'Venal Paravakal' Summer Camp was organized at Attappady as part of the Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project under the leadership of Child Resource Centre for tribal children.

400 Bala Gothrasabha members from various hamlets of three panchayaths took part in the summer camp. The 8 day long Summer Camp was held at  B.R Ambedkar Training Centre, Kakkupadi, Attappady.

The classes were led by Shri.Nikhil, Smt. Josna and Shri. Arun Chandran on topics such as art of communication, leadership and 'Pazhamayude Paatukal' (songs of the olden times).  Elected representatives, Panchayath Committee, office bearers of the Ooru samithi and Kudumbashree members took part in the programme.

The Inauguration programme was held on 9 May 2022. Smt. Chandra Elachuvazhi, President, Puthur Panchayath Samithi inaugurated the camp. Shri. Manoj B.S, Project Officer, Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project was the Chief Guest of the programme. Shri. Binil Kumar welcomed the gathering and Shri.Sudheesh Maruthalam delivered vote of thanks.

'Noorang' Programme has been started at Thirunelly Panchayath of Wayanad district of Kerala. The programme has been started at the Irumbupalam hamlet of Thirunelly Panchayath as part of the Thirunelly Tribal Special Intervention Programme. Tuber varieties were planted at the Irumbupalam hamlet as part of the Noorang programme on 10 May 2022. The tuber cultivation aims at preserving the tuber crops, production and distribution of seeds and giving awareness about tuber crops to the newer generation. The tuber cultivation is being done as part of the Noorang Programme. More than 300 varieties of tuber crops are being cultivated. 

The cultivation is jointly being done by the Kudumbashree farming groups of the Irumbupalam hamlet. Shri. P.V Balakrishnan, Panchayath President inaugurated the programme and Smt. Saumini, CDS Chairperson presided over the function. Smt. Rukkiya, Ward Member welcomed the gathering. Smt. Valsala, Shri. T.C Joseph, Smt. Shafna M.S and Shri. P. J Manuel delivered the felicitations. Shri. Sai Krishan, Coordinator, Thirunelly Tribal Special Intervention Programme delivered the vote of thanks.

Kudumbashree has launched Attappady Tribal Football League to give the tribal youth of Attappady, the opportunity to prove their football skills. The Sevens Football League as part of the Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project was kicked off on 23 May 2022. The competitions were held at Panchayath Ground, Agali. The final match will be held on 25 May 2022.

The logo of the league was launched by Shri. M.V. Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department and Excise Department, Government of Kerala at District Panchayath Hall, Palakkad on 19 May 2022. The Tribal Youth Clubs and the Yuvashree Groups registered in Youth Welfare Board, Scheduled Tribes Department, Local Self Government Institutions and Kudumbashree may take part in the Football League.

Kambalam Festival, the traditional agricultural festival of the tribal people of Attappady has been started at Attappady in glowing colours with traditional dance and music. 4606 women farmers of 1037 farming groups of Attappady are getting ready to retain the agricultural prosperity of their hamlets by cultivating and harvesting food grains such as ragi, little millet, pigeon pea, pulses etc, through the Kambalam festival.

'Kambalam' is being celebrated in selected tribal hamlets as part of the agricultural livelihood activities of the Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project. The Kambalam will be held till 30 June 2022. The first phase of Kambalam was started at Kallakkara hamlet under the leadership of Sholayur Panchayath Samiti and Kallakkara Ooru Samiti on 20 May 2022. The start as per the tribal rituals. 22 farming groups will do cultivation in 42.5 acres here. Programmes like Ethinic Food Fest, seed swapping, tribal dance etc were also held as part of Kambalam.

Smt. Saleena Shanmugan, President, President, Sholayur Panchayath Samiti, Smt. Praja Narayanan, Secretary, Sholayur Panchayath Samiti and Shri. Manoj Balan, Assistant Project Officer, Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project gave leadership to the celebrations of the Kambalam festival.

