Nine Women from Kudumbashree are all set to join Jagriti Yatra, the 15-day long, national train journey that will take them 8000 kilometers across the length and breadth of India, to understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through enterprise. Jagriti Yatra is set up under a non-profit charitable organisation Jagriti Sewa Sansthan, headquartered in Mumbai and based in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh focuses on skill-development. Three women from Ernakulam and six from Pathanamthitta will attend the Jagriti Yatra which will commence on 24 December 2017 from Mumbai and will end on 8 January 2018 at Mumbai. The trip will cover Mumbai, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Bangaluru, Sri city, Vishakhapatnam, Ganjam, Nalanda, Deoria, New Delhi, Tilonia and Ahmedabad.

During the journey, they will be offered opportunity to meet role models, change-makers and leaders who started out on a journey just like everyone else and made a difference to thousands of lives. That will help the women to forge bonds with the like-minded young leaders- their co-Yatris and complete strangers.They will be exposed to the role models who are building India through enterprises; through them the women will find inspiration to undertake their own building journey.

500 youngsters, selected from thousands of applicants, many from smaller towns and villages, join the Yatra every year, with the goal of creating awareness and start a movement of 'building India through enterprise'. Jagriti Yatra aims to nurture 1 Lakh entrepreneurs by 2022 and create 10 Lakh jobs in this process. The trip would be an unforgettable experience for the Kudumbashree Women.

International Labour Organization's (ILO) training for Micro Enterprise Consultants (MEC) have been kickstarted at Grameena Padana Kendram, Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram on 11 December 2017. The master trainers of ILO are giving training to the MECs on the topic 'Start and Improve Your Business' (SIYB). 17 selected MECs will attend the training from 11-20 December 2017. Shri. Issac Singh& Shri. Khaleel Ul Rahman, Master Trainers, ILO would lead the activity oriented sessions.

Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) is currently the largest global business management training programme with the focus on starting and improving businesses as a strategy for creating more and better employment for women and men. It supports the sustainable development goals by promoting the business development policies that support decent job creation, entrepreneurship and encourage the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises.It also supports productive employment and decent work for all, including the youth and persons with disabilities.

The association with International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations agency dealing with labour problems, particularly international labour standards, social protection, and work opportunities will enable Kudumbashree Mission to create revolutionary changes in micro enterprise development in Kerala. So far, 31,261 Kudumbashree Micro Enterprise units are working in Kerala altogether. By giving assistance in identifying the most suitable micro enterprises, MECs are extending their full support for the women entrepreneurs. Micro Enterprise Consultants also facilitate training, marketing services and Business counselling as well.

Kudumbashree's activities aiming at the development of Edamalakkudy, the only tribal grama panchayath in Kerala is progressing in its full swing. A women friendly canteen catering unit will be launched at Edamalakkudy soon. Rs 10 lakh has been allocated by the Scheduled Tribes Development Department for the same. Training has been given to the 6 membered group for starting the women friendly canteen catering unit. AIFROM, Kudumbashree's Catering training group had given training to Kudumbashree Women for starting the canteen catering unit.

Initial activities have been started for launching women friendly study centres aiming at self reliance in Health, Agriculture, Job, Education, Savings etc. Resource persons for the same had been identified and training had been given to them. The women friendly study centres would address the issues like unemployment, malnutrition in children etc.

Kudumbashree's activities in CDS level had been progressing in Edamalakkudy from 2008 onwards. Around 720 families of Muthuvan clan reside in this area. Kudumbashree had been doing group farming for bringing the scheduled tribes back to agriculture. Sports activities focusing on tribal youth are also progressing in Edamalakkudy.

One Day Workshop for District Election Officers of the Kudumbashree Election 2018 was held at Kudumbashree State Mission on 11 December 2017. The Election officers who were selected by the concerned District Collectors were given classes on Kudumbashree Mission, Community Based Organization Structure and Kudumbashree Three-Tier framework, Kudumbashree NHG, ADS, CDS, Byelaw etc.

Elections at NHG level will be from 8-14 January 2018. The Elections at ADS will be from 18-21 January and the Election at CDS is scheduled on 25 January 2018. The new office bearers will take charge on 26 January 2018. The last election was on January 2015. The tenure of the existing office bearers will end on 25 January 2018.

The training for the election officials are progressing at districts under the leadership of Kudumbashree District Missions. The notification of the election will be declared on 23 December 2017. The training for the presiding officers for the NHG election will be from 26-30 December 2017. After the elections, 13.85 lakh office bearers will take their charges.

Election has been declared at Kudumbashree Three tier system. Elections at NHG level will be from 8-14 January 2018. The Elections at ADS will be from 18-21 January and the Election at CDS is scheduled on 25 January 2018. The new office bearers will take charge on 26 January 2018. The last election was on January 2015. The tenure of the existing office bearers will end on 25 January 2018.

The training for the election officials are progressing at districts under the leadership of Kudumbashree District Missions. The notification of the election will be declared on 23 December 2017. The training for the presiding officers for the NHG election will be from 26-30 December 2017.

So far, 43 lakh members are there in 2.77 lakh NHGs altogether. There are 19854 ADS and 1073 CDSs . Each NHG would consist of 10-20 members. These members would select 5 office bearers among them through election method. The 5 membered office bearers in a particular ADS constitute ADS General Body. they will select the ADS Governing Body. The Governing Body of CDS comprises of one member from ADS.

After the elections, 13.85 lakh office bearers will take their charges.

The tribal outlets opened at Idukki stands out attracting many. Two tribal outlets were opened at Kanjikuzhy Panchayath and Adimali Panchayath of Idukki District. It is planned to open the third outlet at Kanthaloor Panchayath.

