DDU-GKY- Kerala SRLM has secured abroad job placement for a fully blind candidate from Malappuram district of Kerala. It is Mr. Ismayil Saidalavi , PwD candidate hailing from Pallikal village of Malappuram district of Kerala, who secured a well paid job at a reputed company in Abudhabi, United Arab Emirates as tele calling executive with a salary of Rs 40,000. The candidate was trained by Samarthanam Trust for the disabled in BPO Non-voice and BPO Voice courses. This is the first ever abroad placement of a fully blind candidate from Kerala.

It was at his peak of the career that Ismayil lost his eye sight. He went totally blank about his career and future life as he was married and had a family to look after. Ismayil lost his job and was in dilemma about the future. He came to know about DDU-GKY Skilling training at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled at Kakkanad through Kudumbahshree Mission and got enrolled to the training. Ismayil underwent a rigorous training on BPO, communication skills and IT, during the course of the training Ismayil regained his confidence and prepared himself for better career opportunities. Ismayil managed to clear the interview arranged by Samarthanam placement team at AIMS training center, UAE with approx Rs. 40,000/- monthly salary as telesales executive. For Ismayil it is like dream come true and he is very much glad for the opportunity he received.

It is as part of the inclusion of all under DDU-GKY, Kudumbashree has encouraged setting up of exclusive PwD (Persons with Disabilities) centres and as a result two exclusive PwD projects were commenced. Rajagiri College of Social Sciences and Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, were given approvals to commence projects at Kochi, as per the Standard Framework for PwD with target of 150 and 500 respectively. The Rajagiri College had commenced courses viz Book Binder, Front Office Associate and Housekeeping Attendant at the centre whereas the Samarthanam Trust commenced BPO Non- voice and BPO Voice courses for the PwD candidates.

Kudumbashree Mission joins hands with Bank of India for providing loans to 5000 families as per the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) of PMAY before March 2020. The MoU regarding the same was signed between Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission and Shri. V. Mahesh Kumar, Kerala Zonal Manager, Bank of India at Kudumbashree State Mission office on 21 June 2019. Kudumbashree Mission had already associated with Axis Bank for CLSS. As per this, 9436 families from 93 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Kerala had already been issued bank loan.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is an initiative by Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor by 2022. CLSS can be called as interest subsidy scheme under PMAY that is given to people for home construction, purchase, extension and improvement. Those who are permanently living in any urban areas in Kerala continuously for three years and those who do not have permanent houses can only apply for CLSS. As per this scheme, those families who have annual income upto Rs 3 lakhs (Economically Weaker Section) will get bank loan upto Rs 6 lakhs with interest subsidy of 6.5%. Those families who have Rs 3 lakhs- Rs 6 lakhs as annual income ( Low Income Group) will get bank loan in the same rate. Families with annual income of Rs 6 lakhs- RS 12 lakhs (Middle Income Group 1) may get bank loan upto Rs 9 lakhs with interest subsidy of 4%.Families of annual income of Rs 12-18 lakhs (Middle Income Group 2) may get bank loan upto Rs 12 lakhs with interest subsidy of 3 %.The repayment tenure of all banks would be 20 years.

Smt. Roshni Pillai, Smt. M Bhavana and Shri.Pradeep, State Programme Managers, PMAY and Shri. R. Rajesh, Area Manager- Thiruvananthapuram, Bank of India also attended the function. Kudumbashree Mission is the nodal agency of PMAY (U) in Kerala.

Kudumbashree Mission launched the second phase of DDU-GKY and signed MoU with new PIAs at the programme held at Harmony Hall, Mascot Hotel, Thiruvananthapuram on 20 June 2019. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission inaugurated the programme, launched the Phase 2 of DDU-GKY and signed MoU with the new Project Implementing Agencies. Kudumbashree Mission had signed MoU with 27 New Project Implementing  Agencies of DDU-GKY. The second phase of DDU-GKY will be from 2019-2022. During this period training would be extended to 80,000 candidates. Rs 800 crores is allotted for the same. Now the target is given to the PIAs for extending skill training to 8810 candidates. The Awards conferred to the Project Implementing Agencies were also given away at the function.

