Kudumbashree launched Theerashree Programme for the welfare of the poor in the coastal areas. The programme was inaugurated by Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala at Grand Auditorium, Kaippamangalam, Thrissur on 27 July 2019. The programme envisages strengthening the Kudumbashree activities in the 82 coastal panchayaths in the state, thereby improve the quality of life of women and children in the coastal areas and improve their livelihood activities.

The programme aims including new families into Kudumbashree neighbourhood group system, rejuvenate inactive NHGs,  extend source of earning income to atleast one member of every family, grade all eligible NHGs and avail linkage loan to them, extend skill training to the poor youth in the coastal areas and assure them jobs.

Uncertainties in job, irregularity in getting income, educational backwardness, unavailability of basic amenities, health issues in women and children, scarcity of drinking water, unavailability of livelihood activities other than fishing and related activities etc are the main issues faced by the people of coastal areas. Women and children are usually bound to suffer the negatives of these issues. The increasing debts among the people in these areas, lack of education, skill training, addiction towards alchohol among the youth etc are also the issues existing in these areas. Kudumbashree aims at solving these issues through 'Theerashree', thereby improve the quality of life of the people in the coastal areas.

In addition to 'Theerashree', 'Prathibhatheeram' programme, which helps the students of fifth to tenth standard classes would also be implemented. Prathibhatheeram aims at organising classes for studentsbon daily basis. With the support of Sports Council, 'Kayikatheeram' programmr would also be implemented aiming at tha sports development of students, teenagers and youth. All these activities would be monitored through specially appointed volunteers.

As per the statistics till 31 March 2019, there exist 12,045 NHGs in the 82 coastal panchayaths, in 702 wards. 1,81,671 people are members of these NHGs. 1770 micro enterprises are also active in coastal areas.

Kudumbashree Mission's multi tasking teams are all set to strengthen the rebuilding activities of Kerala post floods of August 2018. The multi task teams would start extending services at all Local Self Government Institutions in Kerala very soon. The services of multi task teams comprising of men and women  would be made available in the sectors viz., electrical work, electronic repairing, plumbing, masonry etc. The state level workshop of the multi task teams was held at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on 26 July 2019.

As of now, more than 40,000 men and women had registered in ARISE programme out of which, 2500 persons had already availed training in plumbing, electrical work, electronic repairing etc. So far, 78 multi task teams were formed including them. They were given special uniform as well. Kudumbashree plans to give interest subsidy to them,  for buying toolkit for repairing and for buying vehicles. In the next phase, Kudumbashree would extend them further training of 400 hours to help them gain more expertise in their work. For this, Kudumbashree had came in contract with 16 Government ITI institutions in the state. Kudumbashree also aim at getting accredition to those multi task teams as well. The members of multi task team formed under Kudumbashree Mission would be known as 'Arise Technicians'. Kudumbashree plans to form at least one team in every Local Self Government Institutions by this year itself.

Post floods, ARISE programme was launched after identifying that there exist many job offers in these sectors, through the livelihood survey during October 2018. ARISE aimed at extending skill training to 50,000 flood affected families in various sectors, thereby equipping them  for paid employment. The campaign aimed at helping them in attaining resilience. Kudumbashree aims at equipping the multi task teams take up the works from the households and earn income of their own. It is also planned to make use of the opportunities in the construction sectors for multi task teams.

Shri. T.K Jose IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala delivered the keynote address. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Misson delivered the introductory speech. Smt. Niranjana.N.S, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree  Mission welcomed the gathering. Smt. Suchithra and Shri  Shibu. N.P, State Programme Managers, Kudumbashree Mission led the classes. The team members and the state programme managers shared their experiences faced during the implementation of the programme. More than 300 members of the multi task teams took part in the workshop.

Kudumbashree Idukki District Mission has launched BUDS Micro Enterprise units in BUDS School at Kumily, Idukki. The sales of the products made by the students of BUDS schools was held at BUDS School, Kumily on 24 July 2019. The seed pens made by the BUDS students were sold to the DDUGKY study centre in Idukki. Shri. Ajesh T.G, District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Idukki District Misison inaugurated the sales of the products by buying the seed pens made by the BUDS students on behalf of the DDUGKY study centre. Kudumbashree Idukki District Mission had formed a micro enterprise of specially abled children of the BUDS School at Kumily. The initiative aims at the self sufficiency of these students. A total of three micro enterprises were formed by including them in Prathyasha Micro Enterprise scheme. They were also given training in umbrella making as well. The BUDS Micro enterprise units are also making paper pen, umbrellas, mats, phenoyl and soaps. The profit earned from the BUDS Micro Enterprise units would be shared equally among the children.