Kudumbashree is also conducting a photography competition, including the photos of the Kambalam Festival. First Prize will be Rs. 5,000. Second Prize and Third Prize will be Rs. 3,000 and Rs. 2,000 respectively. 30 June 2022 is the last date for receiving the photos. The photos may be sent to the mail id- kshreeattapadiphotocontest@gmail.com . For more details, contact : 04924 254335.

Kudumbashree Gothrakiranam Programme has been launched as a new ray of hope for the tribal youth of Attappady, Thirunelly and Devikulam areas. This special programme aims at developing the skill set of the tribal youth, ensuring livelihood for them and thereby improving the quality of their lives. The State Level Inauguration of this programme was done by Shri. M.V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department and Excise Department, Government of Kerala at the function held at District Panchayath Hall, Palakkad on 19 May 2022. Smt. K. Binu Mol, President, District Panchayath, Palakkad presided over the function. The guidelines of the Gothrakiranam Programme were launched by the minister at the function.

The programme envisages motivating the traditional skills of the tribal youth knowing their employment needs, extending them skill training and connecting them with the local employment opportunities. In the first phase, 5000 beneficiaries will be identified and employment will be ensured for at least 500 of them. As part of this, Situation Analysis will be done at Attappady, Thirunelly and Devikulam blocks under the leadership of Kudumbashree. Based on this, the opportunities as per the availability of the natural resources and human resource at each hamlet will be identified and following that, beneficiary list and micro level plan will be prepared for them. Unlike the skill training programmes being implemented through Kudumbashree, through the Gothrakiranam programme, training will be extended in such a way that the traditional employment sectors among the tribals will be given more importance and equip them for self employment-waged employment sectors. More skill training will be extended to the tribal youth who are currently engaged in traditional product making as part of the Gothrakiranam programme, connect them with the tourism sector and local markets and thereby arrange more employment opportunities for them. Convergence with other skill training programmes other than Kudumbashree will also be ensured for the success of the programme. The skill training programmes will be formulated in such a way, ensuring the participation of the tribal youth.

Shri. P Saithalavi, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Palakkad District Mission welcomed the gathering. Ms. Mrunmai Joshi IAS, District Collector, Palakkad was the Chief Guest of the function. Smt. Priya Ajayan, Chairperson, Palakkad Municipality, Shri. B. Sethumadhavan, President, Block Panchayath, Palakkad, Shri. E. Chandra Babu, Secretary, Kerala Grama Panchayath Association, Palakkad, Smt. Maruti Murukan, Member, Kudumbashree Governing Body, Shri. B. Subhash, Ward Councilor and Smt. Rita, CDS Chairperson delivered the felicitations. Shri. Manoj Balan, Assistant Project Officer, Attappady Comprehensive Tribal Development and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group Development Project delivered the vote of thanks.

Kudumbashree JLG member from Kasaragod district has entered the International Book of Records. Smt. Dolly Joseph, Master Farmer of Kudumbashree, hailing from Balal Kudumbashree CDS of Kasaragod district of Kerala has got into International Book of Records with the world record of 'Longest Snake Gourd'. She cultivated the longest snake gourd of length 2.65 meters in her homestead garden using organic manure and has set the record. The former record was 2.63 meters. Officials from Agricultural University had also visited her garden to see the record winning snake gourd.

She uses organic manure, organic pesticide and 'Jeevamrutham', manure which she made on her own for cultivating vegetables. Dolly is growing seven such snake gourds in her garden. She bagged the second prize in the 'Onathinu Oru Muram Pachakkari' Competition organized by the State Agriculture Department, Government of Kerala, at the state level. She had also bagged the award for the 'Best Woman Vegetable Farmer'.

Dolly Joseph, who is also a Resource Person of Kudumbashree is cultivating rubber, coconut, areca palm, pepper, cashew, plantain and other tubers. She is also a dairy farmer as well. She had also successfully implemented the Agri Nutri Garden Programme of Kudumbashree effectively in the district.

