Kudumbashree is conducting State Level Essay Competition for College Students on 'The Role of Kudumbashree in Social, Economic and Women Empowerment' as part of the Reading Week Celebrations. The first, second and third place winners will be awarded cash prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 7,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively.

The essay should use only a maximum of two thousand words. The entries should be sent by post or courier along with the name, address, phone number and the certificate of Principal / Head of the Department to 'The Public Relations Officer, Kudumbashree State Poverty Eradication Mission, Second Floor, TRIDA Rehabilitation Building, Medical College P.O., Thiruvananthapuram-695 011.

The entries should reach Kudumbashree State Mission Office on before 2 July 2022. Entries received via WhatsApp will not be considered for the contest. Children / family members of Kudumbashree State-District Mission employees are not eligible to participate in the competition. For information about the competition, visit the Kudumbashree website: www.kudumbashree.org/essay2022.

Terms and Conditions

1. The essay should not exceed more than two thousand words.
2. The students who are participating should send their entries along with their name, name of the college, topic, address, phone number and certificate from the Principal / Head of the Department.
3. Children / family members of Kudumbashree State- District Mission employees are not eligible to participate in the competition.
4. The decision of the judges regarding the competition will be final.
5. Do not write the name or other details of the student on the entry.
6. The entries should be sent by post or courier.
7. Entries submitted through WhatsApp will not be considered for the competition.
8. The last date for receipt of articles is 2 July 2022.

Address to which the entries should be sent:
Public Relations Officer
Kudumbashree State Poverty Eradication Mission
Second Floor, TRIDA Rehabilitation Building,
Medical College. P.O.
Thiruvananthapuram-695 011

'Kerala Chicken', the project conceptualized and launched by the Government of Kerala to ensure the market of good quality chicken at affordable rates all across the state is being a hit among the public. The sales through Kerala Chicken outlets has already crossed Rs.100 crores. The project which was started during November 2017, is being implemented through Kudumbashree in 6 districts.

Until now, sales of Rs. 100,09,29,097.52 has been recorded. 270 farms and 94 Kerala Chicken marketing outlets are functioning in 6 districts viz., Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode. Through Kerala Chicken, Kudumbashree was able to provide Rs. 9.36 crores to farm beneficiaries as farm allowance and Rs.11 crores to outlet beneficiaries.

As Kochi Metro turns 'five', it is a proud achievement for Kudumbashree as well. 17June 2022 marked the fifth anniversary of the launch of the Kochi Metro service. The Kochi Metro service was launched five years before on 17 June 2017 with an unprecedented achievement, as it has the reputation of being the largest crew of women to be employed by any metro. Kudumbashree was also responsible for that achievement.

Kudumbashree NHG members or Kudumbashree family members have been performing their duties of ticketing, customer facilitation, housekeeping and gardening in the best possible manner for the last five years at Kochi Metro. It has also been able to provide various employment opportunities for transgender people as well. The activities of Kochi Metro are coordinated through Kudumbashree Facility Management Centre. At present 613 persons are doing various jobs in Kochi Metro through Kudumbashree Facility Management Centre. 9 of them belong to the transgender community. There are 14 male members of the Kudumbashree family working in the multi-task services sector.

Kudumbashree is proud of the successful convergence made with the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL), which has become a milestone in the history of Kudumbashree itself. Kudumbashree members and family members took this opportunity wholeheartedly. Kudumbashree is grateful to the State Government and KMRL for giving such a great opportunity for Kudumbashree NHG members and their family members.

Meghalaya Delegation had visited Kudumbashree National Resource Organisation (NRO) on 10 June 2022. A team led by Mr. Ram Kumar S. IAS, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Government of Meghalaya visited Kudumbashree NRO office to learn about the interventions of Kudumbashree in the health sector of Kerala. The team was accompanied by officials from NHM and Meghalaya State Rural Livelihood Society (MSRLS).

Smt. P.I. Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree had made a presentation to the team about the involvement of Kudumbashree community structure in the Amrutham Nutrimix- the food supplement prepared by the community for children of the age group of 6 months to 3 years, supplied through Anganwadi in convergence with ICDS (Integrated Child Development Scheme), Santhwanam – the health intervention of Kudumbashree to complement the health services of Government of Kerala, and the Ward level health and sanitation committees in the Gram Panchayats. Kudumbashree also offered Meghalaya the needed support in similar community-led interventions using the National Rural Livelihood Mission- Self Help Group (NRLM-SHG) network in the area of health and nutrition. Kudumbashree already has a partnership with Meghalaya for implementing the PRI-CBO (Panchayati Raj Institutions- Community Based Organisations) Convergence project.

