Kudumbashree Mission in association with Kerala State Coir Corporation is conducting a coir mat production training for women in the Alappuzha District of Kerala as part of PK Kalan Project. The training is provided to the women between 18 and 50 years of age. 60 women in 3 batches have been working in the cluster of south panchayaths in Mararikulam Village of Alappuzha. The first batch training was started on 8 January 2018 as Dr.Thomas Isaac, Minister for Finance and Coir, Government of Kerala inaugurated the programme.

The second batch was started on 8 March 2018 and the third batch was started on 1 October 2018. The training period is of 4 months tenure. The first two batches are already completed. The beneficiaries are paid Rs 225 and food during training. After the completion of training, Rs 300 per day will be deposited in bank account as monthly basis and the proportionate amount would be deposited to those who work more based on the quantity of the coir mats they produce. The working hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM. Kudumbashree Mission provide skill training as well as social skill training for the trainers. During February 2018, a one day trip was arranged for the trainers to Ernakulam. In the month of April, the trainers' family get together and the medical camp was also held.

PK Kalan Family benefit Scheme was launched for the development scattered tribal families in Kerala. Project formulation for each settlement shall be based on a micro plan through participatory rural appraisal tools conducted by Oorukoottams. Extensive consultations with the line departments is also necessary in participatory rural appraisal and resource mapping and also in finalizing the implementable action plan. Each micro plan has to be duly prepared and approved by the concerned District Collector .

Following the success in extending the state of the art facility management services to Kochi Metro Rail Limited, and Ernakulam Vyttila Mobility Hub, Kudumbashree also took up the fee collection in Vyttila Mobility Hub. Kudumbashree Facility Management Centre acquired the fee collection contract for collecting parking, bus entry, toilet user fees etc through open tender. The contract regarding the same was signed between Shri. T.P Geevargheese, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission and Smt. R.Girija IAS, Managing Director, Vytilla Mobility Hub. Kudumbashree took up the duty at midnight on 8 December 2018 and started fee collection.

Along with the house keeping and security services, Kudumbashree women had also been taking care of gardening sector as well. It is on following the notable and successful implementation of the services provided in Kochi Metro Rail Limited, that Kudumbashree Mission was entrusted with the facility management services of Kochi Vyttila Mobility Hub. By taking over the fee collection Vyttilla Mobility Hub, Kudumbashree became in charge of all the management services of Ernakulam Vyttilla Mobility Hub. Vyttila Mobility Hub is an integrated transit terminal in the city of Kochi, designed as a converging point of various forms of public transportation, such as local and long distance buses, metro rail and inland water transport.

The Cake Fest organised at Perinthalmanna of Malappuram district of Kerala under the leadership of Kudumbashree Malappuram District Mission attracted masses.The cake fest was organised at Rits Hall, Perinthalmanna, Malappuram on 8 December 2018.  A sale of Rs 4.12 lakh was recorded at the cake fest. More than 1400 people visited the cake fest.The exhibition and sales of different types of cakes including instant cake, lava cake, black forest cake, white forest cake, gold cake, vancho cake, strawberry cake etc were arranged at the cake fest.

Along with this, the sale of  wine, pudding, lollipop, french snacks were also arranged. The exhibition and sales of the handicrafts made by Kudumbashree members in Malappuram District arranged at the Cake fest added more color to the programme. 26 Micro Enterprises from various places across the district became part of the cake fest. 11 Micro Enterprises making handicrafts also participated in the programme. The cake fest was wholeheartedly welcomed by the public

Kudumbashree Mission ties up with Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) for supplying homely food in steel boxes to the employees of Kochi Metro. Its on getting inspired from the Dabbawalas of Mumbai, that the dabbawala service of Kudumbashree is launched.The freshly prepared homely food is packed in steel boxes (dabbas) and are distributed to the employees of Kochi Metro. The service was launched during the last week of November 2018. It is Kudumbashree Mission’s Micro Enterprise-Samrudhi Catering based at Choornikkara panchayath, Aluva of Ernakulam district, which prepares food for the employees and supplies the same among the KMRL employees across the 16 Metro stations in Kochi.

