As Kudumbashree Mission is to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Kerala Budget 2018 allotted Rs 200 Crore for Kudumbashree Mission to implement various new programmes to strengthen the three tier system and the welfare programmes for women. 2018-19 will be observed as ‘Year of NHG’.

The budget which focuses on the welfare of women, would help the NHG members to secure new jobs. 2018-19 NHG year- Kudumbashree summit, 1,000 poultry units, 500 coir mills, Micro enterprises park, 14 model women-friendly villages, agro service teams etc are sanctioned in the budget.

The women friendly budget presented by Dr.Thomas Issac, Finance Minister, Government of Kerala announced 20 different programmes for Kudumbashree- Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme, Nano markets to improve the sale of Kudumbashree products, Online portals, Micro Enterprises technology hub, Kudumbashree chitti associating with KSFE, District Kudumbashree training centres, agro service teams, Sujalam ( well recharging programme ) extended to all districts, Individual family rights plan for tribes to all districts, 1,000 new geriatric care executives, new livelihood project- Prathyasha, and moratorium for enterprises facing recovery etc are other projects that the government intends to carry out through Kudumbashree. Rs 26 crore had been allocated for renovating Buds Schools. It had already been planned to start 200 more Buds schools in the state. By implementing these programmes, more women in the state would be able to secure better jobs and living.

Impressed by the performance of these women, many leading restaurant chains in UAE have come forward to conduct joint food festivals in UAE and even to facilitate establishment of permanent food outlets by Kudumbashree in UAE. 'Cafe Kudumbashree' Food Courts set up at 'Come On Kerala' International Fair in Sharja conducted from 25-27January 2018 attracted thousands of Keralite expatriates.

 Two Cafe Units from Alappuzha and Kozhikode had aroused nostalgic feelings among the Keralites living in UAE and earned an income around Rs 8 lakhs in three days by serving the ethnic mouth watering cuisines of Kerala especially Kuttanadan and Malabar dishes. For the women (three each) from Five Star unit of Alappuzha and Souparnika unit of Kozhikode, it was their first foreign visit. Chathikkatha Sundari (a chicken dry fry dish without using oil) of Souparnika team and Tapioca and Fish curry and Kappa biriyani (mix of Tapioca and Beef) of Five Star unit were of high demand at the fair. Many a time the billing counter had to stop issuing food coupons due to heavy foot fall in the Cafe Kudumbashree food court. 

Cafe Kudumbashree had made a similar attempt in UAE two years back with the support of Malayala Manorama and with the success of the food court in Come on Kerala International Fest has boosted up the confidence of Kudumbashree entrepreneurs to look beyond frontiers and to aim bigger markets such as international markets.

To equip the women to fight back against the atrocities towards them, Kudumbashree Gender Campaign would be conducted across the state from 8 February 2018 onwards. The State level inauguration of the campaign would be held at Jimmy George Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on 8 February 2018. As part of the campaign, it is planned to arrange programmes including the family members in the NHG level. The family get together regarding this will be organised in all districts across Kerala on 10 February 2018. NHG level mapping would be done on the atrocities against women.

The different ways to resist the atrocities and the ways to fight back against it socially would be discussed during the meeting. The self learning activity on defining 'atrocity' will also be included in the programme. The session including the participation of the family members is planned in the afternoon session. The meetings in NHG will be organised under the specially trained facilitators. To ensure the successful implementation of this programme, Kudumbashree had developed a software. The details and pictures of those who would attend the programme will be noted through this software.

The ideas evolved during the NHG level family get together will be compiled and discussed in ward level and later in the CDS level and necessary action would be taken. The programme will be extended to districts and as part of the Women's Day observation, state level programme would be conducted at Thiruvananathapuram on 8 March 2018.

The State level Buds festival will be held on 12 and 13 February 2018 at JDT Islam Orphanage, Kozhikode. The district level buds festivals had been organized in all districts across the state for the past few weeks. 147 boys and 119 girls who were the winners of the district levels buds festival will take part in the State Level Buds Festival.