The convergence model of DDU-GKY with Micro Enterprise units (uniform stitching and canteen operation) was recommended as a national model by Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to all the Programme implementation states. Asraya Beneficiaries (destitute), differently abled, tribal communities were given thrust while implementing the programme. In the first phase a target of training 51,200 rural youth was awarded to the state and based on the better performance and additional 20,000 target was awarded thus taking the total target to 71,200. The entire target of 71,200 was allocated to Project Implementing Agencies out of which 52,350 were given training and  42,352 have completed the course and 32,498 were given wage employment.

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. DDU-GKY Kerala had received the national award for being the second best state nodal agency for implementing DDU-GKY programme during 2017-18 and had also bagged the national award for being the third best state nodal agency for implementing DDU-GKY programme during 2016-17 as well. 

DDU-GKY is being implemented in Kerala starting from 2015. Training is given to the candidates of 18-35 age group. Women, Persons With Disabilities, PGVT are given age concession upto 45 years. Backward communities are given 60% reservation and women are given 33% reservation. The training, accommodation, food and study materials are given to the candidates free of cost. Training is being extended in 126 courses of 32 sectors. The courses ranges from Accounting, Animation upto Air Hostess training. Those who complete the courses of  3 months to one year duration would be given National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) certificates and and Sector Skills Councils (SSC) Certificate. There are about 150 training centres functioning all across the state. Kaushal Panjee App or Skill Register App is also set up to rural youth,through which the candidate can register free of cost and be connected to training partners and banks working in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development. Apart from this, Migration Support Centres are functioning in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts as well.

The Project Implementing Agencies viz., Malankara Social Services Society, Appollo Med Skills, Rajagiri School of Social Sciences, PSN, KITES Softwares Private Limited, Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Kitex Childrens Wear Private Limited and MSM ITI were given awards for their best performance awards. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree briefed about the DDU-GKY programme implemented in Kerala. Shri. Shibu N.P, State Programme Manager, Kudumbashree Mission welcomed the gathering and Dr. K.R Shaiju, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Thiruvananthapuram District Mission extended Vote of Thanks.

SN Trust, DDU-GKY's Project Implementing Agency (PIA) from Kasaragod district secured 100% placement in the first batch training. The 70 students who had completed Food and Beverages Course, the basic course of Hotel Management in SN Trust had secured placement in famous hotels like  Oryx Village, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, Bungalow 47, Kanhangad, Kasaragod, The Raviz (Kadavu Resort), Calicut, Randhal Restaurant, The Raviz Hotel,  Hotel Woodies Bleisure,Calicut, Hotel Dhe Puttu, Park Residency, Harishree International, Juju Hotel and Hotel Vyshak International. The students were placed with a minimum monthly salary ranging from Rs.7000-Rs 12000. Hospitality Management and Accounting were the courses offered at SN Trust.

The candidates were trained in two batches with 35 candidates each respectively.

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. DDU-GKY Kerala had received the national award for being the second best state nodal agency for implementing DDU-GKY programme during 2017-18 and had also bagged the national award for being the third best state nodal agency for implementing DDU-GKY programme during 2016-17 as well.

Along with the products listed from the different Kudumbashree micro enterprises in Kerala, Kudumbashree Bazaar, the E-commerce portal launched to sell out the Kudumbashree products enlisted 'services' icon in the website. Services like catering, daycare, matrimony, event management, dance school and ladies hostel are listed in the Kudumbashree Bazaar website. Just alike buying the products of  Kudumbashree Mission, the customers may avail the Kudumbashree services as well. Under every services, the detailed description of the service micro enterprise units are given. Under the profile of each service micro enterprise unit, the option for registration and login is also provided for the customers to pre-book the same. The photos of every units are also included in Kudumbashree's E-Commerce portal. The process of adding more number of service micro enterprise units are progressing.

