Nadathara Grama Panchayath is situated in the Ollurkara block of Trissur district. There are a total of 17 wards in this Panchayath. The CDS governing body will complete three years on January 26th, amdist COVID19 a global pandemic posing a major challenge. The CDS has seen many major crisis situation like the past floods and the current pandemic.  During these crises, the CDS Governing body played an important role in post-crisis mitigation activities and developmental activities for women and socially, and economically marginalized members of the communities. Last three years, Kudumbashree CDS initiated lot of development initiatives for women and the poor in this Grama Panchayath...

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I was working in a hospital when the call to join Kudumbashree was made.  A Community Organizer was taking classes for women on Kudumbashree, NHGs and the concept of it.  I attended the class and I joined in it on the same day with the title of Secretary. I can’t imagine a life without Kudumbashree anymore.  I became the CDS Chairperson thrice, first in 2007 and then bear the same position twice...

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Various relief activities was taken up by CDS as part of its social responsibility during the mega flood and Covid-19 lock down period. Community kitchen was opened and distributed food packets to hundreds of families stranded due to flood and senior citizens those are living alone in homes during Covid-19 lockdown period. CDS has distributed food packets to 100 families for about 50 days during the lockdown period. Counselling through community counsellors were provided to the people who were stranded alone in their houses and those who were in need of help. The volunteers visited the houses and provided...

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Amidst the crisis of Covid 19, various District Missions of Kudumbashree observed World Suicide Prevention Day in a sagacious way. District Missions organised online webinars and poster making campaigns to mark the day in the most effective way. Online webinars, discussion programmes, poster awareness campaigns, cartoon drawing and caption writing competitions, elocution competition, essay writing competition, etc were organised under the leadership of various district missions.

The online webinars organised were presided over by psychiatrists, psychologists and subject experts. Special webinars were organised under the leadership of some district missions for teenage students. Balasabha children also became part of the campaign by organising poster exhibitions and awareness classes. ' Working together to prevent suicide' the slogan of World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 was discussed among the NHG members. The topics discussed also included 'Suicide tendancy among children'. The programmes were organised under the leadership of the respective Gender Resource Centres (GRCs). Community Counsellor, Vigilant Group Members coordinated the programmes in a fruitful way.

World Suicide Prevention Day(WSPD) is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003. It is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been the co-sponsor of the day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented.

Kudumbashree would arrange International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Special Training for Micro Enterprise Consultants. The 7 day training would be extended starting from September till December in all districts. Topic of ‘Sick ME Revival' would be mainly dealt during the training. Along with the main trainers of ILO, the Master Trainers from among Kudumbashree Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) would also be part of the teaching team. The topic of 'Sick ME Revival' is selected for reviving the enterprises that faced crisis during covid-19 and the unprecedented floods.

During the crisis situation of Covid-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs have been facing many challenges, viz., the scarcity of the raw materials, lack of sales opportunities, difficulty faced in running the enterprises due to lockdown etc. It is a greater challenge to bring back the enterprises which faced these issues to normal production status. As the MECs are expected to provide leadership for these activities, it is inevitable to extend good training to the MECs. So, Kudumbashree have decided to extend online training to MECs through the International Labour Organisation's (ILO)s training division. Kudumbashree had already received ILO's training before and were benefited with the inputs. Hence, Kudumbashree decided to opt for the services of ILO for the training for MECs.

The International Labour Organization is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice through setting international labour standards. International Labour Organization (ILO) deals with labour problems, particularly international labour standards, social protection, and work opportunities at international level. Non farm livelihoods (micro enterprises) of Kudumbashree plays a key role in helping the NHG members identify sources of livelihood of their own. Micro Enterprise Consultants (MEC) are the strength of Kudumbashree enterprises. They are selected from within the community itself (from NHG members) and they gain expertise in the enterprise sector after undergoing various training. MECs provide General Orientation Training and Enterprise Development Training to Kudumbashree enterprises. Also, MECs provide enterprises with support in preparing the project report and in obtaining various funds and subsidies. There are a total of 325 MECs in Kerala. MECs always try to identify the issues faced by entrepreneurs, offer help to resolve the issues and extend them needed support. Once this training is completed, it is expected that Kudumbashree will be able to capacitate the MECs in supporting the entrepreneurs who have faced challenges. In addition to this, training would also be extended in branding and accounting. After providing training, ILO will continue supporting MECs for the next three months.

