Coordination Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 21.10.2020 at 2.30 pm (Video conference)
Government order has been issued for making use of the service of Kudumbashree Disinfection units for the Governmental Departments. As per the Government Order (G.O (Rt) No.1695/2020/LSGD dated, Thiruvananthapuram, 20/09/2020), all Governmental Departments may make use of the services of these Disinfection units. On finding that due to the rise of Covid-19 cases, the service teams for the disinfection process at local level in the districts was not adequate, we decided to develop this activity into a service enterprise and started implementing the same, in order to address this need in an enterprise model. Kudumbashree Disinfection units have been started in all the districts across the state. 468 people were given training and 68 units were started. The rates for disinfection activities as per the Government Order are as follows:
1. Disinfectant Spraying Process- Once a day: Rs 1.85 per square feet (Government), Rs 2.25 per square feet (private enterprises/individuals)
2. Disinfectant Spraying Process- Twice a day: Rs 2.45 per square feet (Government), Rs 3 per square feet (private enterprises/individuals).
3. Deep Cleaning and Disinfectant Spraying Process- Once a day: Rs 2.95 per square feet (Government), Rs 3.45 per square feet (private enterprises/individuals).
4. Deep Cleaning and Disinfectant Spraying Process- Twice a day: Rs 3.75 per square feet (Government), Rs 4.50 per square feet (private enterprises/individuals).
5. Deep Cleaning and Disinfectant Spraying Process- Once a day, Disinfectant Spraying Process-Once a day: Rs 3.15 per square feet (Government), Rs 3.80 per square feet (private enterprises/individuals).
6. Disinfection of Vehicles:
a. Disinfectant spraying only
Car, Jeep- Rs 450 (Government), Rs 550 (private enterprises/individuals)
Van, Mini Bus- Rs 950 (Government), Rs 1200 (private enterprises/individuals)
Bus, Truck- Rs 1200 (Government), Rs 1500 (private enterprises/individuals).
b. Cleaning and Disinfectant Spraying
Car, Jeep- Rs 650 (Government), Rs 850 (private enterprises/individuals).
Van, Mini Bus- Rs 1200 (Government), Rs 1600 (private enterprises/individuals)
Bus, Truck- Rs 1350 (Government), Rs 2000 (private enterprises/individuals).
The heads of the governmental and non- governmental institutions may make use of the services of these Disinfection units. Kudumbashree members had came forward for extending such a service for containing the spread of corona virus and for ensuring the care of the people even during such a crisis situation and that itself could be considered the epitome of compassion.
The results of Kudumbashree oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition Season 3 has been announced. Shri. T.J Vargheese, Thaivelikkakath House, Pachalam, Ernakulam bagged the first prize. Shri. P.P Ratheesh, Photographer, Mathrubhumi Palakkad unit came second and Shri. Dinesh Insight, Adithi Nilayam, Kottakanni, Kasaragod came in third place. The Award for the Best Photographer is Rs 20,000. The second prize and third prize are Rs 10,000 and Rs 5000 respectively. The jury consisted of Shri. G. Pramod, Chief Photographer, Deshabhimani, Shri. V. Vinod, Chief Photographer, Information and Public Relations Department, Smt. U.S. Rakhi, News Photographer, and Smt. Asha Vargheese, Director, Kudumbashree Mission selected the winners.
Kudumbashree Mission which envisions at eradicating poverty through women in Kerala had successfully completed 22 revolutionary years, conducted the photography competition for motivating the aspiring photographers and to propagate the activities of Kudumbashree Mission through photographs.The contestants were directed to submit photographs that reflect the various activities of Kudumbashree Mission. Rs 1000 each will be issued for 10 entries as consolation prizes. K.Pramod, Praveen Kumar, Ashok Manaloor, Rakesh Puthur, Sibin Bahuleyan, Akhil. E.S, Tojo P Antony, Shiju Panthalloor, Sumesh Kottiyath, N Elango Gopan are the Consolation Prize winners.
The Photography Competition was envisaged realising that the best photographs depicting the hard work of Kudumbashree members would further boost the women empowerment process. The third season of the competition was held from 1 January 2020 to 29 February 2020. Good quality photographs portraying the strength of Kudumbashree, functioning focusing on women empowerment is considered for the ‘Kudumbashree Oru Nerchithram’ Photography Competition, which is being conducted from 2017 onwards. Like the first two seasons, the third season has also received good responses. The fourth season of the competition would be held during December 2020.
