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Kudumbashree Mission took up Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. From now, Subicsha Coconut Producer Company would be working under the leadership of Kudumbashree Mission. Shri. T.P Ramakrishnan, Minister for Labour and Excise, Government of Kerala inaugurated the Annual General Body Meeting of Subicsha Coconut Producer Company at Subicsha Head Office, Chalikkara, Perambra, Kozhikode on 24 September 2018. Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission made the official declaration of taking up the Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. Shri. T.P Ramakrishnan, Minister launched the ISO 9001-2015, ISO 22000-2005 certificates of the company and also the rebranded Subicsha Coconut Oil which would be exported to foreign countries soon.

Subicsha, the innovative Coconut based value added products venture, was developed jointly by Perambra Block Panchayath and Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, with an aim to provide employment opportunities to the members of 522 Self Help Groups/ Kudumbasree Members in Perambra Block Panchayath. The project envisaged the development of micro enterprises that could be effectively managed by the women self help groups / Kudumbasree members from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families active in the project area. All the micro enterprises were limited to the dependence on coconut, the most abundant resource available in the area. To create micro economic enterprises, to eradicate poverty, to generate employment opportunities for BPL families, to empower women self help groups by intensive training and financial assistance for starting self employment ventures were the main objectives of the project. The detailed project report submitted to the Govt, of India was duly approved with a special status under Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) scheme. The project was officially inaugurated on 31 October 2003. Subicsha was registered as a Producer Company under the companies Act 1956 on 12 April 2005, and Govt. of Kerala approved the company vide its order No. Go(MS) No. 258/06/LSGD TVM dated 13-11-06.

Presently, around 50 innovative coconut based products are developed and marketed by the Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. Virgin coconut oil, Tender Coconut Jam, Coconut Pickle, Natural Vinegar, Chutney Powder, Mango Pickle, Lemon Pickle, Turmeric Sandal Soap, Hair Care, Skin Care Oil, Baby Oil, Coconut Oil, Tender Coconut Squash, Dates Pickle, Traditional Virgin Coconut Oil, Hand Wash, Bathroom Cleaner, Floor Cleaner, Toilet Cleaner, Chilly Powder, Corriander Powder etc are the featured products of Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. Subicsha Coconut Producer Company has around 7000 members. Rs 4,93,08,302 was company's last year's turnover.

The 'All Women Disaster Response Team' by the Kudumbashree District Mission of Kozhikode has been launched. Shri.Thottathil Raveendran, Mayor, Kozhikode Corporation inaugurated the All Women Disaster Response Team on 1 October 2018.

Named as 'Pink Alert', it is the first ever women only disaster response team in India. 'Pink Alert' which is formed as part of the Disaster and Relief Cell of Kudumbashree has 100 members in its first batch. The 100 member team of volunteers has come up under the Kozhikode Corporation Kudumbashree CDS. It is as per the directions of the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF), the specialized force constituted for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 that the 'Pink Alert' All Women Disaster Response Team is formed. 'Pink Alert' would follow the guidelines of National Disaster Response Force.

Women and children are always the most affected and most helpless during any calamity or disaster. It is on this realization that the All Women Disaster Response Team was launched. The team consists of women from various neighborhood groups of the age group of 25 to 45 who are selected on the basis of their health and willingness to volunteer for service. Smt. T. Shitha is the Chief coordinator and Smt. M. Sahaja, Smt. Shemimol and Smt. K. Smitha will be the coordinators of the programme. Pink and White colored overcoat with Maroon cap and brown canvas shoes is the uniform for the 'Pink Alert' All Women Disaster Response Team.

Even though 'Pink Alert' would work in the Kozhikode corporation premises, if needed, they would extend their services to inside and outside the district as well. Baby Memorial Hospital Trauma Care- Kozhikode (TRACK), an independent, non-profit organisation set up by a group of voluntary organizations like Rotary Club, Lions Club, IMA etc, officers of the motor vehicle department, Police Officers and people who are socially committed and interested in social service with an aim to render life saving assistance to accident victims will extend training for the 'Pink Alert' members. A two-day residential camp for the volunteers will be held soon under the aegis of Trauma Care to prepare them for the job ahead. Pink Alert is an afterthought of “Mazhayardram”, the flood relief programme of the CDS and the part of Kudumbashree's Disaster Management and Relief Cell. Pink Alert is an effort to ensure better presence of women in disaster management and distress relief besides rehabilitation.

Kudumbashree's representative presents paper on 'Engaging Civil Society Organizations in Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals' organised by Asian Development Bank at Japan. It is Ms.Caroline.C. Neriamparampil, Social Development Specialist at PMAY Technical Cell Kochi who presented paper on 'Engaging Civil Society Organisations in Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals' conducted by the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank Institute held in Tokyo, Japan from 26-28 September 2018.

To share knowledge about the contribution of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), discuss with CSOs, governments, ADB, and other development actors, on the importance of working with CSOs in advancing the SDGs, recommend ways to effectively engage CSOs in helping achieve the SDGs were the objectives of the programme.

According to Caroline, linking the financial inclusion and micro finance, especially Kudumbashree Mission was of great interest to Asian Development Bank and many participants. A good fruitful discussion was followed by Caroline's presentation. During the time she also shared the involvement of Kudumbashree Community Based Organisation members in rehabilitation activities during the unprecedented floods in Kerala.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an international development finance institution whose vision is an Asia and Pacific region free of poverty. Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to reducing poverty through inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) works with policymakers to identify strategies to reduce poverty and promote growth. It does so by conducting research with a focus on medium- to long-term development issues of strategic importance that affects the region and through capacity building and training activities that contribute to ADB’s overarching objective of poverty reduction.