The presentation had also covered the work undertaken by Kudumbashree NRO along with Meghalaya SRLM in conducting health camps, activating the Anganwadi level monitoring & support committee and also the initiatives in setting up nutri gardens in Meghalaya. After the meeting, the Meghalaya Delegation made a two day field visit at Kollam and Ernakulam field districts.

Kudumbashree's 'Gothrashree' Tribal Cafeteria has become the focal point of 'Ente Ooru' Tribal Heritage Village, set up by the State Government at Pookode in Wayanad to give tourists a first-hand experience of tribal culture. The Heritage Village Project aims at introducing the unique heritage, way of life, rituals and arts of the tribal people of the district to the outside world and thereby provide them with a better livelihood. The Heritage Village is set on 25 acres of land in Kunnathidavaka village of Vythiri taluk.

Kudumbashree 'Gothrashree Cafeteria' is run by a group of specially trained tribal youth. There are 12 people in the group, including a young woman. Along with the unique dishes of Wayanad, meals, Vanasundari Special Chicken, various leafy vegetable curries, Puzhukku (dish made of boiled / steamed root vegetables flavored with seasoned coconut paste), Kumbalappam (steamed cone cake) etc are available at the Gothrashree Cafeteria. And in ten days, the Gothrashree entrepreneurs have earned an income of Rs 2.5 lakhs.

In addition to the 'Gothrashree' Cafeteria, there are three other Kudumbashree enterprises in the Heritage Village viz., Gothrashree Agricultural Nursery, Gothrashree Medicinal Nursery, and Gothrashree Food Processing Unit, which manufactures and markets various products such as spices, pickles and coffee powder.

Ms. Anna Shotbolt, British Deputy High Commissioner came to get acquainted with the women empowerment and poverty eradication activities being implemented in the state through Kudumbashree. She visited the Karuna Fitness Centre, a Kudumbashree Micro Enterprise functioning in Kazhakoottam Pallippuram ward of Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala on 7 June 2022. This was her first visit to Kudumbashree, as the British Deputy High Commissioner in charge of Kerala and Karnataka states.

Ms. Anna Shotbolt was accompanied by Mr. Manjunath, Political and Economic Advisor, and Ms. Upasana Srikanth, Inward Investment Advisor. She visited 'Karuna Fitness Centre' with the aim of visiting the well - functioning Kudumbashree enterprise in the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation area. Smt. P.I. Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree, Shri. Jahamgeer.S, Programme Officer, Smt. Priya Paul, Mr. K.B Sudheer, Programme Managers and Smt. Sindhu Sasi, CDS Chairperson received the delegation.

Karuna Fitness Training Centre which functions in the Pallipuram Ward of CDS 1, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation is an enterprise launched as part of the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) being implemented by Kudumbashree in the state. The enterprise is run by Smt. Sandhya, Smt. Valsala, Smt. Deepa and Smt. Sajitha, the members of Mahalakshmi NHG.

The British Deputy High Commissioner and his team arrived at the unit and met the Kudumbashree micro entrepreneurs and Kudumbashree officials. In the ensuing meeting, Smt. P.I. Sreevidya, Executive Director, Kudumbashree explained the major projects being implemented by Kudumbashree in the state, including the livelihood and social security sectors. Following that, Ms. Anna Shotbolt also spoke with entrepreneurs, Smt. Sindhu Sasi, CDS Chairperson, Smt. Deepa Harinarayanan, Community Organizer, NULM, Smt. Ajitha L, ADS Secretary and Smt. Lekha Kumari, Member Secretary. She asked the entrepreneurs about the method of working of the Fitness Training Centre and what motivated them to start the venture. She also discussed about the role of CDS Chairperson.