The Kits prepared by the enterprises under Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme were served at Neeleswaram block as part of Karuthal Campaign. 3857 kits worth Rs 400 each were distributed at Neeleswaram block on 25 August 2020. The products that are served at Neeleswaram block which consists of 6 Grama Panchayats and 1 Municipality is prepared by SVEP enterprises. The kits may contain puttu powder, coriander powder, pathiri powder, chicken masala, sambar powder, turmeric powder, pappadam, chilly powder, mask, hand wash, floor cleaner, soap and detergent, snacks, honey, candle, ghee, pickle and tamarind paste produced by the SVEP enterprises. The products may differ as per the availability in the CDSs.

In addition the SVEP enterprises will also supply the products like pappadam, handwash, mask and cloth bags etc needed for Kanhangad and Karadukka block. The entrepreneurs would be able to make a sales of Rs 20 lakhs altogether from the Karuthal Campaign itself. Startup Village Entrepreneurship Programme is also planning onam markets in connection with onam at 6 panchayats. 'Karuthal Campaign' is a product- marketing campaign being organised during the onam season for encouraging the entrepreneurs and farming groups to produce and to rejuvenate the enterprises that had faced loss due to lockdown.

Kudumbashree launcheed 'Karuthal Campaign', a product- marketing campaign during this onam season for providing support to the Kudumbashree entrepreneurs and farming groups who had to face loss due to the covid-19 lockdown. The campaign aims at encouraging the entrepreneurs/ farming groups to produce and to rejuvenate the enterprises that had faced loss. Through this activity, Kudumbashree would be able to extend greater marketing support to the entrepreneurs and farming group members during these tough times. Kudumbashree also hopes to make available the best products produced by Kudumbashree enterprises to the NHG members during this onam season.

As part of the campaign, products from micro enterprises in various sectors and farming groups will be selected, packed in kits and be taken to all NHGs at the rate of Rs 500 per kit. The kits will be delivered to the NHGs through the CDSs and the NHG members may buy the kits in instalments. NHG members may repay the amount of the kits to the NHGs and a maximum of 20 installments are permitted for repayment. Kudumbashree District Missions collect the rates and other details of the products from the entrepreneurs in the respective districts and will inform the CDSs. CDSs prepare the list of those who need the kits from among NHG members and will inform DMCs. Products are collected from the entrepreneurs and the kits are prepared as part of the ‘Kathuthal’ campaign with leadership of the district missions. This is the process flow / logistics of preparing the kits. The vegetable kits are packed in the CDS level. In this way, products worth Rs.500 are taken to the NHGs in a single packet. It is expected that these activities will help in finding new market avenues for Kudumbashree's products and hope that it will result in earning additional income for them.

Kudumbashree is planning to launch 100 Permanent Marketing Outlets in the state for making the agricultural and non agricultural products produced by NHG women, available for the public. Monthly markets that function in a good way are identified and will be converted into permanent marketing outlets. These permanent marketing outlets would be uniformly branded as well. The activities for implementing the same had already been started.

Kudumbashree has been organising monthly markets at every block and Urban Local Bodies, which is one of the key marketing activities of Kudumbashree. Such monthly markets organised at some locations continuously function for one week or so. It is then Kudumbashree decided to turn these selected monthly markets that function well into permanent marketing outlets. During the 2019-20 financial year, 1876 monthly markets were organised by Kudumbashree across Kerala. Sales of Rs 5.85 crores was recorded through the Monthly markets.

The permanent marketing outlets will function under the ownership of the respective CDSs. It is aimed at arranging a permanent marketing outlet for a minimum of 25 NHG entrepreneurs/ farming groups in the respective Local Self Government Institutions (LSGIs) for marketing their products. Likewise, marketing support will be provided to 2500 women entrepreneurs through these outlets. Sales of a minimum of Rs 50,000 per month is expected from these permanent outlets. The plan is to set up 100 uniformly branded marketing outlets. District Missions will select the locations of monthly markets that are to be converted for permanent marketing outlets. Respective CDSs will be entrusted with the management of the marketing outlets. An entrepreneur or a staff can be assigned for the management of the outlets by CDS.

A meeting of the entrepreneurs and farmers could be called at first. Then the next step will be to finalise products that will be displayed for sale from the entrepreneurs. CDS will ensure the regular supply including logistics from the production house of the entrepreneurs to the outlets. Services of the Micro Enterprise Consultants (MECs) could be used for the same. A fixed amount will be collected from the entrepreneurs for display of their products in the marketing outlets. This amount will be paid to the outlet operators/management team. Rs 5 lakh is earmarked for setting up each of these permanent marketing outlets.

