The Advance Payment system of the Wages under MGNREGS for the tribal workers was inagurated in Agali Panchayath of Attappady Block. The programme was started at the Cheramankandy Hamlet of the Agali Panchayath of Attappady. The construction of the Check Dam was started yesterday.The advance wages for the construction work would be distributed to the tribal workers in weekly basis. A total of 14 tribal families of Attappady are included in the construction work of the check dam there. The Advance payment system is first piloted in Agali Panchayath. The system would also be implemented in the tribal areas of Wayanad as well.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, MGNREGA), is an Indian labour law and social security measure that aims to guarantee the 'right to work'. It aims to enhance livelihood security in rural areas by providing at least 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Kudumbashree Mission took up Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. From now, Subicsha Coconut Producer Company would be working under the leadership of Kudumbashree Mission. Shri. T.P Ramakrishnan, Minister for Labour and Excise, Government of Kerala inaugurated the Annual General Body Meeting of Subicsha Coconut Producer Company at Subicsha Head Office, Chalikkara, Perambra, Kozhikode on 24 September 2018. Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission made the official declaration of taking up the Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. Shri. T.P Ramakrishnan, Minister launched the ISO 9001-2015, ISO 22000-2005 certificates of the company and also the rebranded Subicsha Coconut Oil which would be exported to foreign countries soon.

Subicsha, the innovative Coconut based value added products venture, was developed jointly by Perambra Block Panchayath and Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, with an aim to provide employment opportunities to the members of 522 Self Help Groups/ Kudumbasree Members in Perambra Block Panchayath. The project envisaged the development of micro enterprises that could be effectively managed by the women self help groups / Kudumbasree members from Below Poverty Line (BPL) families active in the project area. All the micro enterprises were limited to the dependence on coconut, the most abundant resource available in the area. To create micro economic enterprises, to eradicate poverty, to generate employment opportunities for BPL families, to empower women self help groups by intensive training and financial assistance for starting self employment ventures were the main objectives of the project. The detailed project report submitted to the Govt, of India was duly approved with a special status under Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) scheme. The project was officially inaugurated on 31 October 2003. Subicsha was registered as a Producer Company under the companies Act 1956 on 12 April 2005, and Govt. of Kerala approved the company vide its order No. Go(MS) No. 258/06/LSGD TVM dated 13-11-06.

Presently, around 50 innovative coconut based products are developed and marketed by the Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. Virgin coconut oil, Tender Coconut Jam, Coconut Pickle, Natural Vinegar, Chutney Powder, Mango Pickle, Lemon Pickle, Turmeric Sandal Soap, Hair Care, Skin Care Oil, Baby Oil, Coconut Oil, Tender Coconut Squash, Dates Pickle, Traditional Virgin Coconut Oil, Hand Wash, Bathroom Cleaner, Floor Cleaner, Toilet Cleaner, Chilly Powder, Corriander Powder etc are the featured products of Subicsha Coconut Producer Company. Subicsha Coconut Producer Company has around 7000 members. Rs 4,93,08,302 was company's last year's turnover.

The 'All Women Disaster Response Team' by the Kudumbashree District Mission of Kozhikode has been launched. Shri.Thottathil Raveendran, Mayor, Kozhikode Corporation inaugurated the All Women Disaster Response Team on 1 October 2018.

Named as 'Pink Alert', it is the first ever women only disaster response team in India. 'Pink Alert' which is formed as part of the Disaster and Relief Cell of Kudumbashree has 100 members in its first batch. The 100 member team of volunteers has come up under the Kozhikode Corporation Kudumbashree CDS. It is as per the directions of the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF), the specialized force constituted for the purpose of specialist response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 that the 'Pink Alert' All Women Disaster Response Team is formed. 'Pink Alert' would follow the guidelines of National Disaster Response Force.

Women and children are always the most affected and most helpless during any calamity or disaster. It is on this realization that the All Women Disaster Response Team was launched. The team consists of women from various neighborhood groups of the age group of 25 to 45 who are selected on the basis of their health and willingness to volunteer for service. Smt. T. Shitha is the Chief coordinator and Smt. M. Sahaja, Smt. Shemimol and Smt. K. Smitha will be the coordinators of the programme. Pink and White colored overcoat with Maroon cap and brown canvas shoes is the uniform for the 'Pink Alert' All Women Disaster Response Team.

