Kudumbashree handlooms right from the looms of Kudumbashree women of Kuthambulli and Karimbuzha (weaver villages of Thrissur and Palakkad districts ) were staged at the 'Runaway Show' (Fashion show) at the World Bank Conclave held at New Delhi. The show was curated by eminent floor managers and 7 designers known wide across Delhi has crafted wardrobes for the show. Kudumbashree handlooms were the show stopper of the 'Runaway Show'.The show staged the milky white cotton non woven, golden fibres infused non stitched clothes of Kudumbashree as the inaugural exhibit.

7 renowned female models carried the gracefully designed handcrafted unique crafts of Kudumbashree women across the ramps in all charm and glam which won all hearts of the renowned audience including country heads of UN houses, ambassadors, secretaries of the ministries etc.  

World bank South Asia Regional conclave is organised on “Building Community Resilience - the role of the state and women self help groups organised by world bank, supported Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and National Rural Livelihoods Mission.  Kudumbashree Mission is participating as an associate partner. Participants from the south east Asia region countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan etc are participating in the conclave.  The show was distinguished in its form that the apparel used were designed and hand crafted by women of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan etc.

Kudumbashree Mission is also participating in the producer market place- “product exhibition” at the world bank front lawns conducted in conjunction with the event. Kudumbashree is exhibiting honey, cashew, handlooms, spices, chocolates, biennale branded pickles toiletries etc  from different units across Kerala which were severely affected by the recent floods. Products from 5 countries and leading NGOs are also on the display.
 
Mr. Sajith Sukumaran, Chief Operating Officer, Kudumbashree National Resource Organisation has spoken as a panelist in the session titled “Emerging strategies, opportunities and private sector partnership models in non farm sector for at risk communities”, where he has pitched on the differences of private partners employing and private partners collaborating on proper defined business terms that cater women entrepreneurial capacities and also the Kudumbashree experiences in facing and moving across recent floods, how the community worked in rescue, relief, rehabilitation and now in rebuilding.

Kudumbashree Mission started displaying the products of Kudumbashree's micro enterprises in Amazon.in and had also its first order has been received. The first order for Kudumbashree's products was received from Himachal Pradesh. Kudumbashree products are produced by Kudumbashree women's micro enterprises units, which are widely accepted by the community because of its ethnicity and purity. As the demand for Kudumbashree products are increasing day by day, Kudumbashree Mission had also started finding new marketing platforms for fulfilling real customer's requirements. through permanent markets, nano markets, kiosks etc. Kudumbashree Mission had also launched an online portal called www.kudumbashreebazaar.com for marketing the products.
 
In the initial stage of selling Kudumbashree products through Amazon.in, Kudumbashree Mission is planning to display 100 products as trail basis. Kudumbashree Mission have also  started an exclusive office in Thiruvananthapuram for handling amazon order and customer care services.  Convergence with amazon.in made possible through a project called 'Amazon Saheli' which was developed for promoting India’s rural women micro entrepreneurs. Handicrafts, beauty products, handloom, toiletries, soaps, cleaning substances, ayurvedic products etc are the main categories of products displayed.

Kudumbashree shines at Bharat Parv, the event organised by Ministry of Tourism to exhibit the cross links and layers of Indian culture cuisine and crafts at Redfort, New Delhi from 26-31 January 2019. The event celebrates the rich cultural, ethnic, cuisine diversity of India and exhibit India's richness of cultural diversity before world and thereby promoting the tourism prospects of India. 

Along the with traditional art forms and handicrafts, Kerala's ethnic range of cuisines are presented by the Cafe Kudumbashree units, promoted by Kudumbashree Mission before the global and national gathering visiting the venue. In association with Kerala house and the Tourism Department, Kudumbashree Mission has set up a stall at red fort to exhibit the culinary skills of  the Kudumbashree women. Two units, viz., strawberry cafe unit from Idukki district and Natturuchy cafe unit from Kasargod  district serves ethnic cuisines of central Travancore and Kasaragod. It is for the fourth consecutive year that Kudumbashree is participating in Bharat Parv. Cafe Kudumbashree units had made sales of Rs 1,26,160 and Rs 92,920 in  Bharat Parv 2017 and Bharat Parv 2018 respectively.

Associating with the Institute of Hotel Management Catering & Nutrition, Pusa, New Delhi, Kudumbashree women would demonstrate their culinary skills with one starter dish - kozhukatta, one main course dish - Kudumbashree special dum biriyani, and one dessert - nakshatra payasam in conjugation with vegetable halwa in front of the crowd at the live cookery demonstration.  Cafe Kudumbashree food court is receiving wide appreciation and very good responses from the masses gathered to view the celebration of India's culture.

Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk, the first of its kind Kudumbashree Bazar is opened at Thiruvalla,Pathanamthitta. The same was inaugurated by Shri. Mathew.T.Thomas, MLA on 24 January 2019. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk is the one stop shop where all the products of Kudumbashree micro enterprises in the district would be made available. Apart from making available the Kudumbashree products under one umbrella, Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk also aims at promoting organic food thereby ensuring clean and healthy food for the public. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk is located near the Municipal Stadium at Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta.

A Kudumbashree cafe which sells cooked organic food is arranged at Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk. Arrangements for converting paddy into rice is also set up at Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk. The Kudumbashree members at the LSGs will be in charge of the functioning of Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk is set up in 2000 sqft. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk comprises of juice parlour, puttukada, ready to cook, ready to serve, stocking/ delivery counter, space for organic food items, curry powder, rice powder, vegetable items, garments, bags, tailoring, beauty parlour, organic items, bakery, rice shops, fish stall, cafeteria and billing. Kudumbashree Bazar Village Souk will extend an opportunity for the micro entrepreneurs in the district to market their products. Kudumbashree Bazars will soon be opened in other districts as well.

'Skill Voyage' and 'Best Practices', the books published by Kudumbashree, Kerala SRLM was released at DDUGKY Regional Review Meeting. Smt. Alka Upadhyay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) and Shri. Charanjith Singh IFS, Joint Secretary (Rural Skills), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) released the books at the Regional Review Meeting held at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai on 24 January 2019.

The Best Practices of Kudumbashree SRLM was presented by Shri. S. Harikishore IAS, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission during the review meeting. The 'Best Practices' book comprises of the details on inclusion, convergence, ensuring quality of PIA (Project Implementing Agency) deliverables, interventions benefiting candidates, IEC-reaching the stakeholders, project strategy and execution. 'Skill Voyage' includes articles written by the state level functionaries, on varied topics relevant to the implementation of the programme. The topics explored in the articles include policy level decisions to enhance the quality of PIA deliverables through social audit and rating of DDUGKY Centres and grading of PIAs, benefits of pursuing Qualitative Appraisal by Kudumbashree rather than entrusting the task to an external agency, successful convergence initiatives, web based monitoring and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), community based tracking of DDUGKY candidates and other new initiatives, policies, and improvements and finally the impact and sector wise achievements are detailed.

Kudumbashree Thrissur District Mission  developed a website for Snehitha Gender Help Desk, Thrissur, in collaboration with  the Department of Media Studies, St.Thomas College, Thrissur. It is as part of convergence activities of gender team of Kudumbashree Thrissur District Mission that the website is launched. www.snehithathrissur.net, the website of  Snehitha Gender Help Desk, Thrissur was launched by Shri. S. Harikishore, Executive Director, Kudumbashree Mission at District Co-operative Bank Hall, Thrissur on 14 January 2019.

The website consultancy service is provided on voluntary service basis. Mr. Joseph, Assistant Professor and Ms. Keerthana, Multimedia 6th Semester degree student are giving technical support to Snehitha for website related works. Thrissur Snehitha Gender Help Desk is also planning to add online login facility in this website for operating Snehitha services. 

In Snehitha website home page we can catch 'what we do', 'who are we', 'field activities', 'gallery', 'services', 'events', 'toll free number 18004252573' and 'cover photos'. Under the 'what we do' tab the services extended by Snehitha is narrated such as counselling, service providing, shelter, rehabilitation and field level activities. 

In the counselling part,  details about individual counselling, couple counselling, marital therapy, family therapy, tele counselling, premarital counselling, child guidance and career counselling are included. The service providing part contains the details about mediation, legal aid, legal clinic and  networking with other department and institutions. In the shelter part, the services being provided to Snehitha inmates and inmate engagement activities  are described.The Rehabilitation part narrates about  livelihood orientation, livelihood trainings, 20 days EDII Program and e-job assistance services. In the field level activities area the Snehitha out reach activities such as community counselling, Gender Resource Centers (GRCs), Block Level Counselling Centres(BLCCs), Snehitha Calling Bell, Campaigns, Nattukkoottam, Gender Sesitization workshops, Group Counselling programs and Model Gender Resource Centres etc are explained.

By launching the website www.snehithathrissur.net,  Snehitha Gender Help Desk, Thrissur has made a leap in extending the gender related assistance to the common women in the district.

Kudumbashree launched ARISE (Acquiring Resilience and Identity through Self Employment), to extend skill training for self employment. Shri. A.C Moideen, Minister for Local Self Governments, Government of Kerala inaugurated the skill training programme held at Government Guest House, Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram on 17 January 2019. '#shecan' the book which comprises of the features on innovative micro enterprises of Kudumbashree was released at the function. The website of 'Harsham Caregivers for elder care', the innovative and a flagship programme of Kudumbashree which gives livelihood opportunities to many committed Kudumbashree members was also launched at the function.