BUDS Schools are free and open special schools for mentally challenged children of poor families, owned and managed by the Local Self Government Institutions under the support and guidance of Kudumbashree Mission and the community structure.

The foundation stone for the Kerala Chicken Thiruvananthapuram Regional unit was laid at Channankara, Kadinamkulam, Thiruvananthapuram on 23 July 2019. Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister for Local Self Governments, Government of Kerala laid the foundation stone of Modern Poultry Plant and Adv. K Raju, Minister for Forests, Animal Husbandry and Zoos, Government of Kerala laid the foundation stone of E.C Parent Stock farm. This would be the first ever meat processing plant in the history of Kerala which keeps up the ISO standards.

The Kerala Chicken project would be implemented through Kudumbashree Broiler Farmers Producer Company Limited (KBFPCL), which include all Kudumbashree broiler farmers. The fully automated plant would have the capacity to process and pack 10,000 chicken in an hour and the fully automated breeder farm would produce 60,000 chicks a week. In the first phase, regional units would be set up at Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Palakkad districts. More than 200 Kudumbashree women would get job opportunities through this. The Kerala Chicken project envisages taking over more than half of the domestic market of broiler chicken in Kerala.

Shri. V.Sasi, Deputy Speaker, Kerala Legislative Assembly presided over the function. The keynote speech was delivered by Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree and Chairman, KBFPCL. The report was presented by Dr. Nikesh Kiran, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree and CEO, KBFPCL.  Smt. Asha Varghese, Director, Kudumbashree, Dr. Sunil Kumar P.C, Director, Animal Husbandry, Shri. P. Felix, President, Kadinamkulam Grama Panchayath, Smt. Shyji, Director, KBFPCL and Smt. Usha Rani, Director, KBFPCL gave away the felicitations. Smt. Prasanna Kumari, Managing Director, KBFPCL welcomed the gathering and Dr. K.R Shyju, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission extended vote of thanks. A seminar on 'KBFPCL- The new hope for Broiler Farmer's in Kerala was also held along with the programme.

Destitute Free Kerala Programme Beneficiary from Malappuram gets job placement through DDU-GKY. It is Ms. Annamma M.A hailing from Karuvarakundu CDS of Malappuram district of Kerala, who secured job placement through DDU-GKY. Annamma is placed in the Edakkara branch of ESAF Small Finance Bank as  Sales Officer Trainee with a monthly salary of Rs 16000. It is as per the special inclusion of DFK families, that Annamma was mobilized for the programme. She did the Banking Finance Service Insurance (BFSI) course at ESAF.

Kudumbashree SRLM has done special mobilization programmes for the family members of the destitute in the state, by visiting each destitute family and identifying the beneficiaries.To make the inclusion of the real needy a reality, Kudumbashree has done special mobilization programmes for the family members of the destitute in the state, by visiting each destitute family and identifying the beneficiaries. As a small yet significant initiative from DDU-GKY Kerala, it was decided to include 2,000 DFK beneficiaries or family members in DDU-GKY programme, through which an income generation can be assured at least to one member of the family. 

Kudumbashree Alappuzha District Mission distributed Menstural Cups under the leadership of the Gender team in the district. Awareness class on how to use menstural cups was also organised along with the programme. The menstural cups were distributed as part of the Thinkal Programme, the joint venture of Alappuzha District Administration and HLL Lifecare Limited (formerly Hindustan Latex Limited). Dr. Karthika, Community Medicine Department, Medical College, Vandanam, Alappuzha and Ms. Kavya Menon, Project Coordinator, HLL Lifecare Limited lead the awareness classes. Snehitha Community Counsellors, Snehitha staff, women staff of Kudumbashree Alappuzha District Mission attended the function.  Menstrual cups was distributed to all women who attended the programme. Menstrual cups are very hygienic and convenient that sanitary pads, though are yet to enter the mainstream. Menstrual cups were distributed to Kudumbashree women for make the  menstrual cups familiar among the public.