Even though 'Pink Alert' would work in the Kozhikode corporation premises, if needed, they would extend their services to inside and outside the district as well. Baby Memorial Hospital Trauma Care- Kozhikode (TRACK), an independent, non-profit organisation set up by a group of voluntary organizations like Rotary Club, Lions Club, IMA etc, officers of the motor vehicle department, Police Officers and people who are socially committed and interested in social service with an aim to render life saving assistance to accident victims will extend training for the 'Pink Alert' members. A two-day residential camp for the volunteers will be held soon under the aegis of Trauma Care to prepare them for the job ahead. Pink Alert is an afterthought of “Mazhayardram”, the flood relief programme of the CDS and the part of Kudumbashree's Disaster Management and Relief Cell. Pink Alert is an effort to ensure better presence of women in disaster management and distress relief besides rehabilitation.

Kudumbashree Women are actively selling the Navakerala Lottery which was launched by the Directorate of Kerala Lotteries, Government of Kerala in an an aim to collect additional fund towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) for flood rehabilitation activities and for Rebuilding Kerala. Lottery tickets worth Rs 7.29 crore had been sold out so far. The lucky draw for the same is scheduled on 3 October 2018.

The Directorate of Kerala Lotteries aims to sell 90 lakh lottery tickets. First Prize of Rs 1 lakh will be given to 90 persons each and the second prize of Rs 5000 will be given to 100800 people. As part of the lottery selling, 1030 CDS out of 1064 CDS had took up the casual agency. Through this 14,989 Kudumbashree women are selling Navakerala Lottery tickets. They have sold 2,91,760 tickets so far. In connection with this, Rangashree, the community theater group of Kudumbashree Mission had been performing street plays for the publicity of the sale of Navakerala lotteries throughout the state. Kudumbashree Accounts and Audit Service Society (KAASS), Micro Enterprises Consultant (MEC) and other training groups had also took up the casual agency for selling Navakerala Lottery tickets and are active in selling the same. Rs 250 is the cost per ticket. While buying one book, they has to give only Rs 1943. By selling one book of 10 tickets, a Kudumbashree member may receive Rs 557 as commission. Also the CDS would get 10 % of the prize money of the winning tickets as agency prize and the rest of the amount would be given to the agent.

The Government of Kerala launched the Navakerala lottery in a bid to collect additional funds towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF),the emergency assistance release mechanism granting immediate relief to families and individuals distressed by calamity, loss of life due to accidents and chronic diseases. The Government hopes to collect close to Rs 100 crore through the lotteries to be used for reconstructing the flood-battered state. The state government is printed 96 lakh tickets in nine series as part of the lottery.The target of this special lottery is to raise Rs 100 crore, which will be the net profit for the state government after meeting all expenses of this special lottery, if all the 96 lakh tickets are sold. Government of Kerala entrusted Kudumbashree Mission as an agency to sell tickets to increase sales.

Kudumbashree's representative presents paper on 'Engaging Civil Society Organizations in Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals' organised by Asian Development Bank at Japan. It is Ms.Caroline.C. Neriamparampil, Social Development Specialist at PMAY Technical Cell Kochi who presented paper on 'Engaging Civil Society Organisations in Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals' conducted by the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank Institute held in Tokyo, Japan from 26-28 September 2018.

To share knowledge about the contribution of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), discuss with CSOs, governments, ADB, and other development actors, on the importance of working with CSOs in advancing the SDGs, recommend ways to effectively engage CSOs in helping achieve the SDGs were the objectives of the programme.

