Kudumbashree- Kerala State Poverty Eradication Mission bagged seven Awards including Skoch Award for Corporate Excellence and Skoch Order of Merit Awards. The Skoch Award for Corporate Excellence (Bronze) has been awarded to Kudumbashree Mission for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY). The Skoch Order of Merit have been awarded for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), Kudumbashree School Capacity Building programme for 43 lakh Kudumbashree NHG members, Kudumbashree Facility Management Center, Homeshop, Kudumbashree Women Construction Groups and Amrutham Nutrimix for qualifying amongst the Top Corporate Excellence Projects in India. The Awards were distributed at a function held at Constitution Club of India, New Delhi on 19 September 2018.

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, which is being implemented in Kerala state through Kudumbashree Mission. Kudumbashree School is the informal education programme which aims at the personality development and social, cultural, educational empowerment of women executed coordinating with the NHGs envisaging to improve the intellectual quality of common women.
Kudumbashree Facility Management Center provides facility management services to major public and private sector companies such as Kochi Metro Rail Limited,Vyttila Mobility Hub, Panampilly Nagar Walkway Maintenance etc and has become an epicenter for providing employment for women by providing thousands of women employed with its clients. The Home shop is a mode of community marketing, which promotes the sale of locally produced products of Kudumbashree micro enterprise units, by employing the women, thereby creating market for the products and source of income generation for the women. It is a model emerged out of the explorations for establishing marketing channels for Kudumbashree's products.

It was on anticipating the huge shortage of the labour force in the near future because of various determined Government campaigns of mass housing,that training was extended to women in construction sector which resulted in the formation of the construction groups in the state who can take up construction of houses, buildings and roads. Presently, Kudumbashree women construction units are constructing the LIFE Mission houses in various places across the state. Amrutham Nutrimix is a nutritional food supplement suitable for six months to three year old children as Take-Home-Ration (THR), prepared by the Kudumbashree micro enterprise units with the patronage and guidance of Kudumbashree. using wheat, soya chunks, bengal gram, groundnut and sugar as basic ingredients.

Skoch Order of Merit constituted by Skoch Group, a think tank dealing with the socio economic issues with a focus on inclusive growth since 1997. By bagging the Skoch Award for Corporate Excellence (Bronze) and six Skoch Order of Merit Awards for various programmes, Kudumbashree Mission has achieved National recognition.

On getting extra support from K Chittilappilly Foundation, the housing construction under PMAY Special Project at Maradu Municipality is progressing at fast pace. Kudumbashree Mission had converged with K Chittilappilly Foundation for the housing project at Maradu Municipality. A total of 446 beneficiaries have been sanctioned, out of which 325  were found eligible and agreement has been executed with 214. The construction of 172 has already been started and 66 has been completed.

As per the PMAY project at Maradu Municipality, a total of 1596 had been identified in various verticals. 702 beneficiaries had been identified in Affordable housing vertical. A total of 448 has been identified under Credit Linked Subsidy and 446 under  Beneficiary Lead Construction (New House).

As per the collaboration with  K Chittilappilly Foundation, 40 houses were selected at the first phase. Rs.50000 each would be given to beneficiary's accounts in two installments. The selection of the beneficiaries  was done by PMAY officials of Maradu Municipality and the officials from KCF visited the houses and shortlisted for the support.The houses which completed roof level were selected for support. Efforts have been taken to select beneficiaries from all wards and the most deserving beneficiaries were considered.

K Chittilappilly foundation (KCF) is an initiative by Shri. Kochouseph Chittilappilly with the prime objective of undertaking public charitable activities in India in a corporate level without any discrimination as to religion, caste, creed or gender.  A total of 100 houses are being supported by K Chittilappilly Foundation. Kudumbashree Mission is the nodal agency of Pradhan Manthri Awas Yojana (PMAY) Programme under Central- State Ministries working with the mission of achieving 'Housing for All'.

