Kudumbashree signed MoU with Horticorp for selling the Kudumbashree products through Horticorp outlets. In the first phase Horticorp will sell Kudumbashree products through the outlets at Pazhavangady and Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram.  The MoU regarding this was signed between Shri. S.Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission and Dr. Babu Thomas, Managing Director, Horticorp in  the presence of Dr. K.T Jaleel, Minister, LSGD, Government of Kerala and Shri. V. S Sunil Kumar, Minister, Agriculture Department, Government of Kerala.

The association envisages to find a better market for Kudumbashree products with the help of Agriculture Department. The products like pickles, squash, jam, curry powder and other snacks produced by  Kudumbashree members will be for sale at the Horticorp Outlets. Horticorp will make necessary arrangements regarding the same. It is also planned to extend the programme to the 93 outlets of Horticorp.

The service of Micro Enterprise Consultants will also be used to ensure the flow of products from  the Kudumbashree production units to the outlets.

Shri. P.V Manoj, Private Secretary, Agriculture Department, Shri.Santosh Kumar.S, Private Secretary, LSGD Department, Shri.M.Raghavan, Private Secretary, LSGD Department, Smt.Rajatha. V, General Manager, Horticorp, Shri.Dathan.C.S., Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, 

Shri. Riyas Abdullah, State Programme Manager, Kudumbashree, Shri. Jibi Mathew Philip, State Assistant Programme Manager, Kudumbashree also attended the function.

Women Entrepreneurs from Thiruvananthapuram earned Rs 48000 within 45 days through the Kerala Chicken programme. Smt. Sujitha Kumari of JS Poultry Farm, Vengod and Smt Anura George of AG Poultry Farm Vengod of Nedumangad Municipality marked the success of Kerala chicken programme. The programme is implemented by Kudumbashree Mission converging with the other departments like Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation, Animal Husbandry Department, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Local Self Government Department.

KEPCO provided one day old broiler chicken to the units a rate of Rs 40 per chick and provided training to the beneficiaries. The entrepreneur therefore pays Rs 40,000 for 1000 chicks. As per the programme, KEPCO would buy back the matured chicken at a rate of Rs 85 per Kg. Within 45 days a chicken will reach upto 2.25 Kg weight and an entrepreneur will get Rs 196 per chicken. By giving 3.5 kg of food, the chicken will reach upto this weight. For feeding one chick it would cost around Rs 98 and therefore it makes Rs 98000 for 1000 chicken. The electricity, water bills and preventive medicines would cost an expense of Rs 2000. Therefore the expense over one chicken would be Rs 140 and for 1000 chicken it would be Rs 1,40,000. The entrepreneur would get Rs 196 per chicken and for 1000 chicken they would get Rs 1,96,000.As per the programme, the units gave back 973 chicken to KEPCO and earned Rs1,88,521. By deducting the expenses, i.e, Rs.1,40,000, the entrepreneur got Rs 48,521.

In the first phase those having poultry units and basic amenities for rearing the chicks were selected as beneficiaries. As per this, 271 units had already started working. For extending their activities, Rs 1 lakh would be given to them as Community Investment Fund at a rate of 4 %. The CIF should be repaid within an year.

The main objectives of the programme include to provide a steady income for Kudumbashree members through broiler chicken production, to ensure safe and clean chicken meat to consumers at reasonable price and to provide a steady and non fluctuating market price for broiler chicken. The announcement on Broiler chicken production at the Kerala Budget 2018 will help the programme.

To make available the generic drugs to the common man in affordable rates, Kudumbashree Mission will start Jan Aushadhi stores associating with the local bodies. The government order regarding the same dealing with the instructions was issued recently.

Jan Aushadhi is the programme being implemented by Government of India to make the generic drugs available to the common man at reasonable rates. The programme is being implemented associating with Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertaking of India under the central ministry of Fertilisers and Chemicals. It is planned to start Jan Aushadhi Stores in Taluk Hospitals and District Hospitals and to make avail the generic drug available to common man at reasonable and affordable prices. 442 types of generic drugs would be made available through these stores.

The educated women in the Kudumbashree network could be benefitted out of this association. As per the order, it is the responsibility of the local bodies to find the space of at least 120 sq ft area for starting Jan Aushadhi stores. It could be started in Taluk-District hospitals, medical colleges, shopping complexes under Panchayath- Municipality and government owned buildings.

Jan Aushadhi stores would have special logo and each would have a pharmacist and a computer operator. Three phase electricity connection would be ensured as freezer facility is inevitable to keep the medicines in the preferred temperatures. For setting up the basic amenities like computer, internet, furniture etc Rs 1.5 lakh would be provided by Bureau of Pharma for free.

Generic drugs worth Rs 1 lakh would also be provided which the entrepreneur need to pay back once it is sold out.

Kudumbashree entrepreneurs are getting ready to start the stores where the panchayaths had already issued the spaces. The programme would be extended to more places once more spaces would be available.

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.