The children would participate in single dance, light music, fancy dress, mimicry, monoact, cinematic music, recitation, instrumental music, painting (crayons ), pencil drawing, group dance and action song competitions.

The first buds festival was organized at Thiruvananthapuram in 2017, in which 134 students from 64 buds schools actively participated.

As per the National Disabilities Act of 2002, it is the responsibility of the country to ensure equal rights for the persons with disabilities as they are the valuable resources of the country. It was in this regard that Kudumbashree Mission started Buds Schools associating with Local Self Government Department. The first of its kind was started at Venganoor Panchayath, Thiruvananthapuram in 2004.

Now there are 5119 students studying in 64 Buds Schools and 87 Buds Rehabilitation Centres. In addition to this Government of Kerala had given approval for starting 200 more buds institutions.

From now the 'Madhura Savari' by Kudumbashree Kozhikode district Mission will add more sweetness to SM street. The two six-seater buggies run by the Kudumbashree women offering a non-polluting riding experience for shoppers on SM Street is attracting many. ‘Madhura Savari’ (sweet journey), as the name signifies, is a boon for the differently-abled and the elderly looking forward to a hassle-free shopping experience on the street. The buggy ride was flagged off by Shri. U.V Jose, District Collector, Kozhikode on 26 January 2018.

A newly formed four-member entrepreneurs’ group having four-wheeler driving licence is operating the buggy ride at an affordable rate. Smt Jancy Jose, Smt. Shitha Rameshan, Smt. Sheena and Smt. K. Rajitha are the entrepreneurs who are in charge of the Buggy Ride. Only ₹10 was charged for one-side ride.

The women entrepreneurs had jointly secured a bank loan of ₹11 lakh for the venture. It is also planned to add more buggies at the end of the trial run and transgender persons will be given the opportunity to steer the wheels. People welcomed the buggy service by Kudumbashree with open hearts.The collection at the end of the short inaugural service was Rs. 2,400.

With the introduction of electronic ticketing machines, only one person would be needed to control the vehicle and the other entrepreneurs would be able to work in shifts.

Kudumbashree Mission was a prominent participant at the 'Come on Kerala', the magnificent commercial & cultural mega event organised by Gulf Madhyamam, the leading Malayalam daily in Gulf countries from 25-27 January 2018 at Sharja Expo Centre. As Keralites are the largest expatriate group in UAE and many Keralites have been named as successful business men and professionals and many have become influencing personalities in Gulf, Kudumbashree would like to facilitate the women entrepreneurs to look out for right opportunities to develop better synergy with UAE's mounting economy and to showcase their enterprises and products & services.

'Come on Kerala' provided a prospective launchpad for spreading Kudumbashree's wings to Gulf Countries. Kudumbashree was represented by Mr. Ajith Chacko, Chief Operating Officer, NRLM. He presented a session titled 'Kudumbashree - the Pride of Kerala' in the B2B meeting held on 27 January 2018 at Sharja Expo Centre and participated in the Panel Discussion titled 'Come on Kerala - beyond borders'.

Kudumbashree had signed a basic MoU with M/s Jaleel Holdings, a leading General Traders and Wholesalers in UAE for partnering towards increasing Kudumbashree women entrepreneurs' capacities to look at better product quality and design towards linking them with bigger markets such as international markets. Come on Kerala opened up doors of immense potential and possibilities for Kudumbashree Mission.

The DDU-GKY Mobile Exhibition unit  featuring 'DDU-GKY Skill training and Placements'  starts its journey  from Thiruvananthapuram. The exhibition unit is set up as part of the PN Panicker foundation 14th Eco Digital Jan Vigyaan Yatra. Shri.Pinarayi Vijayan, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Kerala flagged off the 33 day journey  at Parassala on 26 January 2018. The journey will come to an end at Kasargod on 1 March 2018.

The Mobile unit featuring the success stories of DDU-GKY will halt at 10 different locations at every districts and the public may visit it.