Three day training for Kudumbashree Animators of Attappady has been started. Shri. S.Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission inaugurated the training programme at Agriculture Co-operative Training Institute, Manvila, Thiruvananthapuram on 17 September 2018. To make the community kitchens more active, to ensure consistent income for  atleast  3 persons of every  hamlet,  to start construction units, to start the MGNREGS programme at the earliest which ensures wages in advance, to make the Kudumbashree Mission Programme being  implemented in Attappady more active, to  systematically review the programmes etc were the suggestions put forward by Executive Director during his inaugural speech. Classes on self confidence, self realisation, leadership were also extended  during the programme. Classes on organization, social development, micro finance etc were also extend during the programme.  The animators also visited Joint  Liability Groups ( JLG), goat village, IT units, buds institutions as well. The training would come to an end on 19 September 2018.

Kudumbashree Official's compassionate act became a model for many. Shri.Sulaiman Pathiyil, Mentor, Kudumbashree National Resource Organization, Wayanad along with  his wife Smt. N.N Aseena, Teacher, Kottakal Rajas Higher Secondary School, Malappuram contributed their one month salary to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. By adding more money to their one month salary, they made it Rs 1 lakh and handed over the same to Shri. T.P Ramakrishnan, Minister for Labour and Excise, Government of  Kerala at Collectorate, Wayanad.

It is after visiting the  camp at Panamaram that they decided to contribute both of their one month's salary to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Wayanad District Mission felicitated Shri. Sulaiman for his kind act of compassion.

Renowned Journalist and Ramon Magsaysay Award laureate Shri. P. Sainath, visited Kudumbashree Mission on 13 September 2018. He also addressed the staff of Kudumbashree Mission and discussed about the calamities caused to the Kudumbashree Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) due to the unprecedented floods. He had also visited the flood affected agricultural fields of Kudumbashree JLGs.

Shri. P. Sainath said that the self confidence of the women of Kudumbashree JLGs are really appreciable. The growth of the Kudumbashree JLGs is based on regionalism. It is the biggest agricultural revolution that Kerala had witnessed after land reforms. On visiting the flood affected land it is understood that the lose caused to the JLGs is much more. But it is notable that the women managed to overcome the trauma caused due to the floods and the loss. They are confident that they could get back their livelihood through agriculture itself. They had attained thus self confidence and courage by getting united through Kudumbashree's activities. Sainath said.

He also added that its urgently needed to extend assistance in finding livelihood in agriculture sector. It is needed to frame new agricultural programmes for them based on modern scientific technologies. The production techniques of the corporate in agricultural sector are ruining the fertility of the soil and the products cultivated so are injurious to health. A time should come where we can consume food grains and agricultural products that are produced within 100 mile area from our homes.

Shri. Dathan. C.S. welcomed the gathering. Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission. extended Vote of Thanks. Smt.Vishakha George, Banglore Correspondent, people Archive of India, Shri. S. Sabir Hussain, District Mission Coordinator, Pathanamthitta, Smt. Suja Eapen, District Mission Coordinator, Alappuzha also attended the programme.

The second phase training for replicating the Kudumbashree Model of poverty alleviation in Azerbaijan has been started. The two week training is being extended under the leadership of Kudumbashree NRO which was recognized by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, to provide support to other States in their poverty eradication efforts. Government of Azerbaijan had shown interest on Kudumbashree's organisational structure as well as in Micro Enterprises ad vulnerability studies and had approached Kudumbashree Mission during October 2017. As per the request, a group of officials from Kudumbashree had visited Azerbaijan and extended first phase training.It is on continuation with that the second phase training is being initiated.

The training for forming womens groups in Neighborhood group model in connection with the Azerbaijan Rural Investment Project (AZRIP) was extended during the first phase. Training was given for the AZIRP officials for conducting activities related to micro savings and for keeping the cash accounts. Along with the AZIRP officials, Kudumbashree officials has visited different centres in Azerbaijan and had given training classes. Based on the first phase training women groups had already been started in Azerbaijan. In the second phase, training will be extended for giving loans on the micro savings section and for starting micro enterprises i the livelihood development section. For this, two representatives from TREE Society (Training Resources for Enabling Enterprises Society) that offers business management training for rural micro-enterprises and producer companies to improve their profitability and viability, which extends training to Micro Enterprises Consultants is giving leadership for the training programme started at Azebaijan from 7 September 2018.

