As members of a recently formed Kudumbasree unit at Vengola grama panchayat meet every Sunday, there sits amidst them 13-year-old Teena.
Daughter of the unit secretary Sonia, the teenager doesn’t sit there just out of curiosity to know what her mother and other women are up to. Rather she has the job of an interpreter in the interactions between the unit members and local authorities.
For, the Kudumbasree unit at Kandanthara in Pathipalam ward of Vengola panchayat near Perumbavoor is a rather unique one - all its 28 members are migrants. Ms. Sonia, who hails from Assam, is settled in Kandanthara for over a decade and Teena, a Class 8 student, did her schooling here, bringing her Malayalam skills to good use at the Kudumbasree meeting.
Demonetisation impact
The members of the unit hail from Assam, Odisha and West Bengal and have been residents of Kandanthara, where migrants have officially outnumbered locals, at least for over two years. Most of them work at nearby plywood units for paltry wages and their response to the Kudumbasree initiative has been enthusiastic.
“Their livelihood was badly affected by the recent demonetisation drive, prompting us to think of ways to help them earn sustained income. Our plan is to open an eatery engaging seven of them in a month with financial assistance solicited through the Kudumbasree district mission,” said K.M. Shamsudin, ward councillor.