According to Caroline, linking the financial inclusion and micro finance, especially Kudumbashree Mission was of great interest to Asian Development Bank and many participants. A good fruitful discussion was followed by Caroline's presentation. During the time she also shared the involvement of Kudumbashree Community Based Organisation members in rehabilitation activities during the unprecedented floods in Kerala.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an international development finance institution whose vision is an Asia and Pacific region free of poverty. Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to reducing poverty through inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) works with policymakers to identify strategies to reduce poverty and promote growth. It does so by conducting research with a focus on medium- to long-term development issues of strategic importance that affects the region and through capacity building and training activities that contribute to ADB’s overarching objective of poverty reduction.

Amidst unprecedented floods and the calamities caused, the teaching and the non teaching staff of Kudumbashree's BUDS Rehabilitation Centres (BRC) contributed Rs 1 lakh to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), the emergency assistance release mechanism granting immediate relief to families and individuals distressed by calamity, loss of life due to accidents and chronic diseases. It is the 270 members of the association of the teaching and non teaching staff of the 114 BUDS Rehabilitation Centres across the State who made this glorious contribution. The members of this association Smt. Sheeja Beegum, Smt. Ambika Kumari, Smt. Vineetha and Smt. Shanthi handed over the cheque of Rs.1 lakh to Shri. E.P Jayarajan, Minister for Industries, Commerce, Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Kerala on 14 September 2018. 

The staff of BRCs wanted to do something for the society and they collected the amount in no time. The BRCs at Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha Districts were drowned  and the staff were badly affected by the floods. Several staff have children who are mentally and physically challenged and many of them are the inmates of BRC. Even though many BRCs were badly affected by the floods, the staff came forward to contribute their share to the Government.

BUDS Rehabilitation Centres (BRCs) are day care centres for mentally challenged persons which are intended to fill a gap in the State’s existing system for providing care to the mentally challenged that caters only to persons up to 18 years of age. BRCs are meant for those who have already undergone special education through BUDS Schools or other centres. However, centres are also open to mentally challenged children who are unable to attend schools. BRCs are meant to train and support persons with special needs for equipping them with skills that make them employable.The staff of the  BUDS Rehabilitation Centres are contented that they could make their contribution to support the Government in rebuilding Kerala. 

Kudumbashree opened 4 coffee vending kiosks at Kerala Government Secretariat.Two coffee vending machines are installed at Annexe 1 and Annexe 2 and the two other  coffee vending machines are installed  near Chief Secretary's Chamber and Finance department. 15 women from Thiruvananthapuram Corporation were given training. Eksath Training Agency had extended the training for the women. The beneficiaries were extended training under the Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) of the centrally designed programme, National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM).

The initiative is working under the leadership of Smt. Diana, CDS, ADS Vice Chairperson of Valiyathura Ward, Thiruvannathapuram. Smt. Sherin, Smt. Princila, Smt. Viji, Smt. Malini, Smt. Mini. Smt. Preetha, Smt. Jolly and Smt. Baby are the other members behind this initiative. The coffee vending kiosks are receiving good responses and an average of 200 cups is sold per coffee vending machine. Cookies are also provided along with. They have also took up on call services. The Kiosk serves more than 60 flavors of tea. Natural seeds are used for making coffee. Sugar Sachets are served separately that the tea and coffee are served customized as per the needs of the customer. Space for cafe units had already been requested for making it more viable. They are also planning to serve ethnic snacks through the kiosk. Kudumbashree Mission is the nodal agency for implementing the centrally designed programme, National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) in Kerala.

Kudumbashree Mission joins hands with 'Save the Children', a global non-profit organisation which was founded in the year 1919 and is India's leading independent child rights NGO, which run programmes in the remotest corners of India and urban areas to provide quality education and healthcare, protection from harm and abuse and life-saving aid during emergencies to children. Kudumbashree Mission and 'Save the Children' NGO have signed an agreement to reach out to 10,000 families from the most marginalized sections, to recover the losses due to the unprecedented floods and landslides across Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Wayanad districts. The agreement was signed between Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director Kudumbashree Mission and Shri.Santanu Chakraborty, Deputy Programme Director, Save the Children at Kudumbashree State Mission Office. Thiruvananthapuram on 19 September 2018.