It was in 2012, that Kudumbashree Mission was recognized as a National Resource Organisation (NRO) by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India, under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) to provide support to other States in their poverty eradication efforts. Kudumbashree NRO provides technical support to partner- SRLMs in collaborating the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI ) and Community Based Organisations (CBO) activities and micro enterprise development activities for the livelihoods. Presently, Kudumbashree NRO works in 18 states.

Training for Kudumbashree Members to become lottery ticket sellers was inaugurated at Lottery Agents and Sellers Welfare Board, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram on 12 September 2018. Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission inaugurated the training programme. He also purchased a ticket of Navakerala Lottery from a Kudumbashree member. While inaugurating the training for Kudumbashree members to become Lottery Ticket sellers, the Executive Director informed them that he will purchase one ticket from the first person who will come to his office. It was Smt. Rahyanath from Alappuzha who sold the ticket to the Executive Director. She had traveled all the way from Alappuzha to Thiruvananthapuram, as she wanted to be the Kudumbashree member who sell off the ticket to the Executive Director.

When the Executive Director tried to motivate her by saying about the income she may get by selling maximum number of tickets, she replied that her focus is not on her income. For her, by selling Navakerala lottery, the Kudumbashree fraternity will be able to help the government to get more funds to reconstruct Kerala. Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission had shared this experience in his official facebook page. According to him, millions of people with this attitude are surely the strength of Kerala. He also believes that by involving in this activity of selling lotteries, Kudumbashree Mission will be able to contribute further to the rebuilding process of Kerala.

The Government of Kerala launched the Navakerala lottery in a bid to collect additional funds towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). The Government hopes to collect close to Rs 100 crore through the lotteries to be used for reconstructing the flood-battered state. The state government is printing 96 lakh tickets in nine series as part of the lottery. “The target of this special lottery is to raise Rs 100 crore, which will be the net profit for the state government after meeting all expenses of this special lottery, if all the 96 lakh tickets are sold. Government of Kerala entrusted Kudumbashree Mission as an agency to sell tickets to increase sales. Rs 250 is the cost per ticket. By selling one book of 10 tickets, the Kudumbashree member may receive Rs 553 as income.

Harithakarmasena of Koyilandy is active in making the Koyilandy  ULB neat and  clean.  It is as  part of  the 'Clean & Green' programme of Koyilandy ULB that  the Harithakarmasena members took  charge of collecting and segregating the waste from Koyilandy ULB. Shri. K.Sathyan, Chairman, Koyilandy  ULB inaugurated the distribution of the uniform, gum  boots, masks and gloves to the Harithakarmasena members recently.

The non biodegradable wastes were segregated and were  handed over to some agencies. Recently a shredding  unit was set up at Kunnoth, Koyilandy for shredding the non biodegradable wastes.

The  Harithakarmasena  at Koyilandy was launched during 2017.  The team consists of 88  members from 44  wards in Koyilandy ULB  and  12 members of Dhanashree which altogether makes 100 members. 88 of them collects wastes from their respective wards and the other 12 collects waste from the shops. The  team had earned an amount  of Rs 2.25 lakhs out of their waste management task, out of  which Rs 55,000 was paid as vehicle rent and  the rest was divided within themselves.

An amount of Rs.50 is being collected from the households and receipts are being given regarding the same.The Harithakarmasena members were active in flood  relief activities as well.

Kudumbashree Mission received the NRLM Award for the Outstanding Performance in Farm Livelihoods from Shri. Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Mines, Government of India at the function held at New Delhi on 11 September 2018. Shri.S.Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission along with Shri. Dathan C.S, Programme Officer, Agriculture received the award on behalf of Kudumbashree Mission.

