Working hours start at 3 pm for Arannya MK, who reaches home by around 10 pm. The 28-year-old manages a food cart selling momos and cutlets along the Kowdiar-Kuravankonam road in Thiruvananthapuram. The cart was opened last November by Shop SEWA Livelihood, an initiative of the Kerala chapter of SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association), the national union of women workers from the unorganised sector in the country.
“In spite of being a post graduate and a sportsperson, I couldn’t find a job. When I got this opportunity, I didn’t want to let it go. I earn a steady income now. There are many food trucks along this road but this is the only one run by women. Those who stop by do appreciate that and say encouraging words,” says Arannya. Staff with SEWA, all of them women, take turns to be with her till the cart is closed by around 8.30 pm.
The Kerala capital also has two Shop SEWA Livelihood food counters — at Uppalam road near Statue junction and at TRIDA shopping complex, Medical College. The third Livelihood counter was opened in Kottayam last August.
Supporting jobless women
“The post-COVID employment scene had forced us to come up with this idea to support SEWA members who lost their livelihood because of the pandemic. We want to convert SEWA Livelihood into a brand. Outlets will be opened in Kollam, Ernakulam, Malappuram and Kozhikode depending on the availability of space,” says Sonia George, secretary, SEWA Union-Kerala. The Livelihood activities are coordinated by SMSS-Annam, a member organisation under SEWA. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are available at the Livelihood counters.
Shop SEWA Livelihood food cart in Thiruvananthapuram sells momos, chaats and cutlets
“Institutional canteens run by SEWA for the last few years were badly hit during the lockdown. While looking at alternatives to keep the women employed, we found that there is scope for food-related ventures. And that’s how this initiative was launched. We now have regular customers for breakfast, pothichoru (meal wrapped in banana leaf) and dinner. Since we wanted our menu to be different we zeroed in on momos and chaats. Even in our range of cutlets, we have tapioca, cauliflower or banana flower varieties,” says Sheena Bashir, coordinator, SMSS-Annam.
The items are prepared by a group of women at the centralised kitchen functioning at SEWA’s office at Kunnumpuram in Thiruvananthapuram. “This job means everything for me since I am the only earning member of my family comprising my husband, our two children and my parents. I came here as cleaning staff and now I am one of the cooks. We give away pothichoru to 30-35 people every day. It was interesting to learn the preparation of momos and cutlets. Besides steamed snacks such as ada and kozhukatta , we also make Malabar items such as pathiri, lakottappam (sweet snack shaped like an envelope) and chemmeen kaya ,” says Sajitha Sabu Varghese, 38.
Shop SEWA Livelihood at Kottayam
Sheena adds that it took time to launch the food cart because they could not identify anyone to manage the cart until Arannya came along. “They were not comfortable with the working hours. Arannya used to do the door-to-door sales of amaranthus during the lockdown along with her husband and that was when a member of SEWA came across her. She trained with us for over a month,” says Sheena.
SEWA also has its brand of curry powders, flours, cakes and snacks made by SEWA members at its rural centre at Vilappilsala, 16 km away from Thiruvananthapuram city. “Among them are value-based products from tapioca (chips, puzhukku , cutlet, flour and dried tapioca) and jackfruit (chips, flour and pappadam). During Christmas we sold different varieties of cakes,” says Sheena.
Sonia says that in Thiruvananthapuram alone at least 70 women have benefitted through livelihood initiatives. “These women are able to earn ₹400 or more daily. In addition, we have nearly 100 women employed in making reed and bamboo products that are sold through the Livelihood counters and exhibitions,” she says.
Decentralised kitchen
Meanwhile, SEWA’s outlet in Kottayam has a decentralised arrangement. While tea, coffee and fried snacks such as banana fry, parippuvada and uzhunnuvada are prepared at the counter itself, the rest of the items are supplied by members of SEWA on a daily basis. “While one of them brings lunch and curries, another would bring pickles. We have members who bring chammanthipodi (coconut-based chutney powder), ada , snacks like neyyappam, unniyappam and ariyunda , homemade arrowroot powder and biriyani. There is a member who regularly supplies only eggs. We also get pre-orders for our side-dishes and curries such as theeyal, avial, fish fry, fish curry and steamed snacks. Besides take-away, we also have a small dine-in facility and have regular customers for lunch,” says Soudamini EK, district coordinator of Kottayam SEWA Union.
Food items prepared at Shop SEWA Livelihood counter at Kottayam
Supriya Devadas, a staff at the counter, adds: “I have been a SEWA member for the last five years and was working as a domestic help until I lost my job during the lockdown. It was a struggle sitting at home with no job for over a year. I was lucky that I was offered a job at this place. Besides cooking at this outlet, I also bring cooked food from home.”
The initiative is currently being promoted through SEWA’s social media page, Instagram handles and WhatsApp. Sonia points out that earning a steady income goes a long way in boosting the morale of the women who have been through a lot of hardships. “There are victims of domestic violence and other personal issues. We are handholding them in the best way possible. It is a kind of mentoring,” she says.