Amidst the crisis of Covid 19, various District Missions of Kudumbashree observed World Suicide Prevention Day in a sagacious way. District Missions organised online webinars and poster making campaigns to mark the day in the most effective way. Online webinars, discussion programmes, poster awareness campaigns, cartoon drawing and caption writing competitions, elocution competition, essay writing competition, etc were organised under the leadership of various district missions.
The online webinars organised were presided over by psychiatrists, psychologists and subject experts. Special webinars were organised under the leadership of some district missions for teenage students. Balasabha children also became part of the campaign by organising poster exhibitions and awareness classes. ' Working together to prevent suicide' the slogan of World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 was discussed among the NHG members. The topics discussed also included 'Suicide tendancy among children'. The programmes were organised under the leadership of the respective Gender Resource Centres (GRCs). Community Counsellor, Vigilant Group Members coordinated the programmes in a fruitful way.
World Suicide Prevention Day(WSPD) is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003. It is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been the co-sponsor of the day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.
Kudumbashree would arrange International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Special Training for Micro Enterprise Consultants. The 7 day training would be extended starting from September till December in all districts. Topic of ‘Sick ME Revival' would be mainly dealt during the training. Along with the main trainers of ILO, the Master Trainers from among Kudumbashree Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) would also be part of the teaching team. The topic of 'Sick ME Revival' is selected for reviving the enterprises that faced crisis during covid-19 and the unprecedented floods.
During the crisis situation of Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs have been facing many challenges, viz., the scarcity of the raw materials, lack of sales opportunities, difficulty faced in running the enterprises due to lockdown etc. It is a greater challenge to bring back the enterprises which faced these issues to normal production status. As the MECs are expected to provide leadership for these activities, it is inevitable to extend good training to the MECs. So, Kudumbashree have decided to extend online training to MECs through the International Labour Organisation's (ILO)s training division. Kudumbashree had already received ILO's training before and were benefited with the inputs. Hence, Kudumbashree decided to opt for the services of ILO for the training for MECs.
The International Labour Organization is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice through setting international labour standards. International Labour Organization (ILO) deals with labour problems, particularly international labour standards, social protection, and work opportunities at international level. Non farm livelihoods (micro enterprises) of Kudumbashree plays a key role in helping the NHG members identify sources of livelihood of their own. Micro Enterprise Consultants (MEC) are the strength of Kudumbashree enterprises. They are selected from within the community itself (from NHG members) and they gain expertise in the enterprise sector after undergoing various training. MECs provide General Orientation Training and Enterprise Development Training to Kudumbashree enterprises. Also, MECs provide enterprises with support in preparing the project report and in obtaining various funds and subsidies. There are a total of 325 MECs in Kerala. MECs always try to identify the issues faced by entrepreneurs, offer help to resolve the issues and extend them needed support. Once this training is completed, it is expected that Kudumbashree will be able to capacitate the MECs in supporting the entrepreneurs who have faced challenges. In addition to this, training would also be extended in branding and accounting. After providing training, ILO will continue supporting MECs for the next three months.
Kudumbashree launcheed 'Karuthal Campaign', a product- marketing campaign during this onam season for providing support to the Kudumbashree entrepreneurs and farming groups who had to face loss due to the covid-19 lockdown. The campaign aims at encouraging the entrepreneurs/ farming groups to produce and to rejuvenate the enterprises that had faced loss. Through this activity, Kudumbashree would be able to extend greater marketing support to the entrepreneurs and farming group members during these tough times. Kudumbashree also hopes to make available the best products produced by Kudumbashree enterprises to the NHG members during this onam season.
As part of the campaign, products from micro enterprises in various sectors and farming groups will be selected, packed in kits and be taken to all NHGs at the rate of Rs 500 per kit. The kits will be delivered to the NHGs through the CDSs and the NHG members may buy the kits in instalments. NHG members may repay the amount of the kits to the NHGs and a maximum of 20 installments are permitted for repayment. Kudumbashree District Missions collect the rates and other details of the products from the entrepreneurs in the respective districts and will inform the CDSs. CDSs prepare the list of those who need the kits from among NHG members and will inform DMCs. Products are collected from the entrepreneurs and the kits are prepared as part of the ‘Kathuthal’ campaign with leadership of the district missions. This is the process flow / logistics of preparing the kits. The vegetable kits are packed in the CDS level. In this way, products worth Rs.500 are taken to the NHGs in a single packet. It is expected that these activities will help in finding new market avenues for Kudumbashree's products and hope that it will result in earning additional income for them.