It is for the first time that Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), announced Awards for farm livelihoods under Mahila Kisan Sashakthikaran Pariyojana (MKSP). Kudumbashree Mission had been actively involved in promoting organic farming, scientific farming techniques based on new technologies, inclusion of women farmers, farming activities focusing on fallow lands, promotion of value addition units and identifying markets, extending support for tribal JLGs etc. The Award is conferred for Kudumbashree Mission for its notable efforts for retrieving the natural Eco system and the activities based on conserving the soil and water bodies.

National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is a poverty alleviation project implemented by Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. This scheme is focused on promoting self-employment and organization of rural poor. Mahila Kisan Sashakthikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) a sub component of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) which aims at increasing the visibility of women in agriculture, reducing drudgery and providing a livelihood opportunity by adopting sustainable and eco friendly agriculture. Kudumbashree Mission, the programme implementing agency (PIA) for Kerala, has undertaken the project through the institution of Joint Liability Group (JLG) of women farmers. The project target was kept at promoting 30,000 JLG, with 1,50,000 women farmers undertaking cultivation in 24,000 Ha. MKSP project focuses on capacity building of the farming community through the identification of best practices among the community.

Kudumbashree is the nodal agency of MKSP in Kerala. The National Awards to the State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) are intended to provide public recognition to the outstanding performance and incorporate a sense of pride among the poor community members.

Amidst unprecedented floods and the calamities caused, Kudmbashree women of Alappuzha completed the construction of Life Mission House at Thanneermukkom within 53 days. Dr. T. M Thomas Issac, Minister for Finance and Coir, Government of Kerala appreciated the Kudumbashree women for their will power, hard work and self confidence through his official facebook page. It is within 53 days that the Kudumbashree women completed the construction of the 418 sq ft terraced house. Minister added that the 318 hour women mason training programme had really worked. Smt. Gowri Poothuraveli of ward 5, Thanneermukkom panchayath is the beneficiary of the house. The construction of the house was started on 11 June 2018 and was finished on 3 September 2018. Eksat is entrusted for extending the construction training at Alappuzha. The construction for Life Mission and the construction training for the women together are clubbed together to reduce the cost of construction. On the Job Training style is implemented here.

It is the sheer hard work of 35 Kudumbashree women which resulted in the completion of the house within 53 days. In the same manner, construction of 15 Life Mission houses are progressing in 15 grama panchayaths in Alappuzha District. A total of 415 women are getting trained in this way in Alappuzha District itself. Minister also appreciated Kudumbashree Mission for the day to day documentation of the work progress of the construction.Starting from the preparatory meeting to the general orientation to the management class to the practical classes, each and every milestone in the construction phase is documented by the Kudumbashree Mission. The cashbook from 8 June 2018 to 7 September 2018 is also included in the documented file.

It was on anticipating the huge shortage of labour force in the near future because of various determined Government campaigns of mass housing,that training was extended to women in construction sector. So that groups of micro contractors could be formed, who can take up the construction of houses of poor and needy, in addition to taking up of bigger projects. As a part of LIFE mission more than 2.5 lakh houses are being constructed in the state in this financial year. This provides huge employment opportunity for women construction groups. Further, once the construction groups completes 3/4 houses, it is aimed to upgrade them to become micro contractors for taking up various works of local self governments. Training is given by taking up the construction of the beneficiaries of various government schemes like PMAY(U), LIFE etc. Accredited agenicies like State Nirmithi Kendra, District Nirmithi Kendra, Maithri, Habitat, Thrissur Labour Contracting Society, Pinarayi Industrial Cooperative Society, Kerala State Housing Board, Kerala State Construction Corporation, Costford, Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society, Kitco, Eksath etc are extending construction training to the identified groups in the respective districts under the leadership of the the District Mission Coordinators. Training on construction activities for Kudumbashree members aims to extend skill training for women in various trades in the construction industry for enhancing the skill of the women in construction related activities such that a sustainable income is generated.

Link to the detailed documentation of the Life Missiion house constructed at Thaneermukkom