The official inauguration of the distribution of the Discount cards for the Resurgent Kerala Loan Scheme was held at Sree Narayana Gurudeva Hall, Chalakkudy, Thrissur on 10 November 2018. Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister for Local Self Governments, Government of Kerala inaugurated the distribution of the Discount cards for the Resurgent Kerala Loan Scheme. The Scheme Brochure was also released during the function. Adv. V. S. Sunil Kumar, Minister for Agriculture Government of Kerala presided over the function. Shri. S Harikishore, Executive Director, explained about the programme in detail.

Resurgent Kerala Loan Scheme was launched with the aim of giving hand support to regain the life and livelihood and to hold and pacify, those who stands in misery along with the loss of this State followed by impact of the worst natural disaster faced by Kerala. The Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission was authorized to facilitate the bank loan as per the RKL Scheme up to Rs 1 lakh to family head for the purchase of domestic appliances and other purposes. As per the scheme, the beneficiaries may buy utensils from the registered dealers in 40-50 % discount from the market rates. The selected companies have made necessary arrangements to make avail the utensils, products to the beneficiaries in discounted rates through their accredited dealers/ stockists in each districts. The Scheme Brochure give detail information about the products available in discount rates and the details of the stockists/ dealers in each districts.

NULM's Employment through Skill Training and Placement is touching lives of many. The story of Ms. Kamiya is one among such stories. Ms. Kamiya was a household woman. It was the SHG campaigns that made her a member of SHG named Thejas. Initially it was just a group membership for her. Each SHG meetings seemed informative for her. It gave her an impression that there are lot happening around. Lots of information’s were shared in each weekly meetings and she started making use of it.

It was one of those meetings that gave her information regarding the proposed mobilization camp for free skill training program under NULM. The mobilization camp arranged by the city mission management unit of Nilambur ULB was so informative for her and she felt she should pursue a skill training. She became the beneficiary of Employment through Skill Training and Placement ( EST&P) and attended the counseling sessions and got admitted for the 3 months free skill training course on Accounts Assistant Using Tally at Nilambur. She completed the course successfully and got certified.

It was just another meeting, attending Self Employment Program (SEP) campaign which took her life to another dimension. The Sparsham campaign conducted by City Mission Managment Unit (CMMU), NULM of Nilambur ULB made her aware of the SEP loan scheme for aspirant entrepreneurs. That made her dream her about setting up her own enterprise. She assessed the need of her resident area and decided to start a Super Market. She then applied for a loan of Rs. 2 lakh under NULM SEP and got it sanctioned from Indian Bank, Nilambur Branch. Now she is running the venture successfully and decent income is being generated. The confidence of present success made her think of another Super Market in a different area of the ULB. She indeed is a live example of making a change through NULM.

NULM is a complete package for someone who wants to have a change in his/her livelihood. All the components are designed to make certain changes in the income and social security of common man. Nilambur Urban CDS has always been considered as one of the best CDS in Malappuram District. It always encouraged urban people for becoming self sufficient. After the implementation of NULM there are many cases where NULM made a difference in their stories. Ms Kamiya is one among them.

Kudumbashree has opened  'Kripa Kudumbashree Home- A hostel venture of Nilambur CDS under NULM. Situated near to Nilambur town,  Kripa Kudumbashree is run as an individual enterprise. Now they have two hostel premises, one with a capacity for 21 inmates, run for DDUGKY Programme and the other with a capacity of 30 inmates for NULM making a total of  51 inmates.

As Nilambur town is a place where many residential training programs under Government take place, the need for a permanent hostel facility became the need of the day. It has residential training programs under the Employment through Skills Training & Placement (EST&P) component under National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) also. Smt. Amina,  CDS Chairperson spoke to Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) regarding the setting up a hostel since JSS have to find hostel facility for their proposed residential batches under NULM as well as DDU GKY.  Jan Shikshan Sansthan expressed their willingness to have a hostel run for their students by Kudumbashree.  

The initial capital requirement of Rs 2 lakh for the venture was raised by the entrepreneur, Smt. Amina, herself. For further financial assistance they have applied for loan under the Self Employment Programme component of NULM. Kripa Homes is providing homely food for the students and are availing the service of Kudumbashree members for cooking and hostel security. Both the hostel buildings are rented which are well maintained and it provides a good ambiance for students. Water and transport facilities are available in the hostel. Rooms have sufficient number of beds and toilets. Even when there are no residential courses available in the city, the entrepreneur has got a chance to convert it to a ladies hostel. Hence, multiple sources of income.

An International Training Programme on ‘Entrepreneurship Development among Rural Women’ is being organized at Thiruvananthapuram from 6- 20 November 2018.The inauguration of the programme was conducted by Shri.S.Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission at Mascot Hotel Thiruvananthapuram on 6 November 2018. The special address was delivered by Dr Mahantesh Shirur, Deputy Director, Agriculture MANAGE and Dr Ravi Nandi Programme Manager, FTF ITT MANAGE. 

On inaugurating the programme, he spoke about poverty in Kerala and how poverty is being addressed through the large network of rural women of Kudumbashree, Kerala. He also highlighted on the various livelihood initiates being undertaken by the women and the impact in their lives.  He encouraged the participants to learn from the experience of Kudumbashree and contextualise in their own Countries.

The training Programme is organised by Kudumbashree Mission in association with National Institute of Agriculture Extension Management, Hyderabad (MANAGE). 

