State Level Buds Fest 2018 held at JDT Islam Orphanage, Vellimadukunnu, Kozhikode from 12-13 February 2018 was concluded creating mesmerizing memories. Ernakulam District came first by securing 31 points. Kannur and Kozhikode  came in second and third places by securing 23 & 17 points respectively. The valedictory function was inaugurated by Dr. K.T Jaleel, Minister, LSGD, Government of Kerala. He said that 200 buds institutions will be opened in the district and the ratio of the students to teachers would be 8 is to 1.

250 students from different districts across Kerala participated in 12 art competitions. As part of the fest, an  exhibition cum sale of the handicraft products made by the Buds School students was arranged near the festival premises. Chains, bangles, soap, soap powder, phenyl etc and other fancy items made by them were for sale.

The Buds Fest was inaugurated by Shri. Thottathil Raveendran, Mayor, Kozhikode Corporation on 12 February 2018.  Shri. A. Pradeep Kumar, MLA was the cheif guest of the function.

Shri. Babu Parassery, President, District Panchayath, Smt. Amrida G.S. Programme Officer, Kudumbashree State Mission, Smt. P.C Kavitha, District Mission Coordinator, Kozhikode, Smt. Hemalatha C.K, District Mission Coordinator, Malappuram, Shri.K. V. Jyothish, District Mission Coordinator,  Thrissur, Shri. VIinod Kovoor, Cine actor and  Shri. C.P Kunjimuhammed, President, JDT Islamic Educational Institutions attended the valedictory function.

To equip the women to fight back against the atrocities towards them, Kudumbashree Gender Campaign was launched. The state level campaign was inaugurated by Dr.Thomas Issac, Minister of Finance, Government of Kerala at Jimmy George Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on 8 February 2018.

Minister said that through the gender campaign activities, security for women will be ensured. He also added that we should work together to improve the status of the women in the society. Kudumbashree Mission is the organisation who can publicize this thought to its maximum level. He asked the CDS chairpersons to work together to achieve the 14 model women friendly villages. He shared about the activities that was done at Mararikulam to make it a women friendly panchayath.

Smt. Sreemathi Teacher,MP was the chief guest of the function. 14 selected CDS chairpersons from each districts shared their experiences at the function. Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission welcomed the gathering and Smt. Soya Thomas, State Programme Manager extended vote of thanks.

The State level meeting of the newly elected CDS chairpersons was held at Jimmy George Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram on 8 February 2018. On inaugurating the event, Dr K.T Jaleel, Minister, LSGD, Government of Kerala said that the CDS Chairpersons should ensure that maximum help is given to the society while spending the project funds. The CDS Chairpersons have a huge responsibility to get the help and assistance to the right beneficiaries. Through Destitute Free Kerala Programme, the CDS Chairpersons should ensure that no one is starving in the neighbourhoods, he added.

It is because of the responsibility shown by Kudumbashree Mission that we were entrusted to do the survey for LIFE programme. Such surveys were conducted by private agencies before expending huge amounts. Minister had asked the CDS to start She Lodges in Urban Local Bodies. Kudumbashree super markets should be started in every CDS for the better marketing of Kudumbashree products.

Minister said that the governing body had made decisions to include the educated girls from the younger generation to be the part of this system. By including those who had been educated in the medical, para medical and engineering sectors, enterprises like medical labs, medical shops, physiotherapy centres, parallel colleges etc could be launched.

Smt. Yasmin Arimbra who had bagged the Kairali TV Jwala Award was felicitated at the function. The district officials who had lead the Kudumbashree elections were also felicitated.

Shri. K. Muraleedharan, MLA presided over the function. Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree welcomed the gathering. Smt. C.S Sujatha, Former MP and Governing Body Member, Kudumbashree, Shri. Pramod, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Smt. Niranjana, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Shri. Binu Francis, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Shri Dathan, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Smt Amrida G.S, Programme Officer, Kudumbashree, Shri. Sajith Sukumaran, Chief Operating Officer, Kudumbashree NRO, Dr. Praveen C.S, Chief Operating Officer, DDUGKY also attended the function.

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.