Kudumbashree's 'Nalkam Oru Pusthakam Pallikkoodathilekku' (Donate a book to School) Campaign has been started. The campaign aims at donating one book from every NHGs to the libraries of the nearby public schools and thereby make an opportunity for the intellectual growth of the younger generation.

The campaign is being organized as part of the Reading Week Observance started on 19 June 2022. The NHGs may jointly buy/ collect a book and donate to the nearby public school. They can donate more than one book as part of this campaign. These activities are also carried out in various offices of Kudumbashree.

Saphalam Cashew and Jeeva Honey, produced by Kudumbashree entrepreneurs from Kasaragod are included in the 'One Station One Product' Programme of Southern Railway. Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission has set up stalls as part of the 'One Station One Product' project at Kasaragod and Kanhangad Railway Stations in collaboration with the Southern Railway. The inauguration of the stalls was held on 23 June 2022.The stall set up at Kasaragod Railway Station was inaugurated by Mr. Ram Khiladi Meena, Station Master, Kasaragod Railway Station and the stall put up at Kanhangad Railway Station was inaugurated by Mr. Prasanth, Station Master, Kanhangad Railway Station.

Now the travelers will have the opportunity to acquire the leading 'Saphalam' cashew and 'Jeeva' honey during their train journey. A sales person each has been deployed at the stalls where various products of Saphalam Cashew Unit of Chemmanad and the Jeeva Honey Unit of West Eleri Grama Panchayat are available. Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission aims to set up similar stalls at other railway stations in the district viz., Kumbla, Uppala, Ullal, Manjeshwar, Kottikkulam and Bekal in the future as part of the project.

Mr. T.T. Surendran, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission, Mr. Haridas, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission, Mr. Prakashan Palayi, Assistant District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission, Ms. KV. Sujatha Teacher, President, Kanhangad Municipal Corporation, Ms. Sujini, CDS Chairperson, Ms. Surya Janaki, CDS Chairperson, Block Coordinators and District Program Manager were present at the inaugural function held at Kanhangad. Whereas Ms. Ayesha, CDS Chairperson, Railway officials and Block Coordinator were present at the inaugural function held at Kasaragod.

A Career Guidance Workshop was organized at Attappady for the tribal students who have written and passed the tenth and higher secondary examinations in the year 2022, at the Conference Hall, KILA, Agali on 22 June 2022. The Workshop was organized as part of the Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project, in association with the Chittoor Career Development Centre under the Employment Exchange.

560 people participated in the workshop which was organized with the objective of giving a clear direction to the children of the Scheduled Tribes community for higher education and job opportunities. The team guided by Ms. Hema, Employment Officer and Centre Manager, Chittoor Career Development Centre, led the classes. Mr. V.S. Muhammad Ibrahim, Former Director, Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of Kerala explained about the possibilities of higher education to the children.

The workshop explained the various courses that students can choose from after tenth and higher secondary classes and the job opportunities of these courses. Animators, Tribal Promoters and Bridge Course teachers collected information from students through the Kudumbashree Panchayat Committees in Attappady. Mr. B.S. Manoj, Assistant Project Officer, Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project presided over the function.

Kudumbashree is conducting State Level Essay Competition for College Students on 'The Role of Kudumbashree in Social, Economic and Women Empowerment' as part of the Reading Week Celebrations. The first, second and third place winners will be awarded cash prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively.

The essay should use only a maximum of two thousand words. The entries should be sent by post or courier along with the name, address, phone number and the certificate of Principal / Head of the Department to 'The Public Relations Officer, Kudumbashree State Poverty Eradication Mission, Second Floor, TRIDA Rehabilitation Building, Medical College P.O., Thiruvananthapuram-695 011.

The entries should reach Kudumbashree State Mission Office on before 2 July 2022. Entries received via WhatsApp will not be considered for the contest. Children / family members of Kudumbashree State-District Mission employees are not eligible to participate in the competition. For information about the competition, visit the Kudumbashree website: www.kudumbashree.org/essay2022.