The activity of selecting the permanent marketing outlets is progressing. 100 uniformly branded marketing outlets would be set up by November. Following that, the geo tagging would be done. Once these marketing outlets would be functional, a new avenue will be opened for the Kudumbashree entrepreneurs for ensuring a permanent income of their own and the public will get an opportunity to use the agricultural and non agricultural products produced by NHG women.

Yet another Kerala Chicken Sales Outlet has started functioning at Kodungallur of Thrissur. Shri. V. R. Sunil Kumar, MLA, Kodungallur Constituency officially inaugurated the sales outlet at Kodungallur on 19 August 2020. The sales outlet is run by Ms. Seetha Balakrishnan of Aishwarya NHG under Kodungallur 1 CDS. For delivering broiler chicken regularly to this outlet, a contract has been made with 3 poultry farmers. The sales outlets are being opened, as part of entering the phase of extending the advantages of the Kerala Chicken programme to the public.

In addition to the sales outlet started at Kodungallur, 2 new sales outlets of Kerala Chicken have been started at Mulavukad and Sreemoolanagaram of Ernakulam district. The outlet at Mulavukad is run by Ms. Treesa, Ms. Shibi & Ms. Livera, Kudumbashree members from Mulavukad panchayath. The sales outlet at Sreemoolanagaram is run by Ms Ramla Subair, who is the member of the same CDS. A tie up has been made with 33 poultry farmers for the sales outlets in the district.

The first sales outlet of Kudumbashree as part of Kerala Chicken Programme was started in North Paravoor of Ernakulam district during June 2020. An average daily sales of Rs 21,000 is recorded at the sales outlet opened at North Paravoor. The enterprise was started by Ms. Renuka Rajan and Ms. Anaswara, NHG members under the Ezhikkara CDS. By opening such Kerala Chicken outlets Kudumbashree aims at making available good quality chicken to the public at reasonable rates. Kerala Chicken Programme was started envisaging the sustainable change in the broiler chicken market of Kerala.

Kudumbashree is formulating special activities for the LEAP (Local Employment Assurance Programme), which aims at extending employment to at least 5 people locally in every panchayath, as Kudumbashree has an important role to play in the implementation of the programme. As part of this, various activities are progressing in the Local bodies. LEAP project is one of the important projects announced in the 2020-21 State Budget of the Government of Kerala.

Through these activities, Kudumbashree kept the goals of identifying beneficiaries from the Kudumbashree NHGs at first. The next goal is to provide skill training to at least 40,000 Kudumbashree members or their family members. Thereafter, the next aim is to bring all the interested among them to the formation of enterprises. Kudumbashree encourages enterprises in production as well as service sectors, and wants to ensure that these entrepreneurs earn a monthly income of a minimum of Rs 10,000. Online Data Collection is ongoing in the NHGs through CDS to identify those who are interested in becoming part of the LEAP Project training, which would be implemented through Kudumbashree. After analysing these data, a two day General Orientation Training would be extended on the various livelihood projects and skill training programmes of Kudumbashree, Local Self Government Department and other Government Departments. The programmes of Kudumbashree viz., ARISE, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), agricultural programmes etc, that would help in securing wage employment or self employment (through new enterprises) would be introduced during the training.

The interested members would be extended awareness on the livelihood opportunities that could be started locally and in the respective districts. They will also be sensitised about the challenges and opportunities of the same. Through empaneled agencies, training would be extended. Necessary skill training will also be provided to ensure enterprise formation by those who are interested. In addition, existing enterprises would be provided with relentless support. A system will be put in place to solve their problems, as part of this LEAP programme. Through the support system, the entrepreneurs would be extended financial assistance. Also they will be provided support in making avail innovative technologies. Needed training and handholding will be provided as well.

It is aimed to complete the selection of the beneficiaries by the mid of September. General Orientation Training will be provided within one month and Skill training will be provided before December. Later, activities for enterprise formation or support to get wage employment will be organised. As of now, there are more than 26,000 micro enterprises in Kerala registered as Kudumbashree units. Through these enterprises, around 1 lakh NHG members are finding their livelihood. It is expected that by implementing LEAP projects for enterprise formation, a minimum of 5000 new enterprises would be started. The aim of implementing the LEAP programme is to help 10,000+ people to identify livelihoods of their own.