Idukki is the second largest district in the state with maximum number of tribals. Malayarayan, Mannaan, Muthuvan, Oorali, Paliyan, Hilpulayan, Malapandaram, Ullaadan & Malayan are the different clans of tribes who reside in the district. They were meeting their livelihood by selling the products collected from the forests. The tribals weren't getting enough payments for their hard work. It is for avoiding the delay in getting their payments that tribal outlets are opened.

40 NHG groups of Adimali, Kanjikuzhi, Kanthloor, Marayoor and Mangulam Panchayath were given training for starting sale outlets. The trained 4 membered group started 'Pulari' outlet at Venmani. Products made of Bamboo Products, Honey and Medicinal Plants are available in the outlets.The Non Timber Forest Products ( NTFP) of National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) is the main capital of these outlets. These tribal outlets are getting orders as they are located near Munnar and Idukki Dam.

It's also planned to start tribal outlets in Palakkad, Thrissur, Pathanamthitta and Wayanad Districts as well.

Farming activities of Joint Liability Groups (JLG) are progressing well all over Kerala. 51574 JLGs are pursuing farming 28563 hectres of land and so far Rs 310 Crore had been given as Bank loan.This is for the first time that this much JLGs are availing bank loan. Kudumbashree plans to make avail Rs 400 crore bank loan for the JLGs.

During the last onam, the availed bank loan was only Rs 266 crore and year before it was Rs 250 crore.

Banks give loan starting from Rs 1 lakh to JLGs for a financial year. Those who repay the loan in time are given special concessions. In fact, these loand become interest free loans then.

It's on behalf of the centrally designed programme, that Kudumbashree is involved.To improve the representation of women in agricultural sector, to promote the livelihood of women through organic way of cultivation are the aims of the centrally sponsered programme, Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP). Kudumbashree is the nodal agency of MKSP in Kerala.

Kudumbashree's Plastic Free Campaign starts at Sabarimala. It is for the fourth consecutive year that Kudumbashree is conducting Plastic free Campaign in connection with Sabarimala Pilgrimage. Kudumbashree is associating with Pathanamthitta District Administration, Shuchithwa Mission, Forest Department, and Health Department for the successful implementation of the programme.

Kudumbashree women collect the plastic covers and bottles from the pilgrims and give cloth bags in return. They collect the same with the help of Forest guards at Laha, Kanamala forest check posts. The cloth bags that they distribute are made by the different Kudumbashree Cloth bag making units in the district. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is the official sponsor of this cloth bag distribution.

200 cloth bags each are distributed daily to the pilgrims. 20 Kudumbashree women from different CDS s take part in the campaign. Pilgrims had been welcoming the plastic free campaign of Kudumbashree Mision with open hearts.

Second Phase of the 10-day residential art workshop, 'Varayude Penma', organised for the members of Kudumbasree Mission associating with Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) have been kickstarted at Pepper House, Fort Kochi on 1 December 2017. The workshop was officially inaugurated by Shri. K J Maxi, MLA. Shri. A B Sabu, Chairman, Welfare Standing Committe, Kochi Corporation, presided over the function, on which Shri. Bernie, Music Director was the chief guest.

The first phase of 'Varayude Penma' held in January 2017 being a huge success, the phase two of the same was launched. 30 selected women from 14 districts across Kerala who had attended the first phase of 'Varayude Penma' joined the second phase with sheer enthusiasm and excitement. The workshop would help the women raise their issues in a creative manner.

Eminent artists Valsan Kolleri, Jalaja PS, Jaya PS and C.Bhagyanath will lead the workshop. Shri. Bose Krishnamachari, President, Kochi Biennale Foundation, Shri. Riyas Komu, Secretary, Kochi Biennale Foundation and Smt. Anita Dube, Curator of the upcoming edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale will oversee the activities of the 10 day long residential workshop.The works produced at the current workshop will be exhibited in a show, expected to be held in connection with the new year celebrations.

The workshop had gifted the women, who were unable to follow their passion because of their worse life situations, a new energy of hope and confidence. The women were selected for the workshop by eminent jury members under the leadership of Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission after conducting a painting competition on the topic-'The most challenging phase of your life as a woman'.

The workshop would help the women unleash their inherent talents within them. It would surely help them realise the joys of creativity and rediscover the love for art.

Cafe Kudumbashree stalls opened at Putharikandam Maidan, in association with Malayala Manorama Ananthapuri Fest from 23 November 2017 is drawing huge crowds. Co-ordinated by Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission, the eateries operated by Kudumbashree units, are becoming the main attraction of the festival. 15 Cafe Kudumbashree units from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kazargode are offering varieties of dishes.

Mouth watering ethinic cuisines likeThalassery Dum Biriyani, Athishaya Pathiri, Turkey Pathiri, Chatti Pathiri, Ghee Pathiri, Kozhi Pollichathu, Kanthari Kozhi, Kappa biriyani and Mulayari Payasam are available in the Kudumbashree pavilion. The transgenders juice counter opened by Punarjanmam Special NHG Unit from Kozhikode is one of the key attraction of Cafe Kudumbashree. The Honey Berry Juice, Green Berry, Carrot berry, Beet Berry, Musambi, Orange and pineapple juices prepared by them are of high demand at the food fest.

The food lovers of Thiruvananthapuram is giving a good support to Kudumbashree Women. Daily sales of around Rs 3 Lakhs was recorded during the holidays and an average daily sale of Rs. 1.5 Lakhs was recorded on other working days.The fest will come to an end on 4 December 2017.