DDU-GKY training centre Jan Shikshan  Sansthan- Malappuram  introduced an online learning mobile application for students. The switching on of this learning app was done by  Shri. P V Abdul Wahab, MP on 4 December 2018. This app can be installed in the tablet computer of the students. Each student will have an individual username and password which they can log in and attend the test series. Each test is prepared by the trainers,based on the classes he took. Every test is time bound and a student can attend  the same only one time.The student may also review his answers after each test.The same app can be used by the NULM (National Urban Livelihoods Mission)  students also. Also an alumni group of the automobile students was formed to strength hold the future placements of the training center.

DDU-GKY, the skill training and placement programme under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) occupies a unique position amongst the other skill training programmes due to its focus to the poor rural youth and its emphasis on sustainable employment through the prominence and incentives given to post placement tracking, retention and career progression. Kudumbashree SRLM is planning to give skill training to 30,000 rural youth during 2018-2019.

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.

Thinking out of the box and thereby making a difference, Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram Mission launched a courier service in Kadinamkulam CDS of Thiruvananthapuram district as a micro enterprise unit. Kudumbashree Courier Service was started during October 2018. Courier services are particularly useful for people that sell products online and need a shipping solution for sending multiple parcels. Kudumbashree Courier Service offers faster and more secure service and delivery.

Smt. Jeetha who is the President of the unit had a past work experience in courier service and so she is managing all the services of Kudumbashree Courier Service along with the other four group members. Kudumbashree Courier Service had even made a tie up with a private professional courier agency for domestic and international courier services. It is also planned to take initiatives to expand the services of Kudumbashree Courier Service to more areas. They are also managing an online bus/train ticket booking services as well. Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission had provided necessary financial assistance to this group.

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.

Kudumbashree Mission will partner with the fourth edition of Kochi Muziris Biennale which is proposed to be held at Fort Kochi from 12 December 2018 to 29 March 2018. The MoU regarding the same has been signed between  Shri. S. Harikishore  Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission and Shri. Bose Krishnamachari, President, Muziris Biennale Foundation in the presence of Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister for Local Self Governments, Government of Kerala  at Minsister's Chamber on 3 December 2018.

Kudumbashree will be the major food partner of the event. In addition to the Kudumbashree food court, the manufacturing and sale of handicraft products made by Kudumbashree workers would also be arranged  at Cabral Yard, the main venue of the event. The talents of the workers, including their artistic skills, will  be exhibited during the event. A total of 20 units of Cafe Kudumbashree will serve mouth watering cuisines from Travancore- Kochi-Malabar areas through the Kudumbashree food courts. A video on Kudumbashree  Mission will be played at the venues  on daily basis. ‘Varayude Penma’, the unique art outreach initiative, which gave positive reviews in the previous edition of Kochi Muziris Biennale will be conducted in this edition too. A seminar on Women Empowerment led by Kudumbashree Mission’s Gender wing would a be arranged during the event. A play by Rangashree, the community theater group of Kudumbashree Mission would also be staged during the Kochi Muziris Biennale. Fourth edition of Kochi Muziris Biennale would be led by its first woman curator Smt. Anita Dube and  over 50% of the participating artists would be women. 

 Shri. K P Anil, Private Secretary to Minister, LSGD, Shri. Santhosh Kumar, Assistant Private Secretary, Shri. V Sunil, Secretary, Kochi Biennale Foundation, Shri. Bony Thomas, Treasurer, Shri. S. Rajendran Nair, Development Officer, Smt. E. Priya, State Assistant Programme Manager, Kudumbashree were also present at the function.

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.

Arishree rice, produced from the paddy harvested in fallow lands was formally launched by Dr.T M Thomas Issac, Minister of Finance, Government of Kerala on 25 November 2018 at Milan Ground, Kasaragod.

Mazhapolima was the fallow less village campaign conducted in 37 CDS of Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission  as a part of Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) farm livelihood Programme. There were 235 acres of fallow land cultivated in puncha–mundakam season. 134 Joint Liability Groups under different Kudumbashree units have cultivated varies varieties of paddy including puncha,mundakam  with the support of gramapanchayth and Agriculture department.

Mazha polima Best CDS award instituted by Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission was presented to Meenja, Karaduka , Kinanur Karinthalam and Kanchagad CDS. Winners of the Mazhapolima District Photography Competition- Mr.Rajesh O.K (First Place), Mr.Deepash Puthya purayil (Second Place) and Mr. Surandran Madikai (Third place ) were also honoured at the function.

The second phase of Kudumbashree School has been started in all districts across Kerala from 1 December 2018. Over 43 lakh Kudumbashree NHG members from 2.77 Lakh Neighbourhood Groups will become part of the Second phase of Kudumbashree School. 

Kudumbashree School is the informal education programme which is executed coordinating with the NHGs which envisages to improve the intellectual quality of common women. Kudumbashree School training programme was launched last year to create awareness among the Kudumbashree NHG members about their social responsibilities and improve their standard of living through knowledge. 

The classes will be conducted for a period of 7 weeks where each NHG member should spend 2 hours weekly.  There will be a master trainer at the ADS (Area Development Society) level who will facilitate classes at ward level. One master trainer at ADS level will facilitate classes in 7 NHGs. There will be two master trainers, if there are more than seven NHGs in a ward.  Six topics will be present before the members and over 43000 resource persons will be handling the classes at NHG level. Disaster Management and Family Financial management are the two important subjects included in the second phase of Kudumbashree School. After these sessions each family should prepare a disaster management plan and financial plan for reduce disaster situations and improve their standard of living. Each class of the Kudumbashree School will be monitored through a special designed mobile application. 

Kudumbashree School aims at the personality development and social, cultural, educational empowerment of women.The first phase of Kudumbashree School was officially launched by Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister, Government of Kerala on 21 October 2017.