Kudumbashree Silver Jubilee Year Celebrations has been kickstarted at Thiruvananthapuram. Shri. M.V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department and Excise Department, Government of Kerala inaugurated the Silver Jubilee Year Celebrations of Kudumbashree, in the presence of 1070 CDS Chairpersons from across the state, at the function held at Girideepam Convention Centre, Nalanchira, Thiruvananthapuram on 17 May 2022. "Kudumbashree has raised the women of Kerala to the main stream of the society through relentless efforts of the last 24 years", the minister said. "Kudumbashree has played a prideful role in empowering the women of Kerala, socially and financially, equipped the women to enter into power, increase their visibility in the society and increased their intervening skills in social issues and these are the important milestones in women empowerment", added the minister.

"Kudumbashree has turned into an organization that plays an important role in strengthening the local economic development by securing various livelihood opportunities, skill training, housing, basic amenities and available of clean drinking water. Kudumbashree has a history of leading the society forward through selfless efforts and undoubtedly, Kudumbashree will become an important organization that play a significant role in building 'Navakeralam' (New Kerala). This women fraternity is implementing traditional and innovative projects in agricultural-micro enterprise sector and has extended support to the state in crisis situations. In addition to the successful implementation of various centrally sponsored programmes, Kudumbashree has grown into a National Resource Organization, that replicates the women empowerment- poverty eradication models of Kudumbashree in other states. Now, the next aim is to equip Kudumbashree to implement more comprehensive development programmes as per the need of the new era with the strength of the work experience of 24 years. Kudumbashree is now making efforts to extend livelihood to maximum number of people by converging with K-DISC and other departments", he added.

"Kudumbashree had succeeded in bringing women who were stuck up in the households to better entrepreneurs and had also in equipping the women mentally and intellectually and make them effectively intervene in the developmental activities of the state", said Dr. R Bindu, Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice, Government of Kerala, who presided over the function.

"Kudumbashree had taught thousands of women to fight back poverty and live with pride and thereby was able to make a revolutionary change in the social scenario of Kerala", said Smt. J. Chinchurani Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Government of Kerala.

Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree welcomed the gathering. Chairman, Vice Chairman and senior officials from Sunder Nagar Municipal Corporation of Himachal Pradesh who came to Kerala to study about Kudumbashree had felicitated Shri. M.V Govindan Master, Smt. Sarada Muraleedharan IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government of Kerala and Smt. P.I Sreevidya IAS.

Ms. Arya Rajendran, Mayor, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Shri. Johnson Joseph, Counsellor, Nalanchira, Smt. Geetha Nazeer, Member, Kudumbashree Governing Body, Smt. Saleena and Smt. Omana Kumari who represented various CDS gave away the felicitations. Smt. Sindu Sasi, CDS Chairperson, Thiruvananthapuram CDS 1 delivered vote of thanks.

Seminars were conducted on topics such as 'Navakerala Formation and Kudumbashree', 'Local Economic Development-Role of Kudumbashree', 'Gender Equality and Priority Approaches'. Shri. T.K Jose. Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Government of Kerala, Smt. Sarada Muraleedharan IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Local Self Government of Kerala, Dr. T. N Seema, State Coordinator, Navakeralam Mission, Smt. P.K Sreemathi Teacher, Dr. J Devika, Social Scientist, Shri. Jagajeevan, Executive Director, Grameena Patana Kendram, Karakulam, Smt. Shyama S Prabha, State Coordinator, TG Cell, Adv, Sindhu Ajayakumar, Smt. Haritha, Smt. Omana Kumari, Smt. Saleena, Smt. Sajna, Smt. Sasikala, CDS Chairpersons spoke at the function. Dr. M Surjith, District Mission Coordinator, Kudumbashree Kannur District Mission, Shri. Sajith Sukumaran, Chief Operating Officer, Kudumbashree NRO and Adv. T. Geena Kumari, Social Activist were the moderators of the seminar.

'Vayomaithri' Programme has been launched extending special care for the geriatrics. The State Level Inauguration of the programme was done by Shri. M. V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department and Excise Department, Government of Kerala, at the Cherukunnu Service Cooperative Bank Auditorium, Thavam, Kannur on 15 May 2022.