Kudumbashree Bazaar, the E-commerce portal  was launched by Dr. K.T Jaleel, the then Minister of Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala on 21 February 2018. In the first phase, different products of 250 micro entrepreneurs were added in the website for sale. Later products of more micro enterprises were added .Quality products from Kudumbashree are now timely delivered to the customers from different parts of the country and thereby the acceptance for the Kudumbashree products had been increased. 

Snehitha Gender Help Desk got the approval of Government of Kerala as a 24 hour working institution to provide care and support to women and children who are in distress. It is as per the Government order- G.O (M.S) No.56/2019/LSGD dt. 31/05/2019 that Snehitha Gender Help Desk has got Government approval. Snehitha had been making remarkable interventions and had been supporting women and children in distress and was also extending legal aid, emotional and social support as well. It is as per the request of the Executive Director of Kudumbashree Mission that Snehitha Gender Help Desk has now got Government approval.

Snehitha is a 24 hours working gender help desk. It is a district level centre set up to support and guide the women who are in need  or distress. Snehitha provides short stay and counseling facilities to the needy as well. Kudumbashree Mission established three Snehitha Gender Help Desks in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Malappuram districts of Kerala during September 2013. Snehitha gender help desks were started in all the 14 districts of Kerala since October 2017. As the name implies, Snehitha is being a ‘Female Friend’ to as many women and children who are in distress. Snehitha provides immediate help, shelter, counseling, motivation and legal assistance to the victims of violence. Snehitha provide short term shelter, with a view to protect and rehabilitate those women and children who are facing social, economic, and emotional problems due to family problems, mental strains, social exclusion, exploitation or other causes or are being forced into prostitution, widows, persecuted women and destitute women who had thrown out of from their families. It works to avail support and help to the shield less women in society. 

The main aim of the center is to provide help and support to those women and children who are in distress and provide voice for their issues and concerns, also to prevent, protect and prevail over domestic violence through advocacy, empowerment and social change. Snehitha are providing shelter to many women and children who have no one to protect and are living in insecure circumstances and who were rescued from the verge of committing suicide. The Help Desk is working on the principle of convergence, which is followed by a close interface and collaboration with different government, non- governmental organizations working in the relevant and related field. Snehitha also looks to enhance the socio-economic status of young, underprivileged women by empowering them with self-confidence and the required skills to enable them to become independent and contribute to family and society. Snehitha helps its beneficiaries in getting livelihood support and assistance for opportunities. Snehitha also coordinates various outreach activities in schools and other institutions. 

Kudumbashree Mission, with its strong networking structure can ensure the proper and timely implementation of the law and can protect the interest of the affected by working in collaboration with the service providers. Snehitha consist 11 staffs and all of them are women. There are two counselors, five service providers, one office assistant, two securities and one care taker in every Snehitha Gender Help Desk. As of now, 18,145 cases were reported in Snehitha out of which 9842 cases were reported over phone. Legal aid was extended to them with the assistance of Kerala Legal Services Society. Short stay service had been extended ti 3778 women and children so far.

Following  the trends in this digital era, Kudumbashree  Mission acted a little forward and completed the geo tagging of all Kudumbashree Nano Markets in the state. All the Nano Markets under Kudumbashree Mission are therefore marked and is updated in the website of Kudumbashree Mission. Therefore the customer may get the location and directions to the nano market in few clicks. All the 541 Nano Markets are marked in this manner with the help of the respective District Programme Managers and Block Coordinators.