As per the agreement, 'Save the Children' will work in the areas of WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), livelihood, education and child protection. The community level and the institutional engagement processes will be led by Kudumbashree Mission in the target locations. For the implementation of the on ground activities, Save the Children and Kudumbashree will coordinate with the Department of Social Justice, Department of Education and Department of Health at the district level for coordination of the activities. Post the Kerala flood response, continuing with the humanitarian aid to build back the lives of those severely affected, the programme will be implemented in a phased approach over a period of one year. Capacity building and Technical Assistance mechanism and plans will be developed between Kudumbashree Mission and 'Save the Children' on Child Rights issues in the state.

According to the Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission envisages to make a change in the lives of children and through this initiative Kudumbashree's Balasabha will be strengthened to create a child friendly environment in the community. Kudumbashree Mission look forward to an on-ground action through the partnership with 'Save the Children'.

Save the Children works across 20 states of India and in 120 countries, on issues related to education, health, protection and humanitarian/ Disaster risk reduction (DRR) needs of children, especially for those who are the most deprived and marginalized. Save the Children believes that every child deserves the best chance for a bright future and that’s why we are fiercely committed towards ensuring that children not only survive, but thrive.

Micro Enterprise Consultant from Kozhikode contributed chit fund amount to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), the emergency assistance release mechanism granting immediate relief to families and individuals distressed by calamity, loss of life due to accidents and chronic diseases. It is Smt. Reena, Micro Enterprise Consultant hailing from Thorod Panchayath of Vadakara, Kozhikode who contributed the chit fund amount she gained from the chit of Nadakkuthazha Service Co-operative Bank. It was a chit with a tenure of 40 months duration and Reena is yet to pay the installment of another 16 months. Reena had received an amount of Rs 90,000 from the chit and she lent Rs 10,000 from someone and made it Rs 1 lakh and contributed to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF).

Reena is a socially committed member of Kudumbashree Mission that she had already contributed Rs 21,400 to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) by pledging her golden bangle and had also contributed the dress materials she had bought for onam. Even though she had met with an accident recently and broke her leg, it doesn't pull her back from serving the society. Reena had also came up to sell Navakerala lottery which was launched by the Government of Kerala in a bid to collect additional funds towards the Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). She had already sold 100 tickets so far.

Reena is delighted that she could do something for the whole society. She had been active member of Kudumbashree Mission from 2004 and it was during 2006 she became the Micro Enterprise Consultant. Reena had also took part in the Saras Fairs held at Jharkhand and Bangalore.

Veteran Journalist and Ramon Magsaysay Award laureate Shri. P. Sainath features article on Kudumbashree's Flood hit JLGs in People's Archive of Rural India. Under the heading 'Kerala’s women farmers rise above the flood', Sainath deals on how Kudumbashree women's determination outstripped the devastation caused by the unprecedented floods. According to him, savaged by the August floods, facing a looming drought, the women of Kudumbashree’s path breaking group farms are rebuilding, using solidarity as a strategy.

"Across the state, sangha krishi farmers who have lost almost everything – still pitched in with some contributions to help the larger Kudumbashree network raise Rs. 7 crores for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. September 11 brought another poignant moment. That day, in New Delhi, Kudumbashree was awarded the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) prize for ‘Outstanding Performance in Farm Livelihoods.’ The first time the NRLM has given out such an award. " Sainath points out.

Throughout the feature, he explains about the will power and courage that the Kudumbashree women had drawn from their solidarity. He also explains the working of the sanghkrishi units of Kudumbashree who cultivates on the leased land. He says that their success and efficiency means that unlike elsewhere in the country, banks run after them, not the other way around. P. Sainath undoubtedly says that Kudumbashree could well be the greatest gender justice and poverty reduction programme in the world.

Sainath had made notable mentions about Kudumbashree Mission and the Kudumbashree JLGs during his speech at Laadli Media Awards, the largest awards system in Indian journalism that are specifically given for promoting gender sensitivity in the media. During his speech, he also appealed to the journalists to go out and write about Kudumbashree Mission.

He had visited a few flood affected lands of Kudumbashree JLGs recenltly. People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) is a digital journalism platform in India founded by Shri P. Sainath himself who was the former rural affairs editor of 'The Hindu' daily.

Please see the video here