Terms and Conditions

1. The essay should not exceed more than two thousand words.
2. The students who are participating should send their entries along with their name, name of the college, topic, address, phone number and certificate from the Principal / Head of the Department.
3. Children / family members of Kudumbashree State- District Mission employees are not eligible to participate in the competition.
4. The decision of the judges regarding the competition will be final.
5. Do not write the name or other details of the student on the entry.
6. The entries should be sent by post or courier.
7. Entries submitted through WhatsApp will not be considered for the competition.
8. The last date for receipt of articles is 2 July 2022.

Address to which the entries should be sent:
Public Relations Officer
Kudumbashree State Poverty Eradication Mission
Second Floor, TRIDA Rehabilitation Building,
Medical College. P.O.
Thiruvananthapuram-695 011

'Kerala Chicken', the project conceptualized and launched by the Government of Kerala to ensure the market of good quality chicken at affordable rates all across the state is being a hit among the public. The sales through Kerala Chicken outlets has already crossed Rs.100 crores. The project which was started during November 2017, is being implemented through Kudumbashree in 6 districts.

Until now, sales of Rs. 100,09,29,097.52 has been recorded. 270 farms and 94 Kerala Chicken marketing outlets are functioning in 6 districts viz., Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode. Through Kerala Chicken, Kudumbashree was able to provide Rs. 9.36 crores to farm beneficiaries as farm allowance and Rs.11 crores to outlet beneficiaries.

As Kochi Metro turns 'five', it is a proud achievement for Kudumbashree as well. 17June 2022 marked the fifth anniversary of the launch of the Kochi Metro service. The Kochi Metro service was launched five years before on 17 June 2017 with an unprecedented achievement, as it has the reputation of being the largest crew of women to be employed by any metro. Kudumbashree was also responsible for that achievement.

Kudumbashree NHG members or Kudumbashree family members have been performing their duties of ticketing, customer facilitation, housekeeping and gardening in the best possible manner for the last five years at Kochi Metro. It has also been able to provide various employment opportunities for transgender people as well. The activities of Kochi Metro are coordinated through Kudumbashree Facility Management Centre. At present 613 persons are doing various jobs in Kochi Metro through Kudumbashree Facility Management Centre. 9 of them belong to the transgender community. There are 14 male members of the Kudumbashree family working in the multi-task services sector.

Kudumbashree is proud of the successful convergence made with the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), which has become a milestone in the history of Kudumbashree itself. Kudumbashree members and family members took this opportunity wholeheartedly. Kudumbashree is grateful to the State Government and KMRL for giving such a great opportunity for Kudumbashree NHG members and their family members.

Meghalaya Delegation had visited Kudumbashree National Resource Organisation (NRO) on 10 June 2022. A team led by Mr. Ram Kumar S. IAS, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Government of Meghalaya visited Kudumbashree NRO office to learn about the interventions of Kudumbashree in the health sector of Kerala. The team was accompanied by officials from NHM and Meghalaya State Rural Livelihood Society (MSRLS).

Smt. P.I. Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree had made a presentation to the team about the involvement of Kudumbashree community structure in the Amrutham Nutrimix- the food supplement prepared by the community for children of the age group of 6 months to 3 years, supplied through Anganwadi in convergence with ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme), Santhwanam – the health intervention of Kudumbashree to complement the health services of Government of Kerala, and the Ward level health and sanitation committees in the Gram Panchayats. Kudumbashree also offered Meghalaya the needed support in similar community-led interventions using the National Rural Livelihood Mission- Self Help Group (NRLM-SHG) network in the area of health and nutrition. Kudumbashree already has a partnership with Meghalaya for implementing the PRI-CBO (Panchayati Raj Institutions- Community Based Organisations) Convergence project.

The presentation had also covered the work undertaken by Kudumbashree NRO along with Meghalaya SRLM in conducting health camps, activating the Anganwadi level monitoring & support committee and also the initiatives in setting up nutri gardens in Meghalaya. After the meeting, the Meghalaya Delegation made a two day field visit at Kollam and Ernakulam field districts.

Kudumbashree's 'Gothrashree' Tribal Cafeteria has become the focal point of 'Ente Ooru' Tribal Heritage Village, set up by the State Government at Pookode in Wayanad to give tourists a first-hand experience of tribal culture. The Heritage Village Project aims at introducing the unique heritage, way of life, rituals and arts of the tribal people of the district to the outside world and thereby provide them with a better livelihood. The Heritage Village is set on 25 acres of land in Kunnathidavaka village of Vythiri taluk.