Kudumbashree is planning to launch 100 Permanent Marketing Outlets in the state for making the agricultural and non agricultural products produced by NHG women, available for the public. Monthly markets that function in a good way are identified and will be converted into permanent marketing outlets. These permanent marketing outlets would be uniformly branded as well. The activities for implementing the same had already been started.
Kudumbashree has been organising monthly markets at every block and Urban Local Bodies, which is one of the key marketing activities of Kudumbashree. Such monthly markets organised at some locations continuously function for one week or so. It is then Kudumbashree decided to turn these selected monthly markets that function well into permanent marketing outlets. During the 2019-20 financial year, 1876 monthly markets were organised by Kudumbashree across Kerala. Sales of Rs 5.85 crores was recorded through the Monthly markets.
The permanent marketing outlets will function under the ownership of the respective CDSs. It is aimed at arranging a permanent marketing outlet for a minimum of 25 NHG entrepreneurs/ farming groups in the respective Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) for marketing their products. Likewise, marketing support will be provided to 2500 women entrepreneurs through these outlets. Sales of a minimum of Rs 50,000 per month is expected from these permanent outlets. The plan is to set up 100 uniformly branded marketing outlets. District Missions will select the locations of monthly markets that are to be converted for permanent marketing outlets. Respective CDSs will be entrusted with the management of the marketing outlets. An entrepreneur or a staff can be assigned for the management of the outlets by CDS.
A meeting of the entrepreneurs and farmers could be called at first. Then the next step will be to finalise products that will be displayed for sale from the entrepreneurs. CDS will ensure the regular supply including logistics from the production house of the entrepreneurs to the outlets. Services of the Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) could be used for the same. A fixed amount will be collected from the entrepreneurs for display of their products in the marketing outlets. This amount will be paid to the outlet operators/management team. Rs 5 lakh is earmarked for setting up each of these permanent marketing outlets.
The activity of selecting the permanent marketing outlets is progressing. 100 uniformly branded marketing outlets would be set up by November. Following that, the geo tagging would be done. Once these marketing outlets would be functional, a new avenue will be opened for the Kudumbashree entrepreneurs for ensuring a permanent income of their own and the public will get an opportunity to use the agricultural and non agricultural products produced by NHG women.
Yet another Kerala Chicken Sales Outlet has started functioning at Kodungallur of Thrissur. Shri. V. R. Sunil Kumar, MLA, Kodungallur Constituency officially inaugurated the sales outlet at Kodungallur on 19 August 2020. The sales outlet is run by Ms. Seetha Balakrishnan of Aishwarya NHG under Kodungallur 1 CDS. For delivering broiler chicken regularly to this outlet, a contract has been made with 3 poultry farmers. The sales outlets are being opened, as part of entering the phase of extending the advantages of the Kerala Chicken programme to the public.
In addition to the sales outlet started at Kodungallur, 2 new sales outlets of Kerala Chicken have been started at Mulavukad and Sreemoolanagaram of Ernakulam district. The outlet at Mulavukad is run by Ms. Treesa, Ms. Shibi & Ms. Livera, Kudumbashree members from Mulavukad panchayath. The sales outlet at Sreemoolanagaram is run by Ms Ramla Subair, who is the member of the same CDS. A tie up has been made with 33 poultry farmers for the sales outlets in the district.
The first sales outlet of Kudumbashree as part of Kerala Chicken Programme was started in North Paravoor of Ernakulam district during June 2020. An average daily sales of Rs 21,000 is recorded at the sales outlet opened at North Paravoor. The enterprise was started by Ms. Renuka Rajan of Anaswara NHG under the Ezhikkara CDS. By opening such Kerala Chicken outlets Kudumbashree aims at making available good quality chicken to the public at reasonable rates. Kerala Chicken Programme was started envisaging the sustainable change in the broiler chicken market of Kerala.