Kudumbashree opened 4 coffee vending kiosks at Kerala Government Secretariat.Two coffee vending machines are installed at Annexe 1 and Annexe 2 and the two other  coffee vending machines are installed  near Chief Secretary's Chamber and Finance department. 15 women from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation were given training. Eksath Training Agency had extended the training for the women. The beneficiaries were extended training under the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) of the centrally designed programme, National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM).

The initiative is working under the leadership of Smt. Diana, CDS, ADS Vice Chairperson of Valiyathura Ward, Thiruvannathapuram. Smt. Sherin, Smt. Princila, Smt. Viji, Smt. Malini, Smt. Mini. Smt. Preetha, Smt. Jolly and Smt. Baby are the other members behind this initiative. The coffee vending kiosks are receiving good responses and an average of 200 cups is sold per coffee vending machine. Cookies are also provided along with. They have also took up on call services. The Kiosk serves more than 60 flavors of tea. Natural seeds are used for making coffee. Sugar Sachets are served separately that the tea and coffee are served customized as per the needs of the customer. Space for cafe units had already been requested for making it more viable. They are also planning to serve ethnic snacks through the kiosk. Kudumbashree Mission is the nodal agency for implementing the centrally designed programme, National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) in Kerala.

Veteran Journalist and Ramon Magsaysay Award laureate Shri. P. Sainath features article on Kudumbashree's Flood hit JLGs in People's Archive of Rural India. Under the heading 'Kerala’s women farmers rise above the flood', Sainath deals on how Kudumbashree women's determination outstripped the devastation caused by the unprecedented floods. According to him, savaged by the August floods, facing a looming drought, the women of Kudumbashree’s path breaking group farms are rebuilding, using solidarity as a strategy.

"Across the state, sangha krishi farmers who have lost almost everything – still pitched in with some contributions to help the larger Kudumbashree network raise Rs. 7 crores for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. September 11 brought another poignant moment. That day, in New Delhi, Kudumbashree was awarded the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) prize for ‘Outstanding Performance in Farm Livelihoods.’ The first time the NRLM has given out such an award. " Sainath points out.

Throughout the feature, he explains about the will power and courage that the Kudumbashree women had drawn from their solidarity. He also explains the working of the sanghkrishi units of Kudumbashree who cultivates on the leased land. He says that their success and efficiency means that unlike elsewhere in the country, banks run after them, not the other way around. P. Sainath undoubtedly says that Kudumbashree could well be the greatest gender justice and poverty reduction programme in the world.

Sainath had made notable mentions about Kudumbashree Mission and the Kudumbashree JLGs during his speech at Laadli Media Awards, the largest awards system in Indian journalism that are specifically given for promoting gender sensitivity in the media. During his speech, he also appealed to the journalists to go out and write about Kudumbashree Mission.

He had visited a few flood affected lands of Kudumbashree JLGs recenltly. People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) is a digital journalism platform in India founded by Shri P. Sainath himself who was the former rural affairs editor of 'The Hindu' daily.

On getting extra support from K Chittilappilly Foundation, the housing construction under PMAY Special Project at Maradu Municipality is progressing at fast pace. Kudumbashree Mission had converged with K Chittilappilly Foundation for the housing project at Maradu Municipality. A total of 446 beneficiaries have been sanctioned, out of which 325  were found eligible and agreement has been executed with 214. The construction of 172 has already been started and 66 has been completed.

As per the PMAY project at Maradu Municipality, a total of 1596 had been identified in various verticals. 702 beneficiaries had been identified in Affordable housing vertical. A total of 448 has been identified under Credit Linked Subsidy and 446 under  Beneficiary Lead Construction (New House).

As per the collaboration with  K Chittilappilly Foundation, 40 houses were selected at the first phase. Rs.50000 each would be given to beneficiary's accounts in two installments. The selection of the beneficiaries  was done by PMAY officials of Maradu Municipality and the officials from KCF visited the houses and shortlisted for the support.The houses which completed roof level were selected for support. Efforts have been taken to select beneficiaries from all wards and the most deserving beneficiaries were considered.

K Chittilappilly foundation (KCF) is an initiative by Shri. Kochouseph Chittilappilly with the prime objective of undertaking public charitable activities in India in a corporate level without any discrimination as to religion, caste, creed or gender.  A total of 100 houses are being supported by K Chittilappilly Foundation. Kudumbashree Mission is the nodal agency of Pradhan Manthri Awas Yojana (PMAY) Programme under Central- State Ministries working with the mission of achieving 'Housing for All'.

Three day training for Kudumbashree Animators of Attappady has been started. Shri. S.Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission inaugurated the training programme at Agriculture Co-operative Training Institute, Manvila, Thiruvananthapuram on 17 September 2018. To make the community kitchens more active, to ensure consistent income for  atleast  3 persons of every  hamlet,  to start construction units, to start the MGNREGS programme at the earliest which ensures wages in advance, to make the Kudumbashree Mission Programme being  implemented in Attappady more active, to  systematically review the programmes etc were the suggestions put forward by Executive Director during his inaugural speech. Classes on self confidence, self realisation, leadership were also extended  during the programme. Classes on organization, social development, micro finance etc were also extend during the programme.  The animators also visited Joint  Liability Groups ( JLG), goat village, IT units, buds institutions as well. The training would come to an end on 19 September 2018.