Kudumbashree 'Gothrashree Cafeteria' is run by a group of specially trained tribal youth. There are 12 people in the group, including a young woman. Along with the unique dishes of Wayanad, meals, Vanasundari Special Chicken, various leafy vegetable curries, Puzhukku (dish made of boiled / steamed root vegetables flavored with seasoned coconut paste), Kumbalappam (steamed cone cake) etc are available at the Gothrashree Cafeteria. And in ten days, the Gothrashree entrepreneurs have earned an income of Rs 2.5 lakhs.

In addition to the 'Gothrashree' Cafeteria, there are three other Kudumbashree enterprises in the Heritage Village viz., Gothrashree Agricultural Nursery, Gothrashree Medicinal Nursery, and Gothrashree Food Processing Unit, which manufactures and markets various products such as spices, pickles and coffee powder.

Ms. Anna Shotbolt, British Deputy High Commissioner came to get acquainted with the women empowerment and poverty eradication activities being implemented in the state through Kudumbashree. She visited the Karuna Fitness Centre, a Kudumbashree Micro Enterprise functioning in Kazhakoottam Pallippuram ward of Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala on 7 June 2022. This was her first visit to Kudumbashree, as the British Deputy High Commissioner in charge of Kerala and Karnataka states.

Ms. Anna Shotbolt was accompanied by Mr. Manjunath, Political and Economic Advisor, and Ms. Upasana Srikanth, Inward Investment Advisor. She visited 'Karuna Fitness Centre' with the aim of visiting the well - functioning Kudumbashree enterprise in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation area. Smt. P.I. Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, Shri. Jahamgeer.S, Programme Officer, Smt. Priya Paul, Mr. K.B Sudheer, Programme Managers and Smt. Sindhu Sasi, CDS Chairperson received the delegation.

Karuna Fitness Training Centre which functions in the Pallipuram Ward of CDS 1, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is an enterprise launched as part of the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) being implemented by Kudumbashree in the state. The enterprise is run by Smt. Sandhya, Smt. Valsala, Smt. Deepa and Smt. Sajitha, the members of Mahalakshmi NHG.

The British Deputy High Commissioner and his team arrived at the unit and met the Kudumbashree micro entrepreneurs and Kudumbashree officials. In the ensuing meeting, Smt. P.I. Sreevidya, Executive Director, Kudumbashree explained the major projects being implemented by Kudumbashree in the state, including the livelihood and social security sectors. Following that, Ms. Anna Shotbolt also spoke with entrepreneurs, Smt. Sindhu Sasi, CDS Chairperson, Smt. Deepa Harinarayanan, Community Organizer, NULM, Smt. Ajitha L, ADS Secretary and Smt. Lekha Kumari, Member Secretary. She asked the entrepreneurs about the method of working of the Fitness Training Centre and what motivated them to start the venture. She also discussed about the role of CDS Chairperson.

Ms. Anna Shotbolt expressed satisfaction with the diversity of the programmes implemented by Kudumbashree in the livelihood sector and the activities of BUDS institutions in the field of social security. She was also impressed by the actions of NHG women, who rallied with a social commitment in surviving the natural disasters and the covid crisis. The socio-economic women empowerment activities, programmes and the activities of Kudumbashree National Resource Organization in other States were also explained to her. She said that the way in which women are democratically elected in the Kudumbashree three-tier organizational system and their progress and visibility in the political and social spheres is really commendable.

Kudumbashree members have united for 'Only One Earth'. They celebrated the World Environment Day on 5 June 2022 with various activities such as tree planting, campaigns, seminars, photo competition with the trees planted as part of the previous Environment Day celebrations, handicrafts making competition with waste materials and environmental clean-up events.

'Only One Earth' is the motto of this year's World Environment Day. Campaigns like 'Haritham Harithabham' (Malappuram), 'Kaval Maram' (Idukki), 'Veettil Oru Cheru Narakam' (Kannur) and 'Oru Thai' (Pathanamthitta) were organized by various District Missions in connection with the Environment Day. NHG members have taken the Environment Day Pledge. Various programmes were planned and implemented focusing on Balasabha, Kudumbashree Auxiliary Groups and Gender Resource Centres.