The Kudumbashree district mission has launched 25 unique programmes aimed at financial empowerment of women in its silver jubilee year. The Kudumbashree, one of the most successful ventures that lifted up tens of thousands of rural women in the State, is celebrating its 25th year of formation.
The new schemes marking the silver jubilee year include creating digital literacy among all neighbourhoods, textile recycling, palliative care training, community counselling, basic life support training, Kudumbasree blood donation forum, airport signature store, auxiliary groups titled She-Starts, home shops, branding of people’s restaurant, job fairs, setting up of new entrepreneurial consortiums, strengthening of the Haritha Karma Sena, and Kudumbasree labour bank.
Kudumbashree District Coordinator Jaffar Kakkooth said that all the 25 projects were new to Malappuram. He said they would make a substantial difference to thousands of women in the district in the silver jubilee year of Kudumbashree.
Malappuram has the largest number of neighbourhoods as well as community development centres (CDSs). “Naturally, Malappuram should lead in numbers in every sphere of Kudumbashree interventions,” said Mr. Jaffar.
The 111 CDSs in the district will work towards reviving the unused office buildings in government hands. Under the project named Punarjani, the Kudumbashree will make use of the closed and unused shops and other office premises for different purposes, including marketing outlets, monthly fairs, trust shops and tribal bridge schools.
Trust shop
Mr. Jaffar said that the trust shop experiment started recently at the District Collectorate was gaining popularity. With none keeping a watch over the Kudumbashree products kept for sale at the Collectorate, the people have been responding enthusiastically to the trust shop. “Most people are paying a little more than the actual cost of the product they take from the trust shop,” said Mr. Jaffar.
Several of the Kudumbashree projects, including textile recycling scheme, have got the sanction of the District Planning Committee. Kudumbashree women have begun to find good use of used clothes for making bags, craft units, floor mats, curtains, and toys.
Local carnivals, including temple, mosque and church festivals and social festivities are being promoted through Kudumbashree. Kudumbashree women made business to the tune of ₹23 lakh from the local carnivals held in the summer vacation.
