. The under-employed and unemployed urban poor will be encouraged to set up small enterprises relating to manufacturing, servicing and petty business for which there is considerable local demand.