Three major portfolios of Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission viz.,Social Development, DDU-GKY and Micro Enterprises has been combined together to provide livelihood opportunity to children in Buds Rehablilitation Centre, Kumbalam in Ernakulam district. Students of Buds Rehabilitation Centre, Kumbalam has been provided with professional support by Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission to manufacture books and pens. The books and pens manufactured by the students would therefore be purchased by 23 DDU-GKY Project Implementing Agencies in Ernakulam district. A notebook is sold for Rs 25 and a pen would be sold for Rs 8. It is estimated that around Rs 2 lakhs would be the annual turnover for the school from selling these products to DDU-GKY Project Implementing Agencies. Kudumbashree Ernakulam District mission will also buy books and pens for all the trainings organized by Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission. Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Panangad, Ernakulam also have agreed to purchase the products. Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission is focusing on providing livelihood opportunities for maximum number of differently abled children this year.

Kudumbashree Mission has launched the third phase projects of NULM Employment through Skill Training and Placement Scheme. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission inaugurated the programme held at Government Guest House, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram on 11 July 2019. In the third phase, skill training would be extended to 12000 candidates in 93 urban areas in the district. Kudumbashree Mission had signed MoU with 35 training agencies for extending skill training to these candidates.

Kudumbashree Mission started extending skill training through NULM from 2016. As of now, 16,000 candidates had been given skill training. Those who have educational qualification from eighth standard upto graduation may join and avail skill training in different courses as part of the programme. Those who complete the courses of duration three to eight and half months would be given the certificate certified by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). Out of the 12,000 candidates, 5300 candidates may avail residential training. Food and accommodation would be extended free of cost to the candidates. More details of the programme would be available at the CDS offices in the respective Urban Local Bodies (ULB) or at the toll free number 155330. The trainings are being extended in 54 various courses viz., Information Technology, telecom,automotive, tourism, accounting, electronics, Ayurveda etc.

The Employment through Skill Training & Placement (EST&P) programme provide skill training of the urban poor to enable them setting up self-employment ventures and for salaried jobs in the private sector. The EST&P Program intends to fill the gap between the demand and availability of local skills by providing skill training programs as required by the market.

Kudumbashree Mission bagged Self Help Group-Bank Linkage Programme Best Performance Award. The award is constituted by the Kerala Regional office of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Shri.S.Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission received the award from Dr T.M Thomas Issac, Minister of Finance and Coir, Government of Kerala at the programme held at Thiruvananthapuram on 12 July 2019. The award was presented to Kudumbashree Mission for promoting Self Help Groups (SHG) and co-ordination with banks for SHG- Bank linkage in Kerala during the year 2018-19.

Neighbourhood Groups-Bank Linkage Programme has emerged as a cost effective mechanism for providing financial services to the poor which has been successful not only in meeting financial needs of them but also strengthen collective self help capacities of the poor, leading to their empowerment as well. Neighbourhood Groups had proved to be one of the best model that provides the opportunity to save regularly, access formal savings institutions and participate in the management of these savings. SHGs have good impact on members, in their ability to save their hard earned money.

With Multi pronged benefits, NHGs  had improved women’s access to credit. The financial mobility due to participation in the SHG has led to an improvement in the quality of their lives. As many families were able to address their basic needs better than ever before. Access to credit from the bank in affordable interest became the greatest boon for poor women. Hence linking Neighbourhood Group with the banks became a prerequisite in Financial Inclusion. The two key step involved in bank linkages are opening bank account and facilitating credit linkages.  Kudumbashree Mission being one of the pioneers in establishing successful SHGs (NHGs) have promoted bank linkage since the inception. This model became successful that at a certain extent poor could access finance and could meet their immediate needs.

Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission flagged off Mobile Vegetable unit. The initiative is launched associating with District Panchayath. Shri.V.K Madhu, President, District Panchayath flagged off the programme. Shri. V.K Prasanth, Mayor, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation made the first sale.

The Oruma JLG (Joint Liability Group) unit of Perumkadavila Panchayath in Thiruvananthapuram district is responsible for the functioning of the mobile vegetable unit. The unit consists of five members.The initiative was launched with an aim to make available organic vegetables in the urban areas of the district.

Ready cum cook-cut vegetables would also be available at the mobile vegetable unit, which would make the household chores of working women much more easier. The initiative is designed in such a way that the main government offices in the city viz.,Government Secretariat, Corporation office etc would be able to avail the services of the mobile vegetable unit. The vegetables are collected directly from different JLGs in the district. Oruma JLG is also using the vegetables they cultivate in their field. Milk, eggs and value added products would also be made available through this mobile unit.

The project cost of the unit was Rs 5 lakhs, out of which Rs 2 lakhs subsidy was availed from District Panchayath against bank loan. Their next aim is to launch a programme to deliver indigenous products to the households as per the orders received.