Ms. Anna Shotbolt expressed satisfaction with the diversity of the programmes implemented by Kudumbashree in the livelihood sector and the activities of BUDS institutions in the field of social security. She was also impressed by the actions of NHG women, who rallied with a social commitment in surviving the natural disasters and the covid crisis. The socio-economic women empowerment activities, programmes and the activities of Kudumbashree National Resource Organization in other States were also explained to her. She said that the way in which women are democratically elected in the Kudumbashree three-tier organizational system and their progress and visibility in the political and social spheres is really commendable.

Kudumbashree members have united for 'Only One Earth'. They celebrated the World Environment Day on 5 June 2022 with various activities such as tree planting, campaigns, seminars, photo competition with the trees planted as part of the previous Environment Day celebrations, handicrafts making competition with waste materials and environmental clean-up events.

'Only One Earth' is the motto of this year's World Environment Day. Campaigns like 'Haritham Harithabham' (Malappuram), 'Kaval Maram' (Idukki), 'Veettil Oru Cheru Narakam' (Kannur) and 'Oru Thai' (Pathanamthitta) were organized by various District Missions in connection with the Environment Day. NHG members have taken the Environment Day Pledge. Various programmes were planned and implemented focusing on Balasabha, Kudumbashree Auxiliary Groups and Gender Resource Centres.

Kudumbashree members from all across the state were active in textbook distribution. As the children were back to the offline classes at schools after the crisis of Covid-19 pandemic, Kudumbashree members played an important role in ensuring that, the textbooks will reach them on time. Kudumbashree coordinated these activities along with the Education Department and KBPS (Kerala Books and Publications Society).

320 Kudumbashree members and around 30 Kudumbashree family members had took part in the efforts to sort the textbooks and prepared the same for distribution at the text book distribution hub across the state. The officials and staff of the District Mission Offices of Kudumbashree also joined the efforts, for more than two weeks round the clock.

'Kilikootam', the three day summer camp for Balasabha members is being organized at Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur from 27-29 May 2022. A total of 45 Balasabha members from across the state joined together at KILA, Thrissur to take part in the 'Kilikootam' summer camp. Shri. E. Santhosh Kumar, Writer inaugurated the three day camp.

Three Balasabha members each were selected from the districts and 3 members from the Balagothra Sabha as part of the Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project. The Balasabha members are curiously listening the classes led by the subject experts and shared their ideas. The camp is organized as part of the efforts to empower the Balasabha members socially and academically. Through this camp, Kudumbashree is arranging a creative platform for the Balasabha members to meet and share ideas with eminent personalities in various fields like art, literature, science, environment and society. The summer camp will come to an end on 29 May 2022.

UFC Pottikkal become the winner of the first season of Attappady Tribal Football League. They had defeated FC Anavai in penalty shootout by 5-4. Ms. Mrinmayi Joshi, District Collector, Palakkad distributed the Award comprising of trophy, medal and cash prize of Rs 5000 to the first place winners, at the valedictory function. New Millennium Club came in the second place and received a trophy and a cash award of Rs 3,000. Whereas, Anashwara FC Abbannoor came in the third place and received a cash prize of Rs 2,000. The finals were held at the Agali Panchayat Ground on 25 May 2022.

The tribal youth of Attappady wholeheartedly welcomed the Attappady Tribal Football League. The Football League which was launched as part of the Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project being implemented through Kudumbashree at Attappady was started on 23 May 2022. A total of 38 teams took part in the league which gave opportunity to the tribal youth of Attappady to showcase their talents.

Football is a sport that is very popular among the younger generation of Attappady. Although the tribal youth of Attappady have a lot of great sports talent, there is little platform for them to showcase and nurture it. Realizing that, Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project organized football matches under the name of ‘Attappady Tribal Football League’ for the tribal youth with the objective of nurturing the physical abilities of the youth in Attappady and to keep them free from the grip of intoxication and alcoholism. It is for the first time a Football League Competition was organized for the tribal youth of Attappady. The main objective of the activity was to nurture the athletic abilities of the youth, as opportunities like these will help to find the best sports talents through such competitions and to publicize the football prowess of Attappady all over Kerala.

Awards were also given for the Best Player in the Football League, the Best Player in the Final, the Best Goalkeeper, the Best Defender, the player who scored the maximum number of goals and the Emerging Player of the League. Those awards were distributed jointly by the District Collector, Palakkad and the elected representatives. Smt. Maruthi Murugan, President, Attappady Block Panchayath, Presidents and Secretaries of the Panchayath Samithi of Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project and other department officials also took part in the function.