The lunch orders are placed by the Kochi Metro employees before 10 AM everyday and once the food is prepared, the Kudumbashree members gather with their dabbas at Muttom station from where they separate to different metro stations to distribute the food. Kudumbashree members are permitted to travel on metro trains free of cost for distributing the food. As of now, they are sticking on to the usual meals for lunch but on progressing, they plans to provide more options as well. The dabba system stands out unique that only Rs 40 is charged per meal which includes rice with sambar, curd, and fish curry or fry or chicken curry. The steel boxes are later collected and are brought back to the Micro Enterprise unit. The unit is now distributing food in 100 dabbas now.

Kochi Metro is maintained environment friendly. The dabbawala system was implemented to discourage the employees from bringing food in plastic containers and with the launch of the dabbawala system, there has been a decrease of plastic waste across all the 16 metro stations.

The Gender Youth Movement for young girls was launched at Ernakulam by Smt. Asha Sanal, District Panchayath President at Kakkanad, Ernakulam on 24 November 2018. Gender Youth Movement aims to provide self defense training, training for improving the artistic and athletic potential of members, workshops that inculcate leadership skill, assertiveness and personality development through residential programmes. 

The Gender youth Movement, through its convergence with other national and international agencies focus to support the members with carrier excellence as well. The study tours and camps would help  to explore certain unfamiliar areas and opportunities in this present trend of sedentary youth-hood. Instead of being  like a ‘couch potato’, the  gender youth movement aims to develop vigorous young people through blending with the’ Snehitha’s Calling Bell Support Programme’. The activities include house visits and interaction with the Snehitha Calling Bell support recipients and rendering voluntary service to tackle the needs of support recipients or beneficiaries.

Though Kudumbashree have ‘Balasabha’ for children till the age of 15, there is no such initiative for young girls after 15, during which girls freedom are limited due to security issues. Women act wisely and confidently when their physique is strong enough to defend any violence against her, which is to be developed from very young age. In order to maintain their gap and to bring a change in the present stereotype, gender youth clubs  named ‘Gender Youth Movement’ are formed in 101 Panchayaths, for young  girls, between the age of 15 -29 years. The youth clubs are formed with any numbers, not less than 10, in each CDS and one affiliated to the Kerala state youth Welfare Board and the Nehru Yuva Kendra.  

Gender based discrimination against women is pervasive across the world. The patriarchal world always treated girls inferior to boys and this had been deeply engraved in the mind of girls even from their childhood. When we analyse the cases registered in Snehitha from its beginning in 2013, it’s understood that, in most of the atrocities against women and girls especially in POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences ) cases the accused are either a relative or a person who is close to the victim, rather than a stranger. When boys are allowed to stroll outside with peers, or to involve in any recreational activities, girls are restricted inside like a ‘domesticated parrot’. 

The gender youth club can ensure the social participation of young girls without any gender bias and improves the confidence and self esteem of members. Through club activities eminent women leaders in Kudumbashree in local self governing can be developed in the upcoming future. A good percent of more than half of the Kerala women population are mainstreamed through Kudumbashree, but still the issue of women security and equal participation to be discussed and enacted further. Staying together help to defeat vulnerable situation. An able bodied, yet vigorous generation of women can be developed through Gender Youth Movement.

Marketing is the key component for the success of any enterprise. Kudumbashree have already developed a brand image in the minds of common people that the products from Kudumbashree are pure and is of best quality. Low market penetration and tough competition from the products and marketing strategies of large scale enterprises was posing a challenge to Kudumbashree products. It is as a solution to this issue, that Nano Markets were launched. In Nano Markets, Kudumbashree products are positioned in par with its near competitors.

Kottakkal Municipality Community Development Society has launched the Nano market at Municipal office with the intention of promoting the market opportunities of Kudumbashree products, to provide a constant income for NULM entrepreneurs, create local demands and provide permanent outlets, increase market visibility and reinforce the brand of Kudumbashree products in the minds of local customers. Kudumbashree Nano Market is installed in the front office of Kottakkal Municipality with the full support of Kottakkal Municipal council. The location is very much suitable to exhibit and promote sales of Kudumbashree products. Variety of curry powders of Kusumam Unit and Soparnika SHG, Pickles of Santhwanam SHG, Powders and dried chilly of Chaithanya SHG, Handmade Chocolates and cakes of Theertha SHG units of Kottakal are now selling their products through Nano Market.  Rs. 750 is the average sales recorded per day. The stock register and sales register are maintained by Community Development Societies(CDS) and entrepreneurs would get  their payments after 15 days. CDS  will get 5-10% commission on the basis of the recorded sales.

DPC Meeting on 15.12.2018 -02.00PM at  Conference Hall