Kudumbashree plans 2,000 auxiliary groups in Thiruvananthapuram

Aim is to find income opportunities for women in the 18-40 age group

Kudumbashree workers packing meals priced at ₹20 at Kudumbashree Janakeeya Hotel, near Overbridge, in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. There is heavy demand for the meals following the triple lockdown as eateries in the city are closed.

Nearly one lakh young women are expected to become part of 2,000 auxiliary groups planned by the Kudumbashree Mission in the district.

The Kudumbashree auxiliary groups are aimed at empowerment of women between the ages of 18 and 40, financial development of their families, and providing the women a platform for making social interventions. The groups will have a maximum of 50 members each. The aim is to make available income-generating opportunities to educated women.

The Kudumbashree recently organised a district-level workshop in connection with the formation of the auxiliary groups. More than 200 people, including district mission officials, Kudumbashree community development society (CDS) chairpersons, accountants, and coastal volunteers, were provided training at the workshop.

Two resource persons have been trained in connection with the formation of the groups. They will in turn train people’s representatives and CDS members in each block.

Via new media

The district mission has also charted an elaborate promotion programme to realise the auxiliary group project. Posters containing details of the groups will be passed on to the CDS and through new media to reach the people. Discussions on the groups will be held in the Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups meetings to take information to the people at the grassroots. The participation of all people’s representatives up to the district level will be ensured in all related activities.

More than one person from each household can be a member of the auxiliary groups. The groups can form sub-groups or consortiums according to their needs, be it to express their creative talents or discuss employment opportunities. They can also take up own activities or studies to ascertain local employment possibilities. Once they identify and map employment opportunities, group members will be provided support through local bodies or Kudumbashree livelihood team to turn them into enterprises. The groups will also utilise the service of Snehitha, gender resource centre, and community counsellors to intervene in issues such as dowry and domestic violence.