The concerned block co-cordinators at each location will give the details regarding the available courses in the districts. Pamphlets, notices etc on DDU-GKY course will also be distributed alongwith.

The programme would be executed in convergence with the State Panchayath Department and other governmental organisations.

Aiming at the financial and social empowerment of the Scheduled Tribes in the district, Alappuzha Kudumbashree District Mission launched Individual family Rights plan for Tribes. As a pilot study, necessary measures were initiated for the same in Alappuzha constituent assembly. The programme is launched with the support of Dr. T.M. Thomas Issac, Minister of Finance, Government of Kerala who is also the MLA of Alappuzha constituent assembly. This project mainly focus on thousands of ST families in the district. In the initial step, 141 ST families in Alappuzha constituent assembly will be benefitted out of the same. Mararikkulam North, Mararikkulam South, Mannancherry, Aryad and the residents of Avalookkunnu colony in Alappuzha Municipality constitutes the legislative assembly. The progamme will be extended to other places in the district on its successful completion.

A new venture which provides job for these ST families in Alappuzha constituent assembly is started associating with Kerala State Coir Corporation. Based on the performance at the interview conducted, 28 women from ST families have been selected and they are being undergone training programmes for a period of three months. Rs. 200 will be given to them as stipend on daily basis along with their travel allowance and food. After the successful completion of this training programme, they will be placed under Coir Corporation.

A team consisting of District Mission Co-ordinator, Kudumbashree Alappuzha District Mission, Assistant District Mission Coordinator, District Programme Manager, Scheduled Tribes Programme Officer (State Mission), UNDP Consultant, Personal Secretary to the Finance Minister and ST promoters jointly visited 141 ST families in Alappuzha constituent assembly. As the next step, a survey was conducted amongst the ST families in Alappuzha constituent assembly. After consolidating the collected data, photo documentation was made with the help of a professional photographer. After the survey, it was understood that many of the houses lacked electricity, water connection etc and some houses and some of them needed maintenance works and some was to be rebuild. A proposal costing Rs. 5 crore was prepared for the same with the help of two civil engineers.

Kudumbashree joined hands with National Institute of fashion Technology (NIFT), the education institution under the Textile Ministry, Government of India. Kudumbashree members working in textile making, design sectors may increase their proficiency out of this association.The residential training started in NIFT Kannur campus had 3 phases. The first phase was from 10-12 January 2018. The second phase will be from 29-31 January 2018 and the third phase will be from 6-9 February 2018.

Thirty women who had been working in the textile sector would be selected from across the state. Classes will be led by 2 teachers of NIFT Kannur Campus. Classes will be given on screen printing, sequence work, new designs, sewing machine maintenance etc. NIFT had given a similar training to Kudumbashree women during February 2017.

Set up in 1986, NIFT is the pioneering institute of fashion education in the country and has been in the vanguard of providing professional human resource to the textile and apparel industry. Over the years NIFT has also been working as a knowledge service provider to the Union and State governments in the area of design development and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts.

To address the mental issues faced by the school children, 'Snehitha Gender Help Desk's services will be launched in the schools at Thiruvananthapuram district. The programme will be implemented in selected schools of Thiruvananthapuram such as Govt. HSS, Madathara, Govt.HSS, Peroorkkada, Cottonhill Govt. HHSS, Vazhuthacaud, SNVHSS, Aanad, Samuel LMSHSS, Parassala, SNHSS, Uzhamalaikal, Govt. Boys HSS, Mithrammala, Govt.Girls HSS,Mithramala, Prem Nazir Memmorial HSS, Koonthalloor, and St. Mathews HSS, Pozhiyoor.

As a pilot study, the programme was implemented in Govt. Girls School, Pattom. The counselling in 3 phases had been completed here. Teachers and parents may also avail the services of Snehitha Gender help Desk. The children who won't be having basic amenities in their home may make use of the shelter homes of Snehitha Gender Help Desk during their exam times. Students may make use of the shelter homes for upto 10 days. Group wise counselling is being given to the children now and those who need special counselling would be identified through this and they would be given the same.