The 'Vayomaithri' programme envisages making the Kudumbashree Organizational system, more geriatric friendly, as Kerala has the maximum proportion of elderly people in its population, among all the Indian states. Its during old age, everyone seeks more care, love and treatment. Kudumbashree had already implemented elderly NHG formation activities through 'Relationship Kerala' Programme to pay more attention to the elderly people. Now, the 'Vayomaithri' Programme is launched as part of this.

CDSs from Wayanad, Kasaragod, Thrissur, Palakkad, Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur districts will be turned into 'Vayomaithri CDS' as a pilot project. As part of the programme, various activities will be implemented in these CDSs such as geriatric education, formation of a minimum of 50 elderly NHGs, implementation of livelihood programmes, activities for the welfare of the elderly converging with the Local Self Government Institutions and other departments etc. These activities will be extended to the remaining CDSs after masking needed amendments as per the pilot project. The AGRASAR Project of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India will also be implemented as part of this programme.

Announcements regarding the Inspire Programme launched as part of the 100 Day Programme of the Chief Minister (for micro enterprises, Harithakarmasena and other entrepreneurs), Jeevan Deepam Insurance Programme (associating with Life Insurance Corporation and State Insurance Agency for Kudumbashree members) was also done at the function. Minister also distributed the Kudumbashree Naipunya Scholarship to the deserving trainees who are part of the DDU-GKY, Yuvakeralam Programmes being implemented through Kudumbashree.

Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission launched 'Yathrashree' Programme. The programme was officially inaugurated by Shri. M. V Govindan Master, Minister, Local Self Government Department and Excise Department, Government of Kerala at the function held at Beach Park, Pallikkara, Kasaragod on 30 April 2022.

The Kudumbashree members of the district are all set to guide the tourists who come to know about Kasaragod, through 'Yathrashree'. Special packages will be prepared knowing the multifarious facts of the district such as the history, geography, art, language, culture, food styles etc and the same will be presented before the tourists. Kudumbashree Kasaragod District team is making such an intervention in the tourism sector associating with the Bekal Tourism Development Corporation (BRDC).

Through this programme, Kudumbashree Kasaragod District Mission aims at arranging livelihood opportunities for Kudumbashree members by making them tour operators, thereby turning them into the part of Responsible Tourism activities. A minimum of two Kudumbashree/Auxiliary Group members (graduates) each will be selected from every Panchayath and training will be extended to them and they will be turned into tour operators. A consortium will be formed at the district level joining them and the tourism activities through 'Yathrashree' programme will be coordinated through the consortium. As of now, 84 members were selected and they were extended first phase training as well.

Pariyaram Grama Panchayath CDS of Thrissur district of Kerala becomes the first CDS in the state to complete the beneficiary survey of the 'My Job, My Pride' Campaign. The campaign is being implemented for arranging livelihoods to 20 lakh people through the Knowledge Economy Mission. The beneficiary survey is being implemented through Kudumbashree. The survey was conducted in 9402 households in the Panchayath.

The beneficiary survey through Kudumbashree was started on 8 May 2022. Specially trained CDS Enumerators have already visited 31.1 lakh households of 16355 wards in 914 Local Self Government Institutions till 10 May 2022, 5 PM. Details of 20.55 lakh beneficiaries have also been collected. The details of the beneficiaries are being collected through the 'Jalakam' Mobile Application designed by the Digital University.

The survey is progressing through more than one lakh enumerators identified from all Local Self Government Institutions across the state. One Resource Person each is designated for 150 households in the rural areas and 200 households in the urban areas. Like that, 5 to 7 enumerators are entrusted in each ward. Prior to the survey, they were extended special training under the leadership of Kudumbashree. In addition to that, more than 2000 Community Ambassadors are entrusted for the effective coordination of the activities in the CDS level. More than five lakh people have made registrations on the very first day of the survey.