USAID and Ministry of External Affairs, Goverment of India designed a program named as Feed the Future India Triangular Training (FTF ITT) Program which was launched on 25 July 2016 at New Delhi. During the program period until 2020, a total of 1400 Agricultural professionals from 17 partner countries of Africa and Asia will be trained. The program will conduct 32, fifteen days duration training courses (excluding travel period) at select Indian institutions for 25 participants in each programme, and twelve, 10 days duration trainings (excluding travel period), in selected partner countries in Africa and Asia, for up to 50 participants per programme.

This approach is designed to respond to the needs of target Countries based on the Demand Analysis carried out at the beginning of this program. National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, India, an autonomous organization under ministry of Agriculture and farmers welfare, Government of India has been designated as lead Institution for implementation of the program.

Kudumbashree has been identified as one of the training partners for their expertise in Entrepreneurship of rural women.  During the year 2017 and 2018, three training programme under Feed the Future (FTF) was successfully conducted by Kudumbashree. The programme is being attended by six countries and 26 participants.

The details of this is being given below.

Kudumbasree Wayanad District Mission took a new initiative in women empowerment programme called 'Women Grama Sabha', which was conducted as a joint venture with Meppadi Grama Panchayath of Wayanad District. Women Grama Sabha was organized as an initiative of the Gender Resource Center. About 300 women from the village participated in the program. Special attention was given to the venture as part of the new Project Planning of Local Self Government Department (2019-20). Participation of housewives and NHG members were ensured in the program. Shri. Sahad, Panchayath President, Meppadi Grama Panchayath inaugurated the program.

Discussions were held on development activities, strategies and tactics to be used in the development process of the panchayath. Elected ward Counselors had actively participated in the program and discussed about the issues related with each ward and developmental plans. Acute observations and analysis were made and a lot of innovative plans were noticed. The participants were divided into 10 groups and discussions were held on various subjects and a leader elected from each group were made a presentation based on the discussions. The Women Gramasabha seemed to be a reflection that, how the Kudumbashree initiatives made changes in the Society.

'My ME' State Level Workshop was conducted at Kites Training Centre, Pongumoodu,Thiruvananthapuram on 30 October 2018. “My ME” project envisaged the adoption of one micro enterprise by one program manager, as a part of “Year of Micro Enterprises” Campaign. A total of 400 employees took My ME project out of which 87 people made real difference in the ME Sector and also presented in the District Level Workshop and each district selected one person from the pool and nominated for State Level Workshop. The nominated employees presented their projects and the Best Performers in the State Level were selected.

Shri. UnniKrishnan, District Programme Manager, SVEP, Pathanamthitta came in the first place. Shri. Binish Sebastian, District Programme Manager, DDUGKY, Kottayam came second and Shri. Gireesh Kumar.T, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kozhikode and Shri. Nabeel, Block Coordinator, Malappuram came in third place. Shri. Monish Mohan, Block Coordinator, Kasargod received Special Jury Mention. Shri. Jagjeevan. N, Consultant, Haritha Kerala Mission and Shri. Dathan. C.S, Programme Officer,Agriculture, Kudumbashree Mission were the jury who selected the Best Performers who made a real difference to the production, marketing and profit of the Micro Enterprises.

The tastes and ethnic cuisines of Kudumbashree women will also mark the crease in the 5th One day International between India and West Indies match at Kariyavattom Green Field Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. The One Day International which is scheduled to be conducted on 1 November 2018 will be characterized not just as the match between the titans of cricket but also as the match between the mouth watering ethnic dishes catered by Cafe Kudumbashree units. 

The stands of the Green Field stadium will experience both the intense battle at the pitch and also the tasty dishes delivered hot, spicy and tasty from Kudumbashree women. 11 Cafe Kudumbashree units across Thiruvananthapuram will cater ethnic dishes ranging from tea, snacks to spicy biriyani and pathiri with juicy yet tasty curries of Thiruvananthapuram delicacies.These units are brought under the banner of delicacies of Ananthapuri by the Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission. 

Kudumbashree was also present among the stands as the official food partner of the match last year when India faced New Zealand in the first ever T20 match hosted at Kariyavattom Green Field Stadium. While India registered a convincing victory over New Zealand, there was also these culinary experts of Kudumbashree registering over Rs. 3.5 lakhs sales and also the hearts of fans who came cheering for India and the greater game of cricket.

It's time to cheer for India and also for these Kudumbashree women who are going to script another saga of taste and quality food just like Kohli structures his perfect straight drive! Come on India! Come on Kudumbashree !

Kudumbashree Mission contribute an additional amount of Rs 4.18 crore to CMDRF, which altogether make a whopping total of Rs 11.18 crores. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission handed over the cheque to Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Government of Kerala in the presence of Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister for Local Self Governments, Government of Kerala at Chief Minister's Chamber on 31 October 2018.

Kudumbashree Mission had already contributed an amount of Rs 7 Crore to Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. It is in addition to that, Rs 4.18 Crore is contributed. The major part of the amount was mobilized locally by pooling the weekly thrift collection of the NHG members based on the request of the Executive Director of Kudumbashree Mission. NHGs pooled those funds from various sources such as their contributions; amount kept aside for Onam celebrations etc was also added towards the cause. Apart from this, the Resource Persons, members of the Kudumbashree Accounts and Audit Service Society (KAASS) and Training Group Members had also made their individual contributions.

Even though majority of Kudumbashree members were badly affected by the flood, they have been in the forefront in the relief activity and cleaning exercises as well. Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) is the emergency assistance release mechanism granting immediate relief to families and individuals distressed by calamity, loss of life due to accidents and chronic diseases.