ARISE aims at extending skill training to 50,000 flood affected families, in various sectors thereby equipping them for paid employment. The campaign mainly aims at helping them in attaining resilience. Those who reside in the non flood affected areas can also become part of the skill training programme. ARISE will extend training in house keeping, sales, laundry & ironing, day care, agriculture related jobs, electrical works, electronic repair, plumbing and data entry.

The tenure of the training programme will be of 3 months. Interested men from Kudumbashree families may also become part of the programme. Along with helping people to start individual-group enterprises the campaign also aims at strengthening the micro enterprise sector of Kudumbashree. A survey was conducted using Kudumbashree Block Coordinators for finding out the sectors in which NHG women are interested. It was found that data entry, plumping, electronic repairing, electrical works, agriculture related jobs, laundry, ironing, sales, housekeeping, day care etc are the sectors in which they are interested. It was understood that by extending training they could get an income of their own which would help in eradicating their poverty.

The campaign activities were already started in all districts, And interested candidates had made registrations at their respective CDSs during 15 December 2018- 1 January 2019. The skill training would be extended through Government accredited training agencies and empanelled training agencies.

Snehitha Livelihood Centre started functioning at Kavalangad Grama Panchayath of Ernakulam district of Kerala. The centre aims at extending skill training for the inmates who come to Snehitha Gender Help Desk seeking help. The service of the Snehitha Livelihood Centre will also be made available to the NHG members from Kavalangad Grama Panchayath and all NHG members in Ernakulam district.

The training is being extended in poster- banner making.There had arouse a huge demand for cloth banners where green protocol is implemented. The election will also offer a great opportunity for the women. Other than skill training, the Snehitha Livelihood Centre also plans to extend gender trainings, pre-marital, post- marital counsellings, assistance in Gender Self Learning Programme (GSLP) Study Report Preparation and various campaigns for NHG members. The Panchayath had already allocated Rs 5 lakhs for skill training itself.

The fourth phase of the Gender Self Learning Programme was officially launched. Shri. A.C. Moideen, Minister, Local Self Government Department, Government of Kerala inaugurated the NHG level campaign of the fourth phase of Gender Self Learning Programme at District Co-operative Bank Hall, Thrissur on 14 January 2019.

Kudumbashree Mission had been framing and successfully implementing different programmes focusing women through Gender Self Learning Programme (GSLP) for the past 11 years. Vulnerability study, crime mapping, Neetham campaign, Pusthaka yatra were the activities implemented by Kudumbashree as the after effect of Gender Self Learning Programme. The themes Women & employment, Women & health Women & mobility had already been discussed in the last 3 modules of Gender Self Learning Programme.

The programme is organised in NHGs through group discussions. Gender Status- Equality & Justice will be the theme discussed in the fourth module.The concept is meant to create an environment for women to learn what empowerment is for themselves and how they should learn to recognize suppression, vulnerability etc. The GSLP programme will be organised at NHGs for 6 months. A book has also been prepared for the self learning process reach to the 43 lakh members in 2.77 NHGs. 300 facilitators from 14 districts across Kerala had been selected and trained. The facilitators will select one member each from every NHGs and thereby equip the NHGs for the self learning programme.

Gender Self Learning Programme could be regarded as the first social educational process that would have direct implications on rights and entitlements of women in grass roots. Unlike conventional women empowerment programmes that adhere to awareness classes, gender self learning programme aims at facilitating neighborhood groups on discussions that reflect on discrimination, violence and inequality. Each woman represented in the network is regarded as a participant, information provider and knowledge creator.

Pink Ladder, the women-only construction unit of Kozhikode Corporation completed the construction of the first two houses. Shri. A. K Saseendran, Minister for Transport, Government of Kerala handed over the key of the first house constructed by Pink Ladder on 6 January 2019. Smt. Nandini, a destitute woman from Karuvasseri, Kozhikode is the beneficiary of the project. Smt. Nandini’s house is the first house constructed by women in the State’s urban belt.

The Pink Ladder has constructed the houses under the PMAY(Prathan Mantri Awas Yojana) Scheme at a cost of Rs 4 lakh each.The women construction group completed the construction of the house in 53 days. The construction group members were trained by the Eksat Training Institute and they completed the construction within 53 days. The houses are also fitted with solar panels under sponsorship.

The Pink Ladder was founded on 1 November 2018. The foundation for the two houses were laid on the same day itself. Both houses are 400 square feet in size, with a bedroom, hall, kitchen, and an attached bathroom. The two Pink Ladder units have 15 members each. The Pink Ladder team is now gearing up to take up more projects