‘Nano Market’ is either an exclusive shelf space positioned in super markets operated by government departments and private players or placing of a shelf in public places in order to sell Kudumbashree products directly to customers, especially in public offices where large crowd assemble for availing various services. The products of Kudumbashree enterprises of a particular locality or block are pooled in to the nearby Nano Markets by the Community Marketing Facilitators and the activity is monitored by Block Coordinators. It is the responsibility of Community Marketing Facilitators to replenish the stock in the Nano Markets regularly. These Nano Markets will have ‘common look and feel’ or branding wherever possible. For the emerging array of Kudumbashree products, making the leap to  the shelves of all leading super markets became an intimidating yet incredibly necessary step to market our products. Shelf space in super markets or in public places not only generate familiarity among customers, but also create trust among potential customers. Indirectly, Kudumbashree products will be positioned in par with its near competitors in Nano Markets. This is particularly important as Kudumbashree Mission does not go for any highly paid promotion activities. It is in this background, Kudumbashree has decided to go for ‘Nano Markets’ in which exclusive shelf space is obtained in existing super markets for Kudumbashree products.

Snehitha Legal clinic had started functioning at Snehitha Gender Help Desk at Aingoth of Kasaragod District with the help of District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to spread its services to the grass root level of society and to ensure that everyone should have access to legal awareness and justice regardless of their income for those who cannot afford them. Snehitha Legal Aid Clinic was inaugurated by Adv. Mujeeb Rahman.C, District Chief Judicial Magistrate on 6 June 2019.

Snehitha Legal Aid Clinic would offer the needy to avail all help and support from the other Government Services and to empower people to achieve inclusion, independence and justice by providing free, quality representation to overcome legal obstacles and other problems under umbrella.  Legal assistance of a woman advocate would be extended to the clients free of cost on Fridays of every week from 2 PM onwards. The woman advocate would help them to overcome legal issues by giving legal advice and the needed legal services. Snehitha will contact the clients who need legal assistance, those who already registered a case in Snehitha and link them with the advocate and follow up through District Legal Services Authority (DLSA).  Those women and children who face domestic violence and other issues may make use of Snehitha Legal Aid Clinic

Kudumbashree Ernakulam District Mission joins District Administration in the fight against Nipah Outbreak. Ernakulam District Mission is providing all the possible helps to the district administration in fighting back the nipah virus. Kudumbashree Mission has been involving in the mission is in two ways viz., by providing food kits to home quarantine cases and by organizing rallies and meetings cooperating with the Health Department, Government of Kerala to educate the common people about the disease and the ways in which the nipah virus spreads.

In providing food kits to home quarantine cases, about 121 families have been identified as home quarantine in the district and Kudumbashree Mission has been vested with the responsibility of providing food kits to these families, if they express any requirement. The activity was started in the Vadakkekara Panchayath of Paravoor Block, where food kits have been provided to four families. The whole Kudumbashree system is given knowledge on home quarantine cases and the system is ready to provide food for the needy in cooperation with the Health Department. Kudumbashree Mission has been organizing rallies and meetings cooperating with health department to educate the common people about the disease and the ways in which the infection spreads to one another. The rallies organised by Kudumbashree Mission was approved by the District Medical Office of Ernakulam and had received wide appreciation for their efforts and social commitment.

Kudumbashree Alappuzha District Mission organised Gender Sensitization Drive- 'Asamayath' proclaiming nights and streets belong to women also, not only to men. The Gender Sensitization Drive was coordinated on 28 May 2019. More than 300 women from various parts of the district became part of the drive. The Gender Sensitization Drive of Kudumbashree Mission aimed at creating public awareness on the denial of women's freedom, which is ensured by the Constitution of India.

The programme was started with an Open Forum held at the Town Square, Alappuzha. After having food, the women went to watch the second show of the movie 'Uyare' at Kairali Theatre, Alappuzha. The women watched the movie along with the director and crew. They also shared their insights about the women oriented movie 'Uyare' and had a discussion about the same with the crew of the movie.  After watching the movie, the women walked to beach as small groups through different paths and reached the beach by 12.30 AM. The Rangashree team  performed a drama 'Pennorumbettal' before the gathering at the beach. Folk Songs and Women Foot Ball Competition were also arranged at the programme.  The programme came to an end at 5 AM on 29 May 2019.The Gender Sensitisation Drive of Kudumbashree Alappuzha District Mission is definitely a huge step towards creating a safer and more equal society.