Kudumbashree women stitch success stories to beat job blues due to pandemic
It was a bolt from the blue for a family of five living on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram as their head, a store keeper, lost his job during the nationwide lockdown to curb the coronavirus pandemic in March last year. Fortyeight-year-old Sajitha Ajith, who used to stitch cloth bags at home to supplement the meagre family budget, also found herself in trouble as shops and business establishments remained closed.
A member of Kerala’s poverty eradication mission Kudumbashree, Ajith was lucky to find help when she needed it the most. The members of the self help group arrived at her rescue and helped her make cotton masks to bring the family out of the financial crisis.
Visit any exhibition or event in Kerala, a stall of Kudumbashree is almost certain. With
expertise in several areas such as making food, canteen-running, organic farming, stitching and packing, Kudumbashree with 4.3 million members survived the rigors by changing with times and diversification.
Its members made 79 lakh cotton masks, 10,000 litres of hand sanitizer and thousands of face shields to rise to the occasion.
Its Janakeeya hotel with subsidized food and home delivery
also proved to be an instant hit. In cities like Ernakulam and Thrissur, the self help group also launched an online food delivery app, posing a threat to food majors.
“Kudumbashree mission gave
me a soft loan of ₹10,000 to buy a sewing machine and trained me. Now I make 250-300 masks daily and earn up to ₹800 daily. My children also help me. The demand for masks has opened a new source of livelihood for us.
Kudumbashree taught us how to change with times,” Ajith who is a school drop-out and now, a mother of three, said.
The mission officials procure cloth from wholesalers, cut them at a master unit and supply for stitching with specifications. Most of the government agencies and hospitals purchase a packet of 10 coloured masks for ₹180. The masks stitched by the self help group are most sought after, according to traders. Empowering women, Kudumbashree also ensures access to credit through micro-finance and confidence to initiate and operate new group enterprises.
“Recently, we modified a state road transport corporation bus and converted it into a canteen at West Fort in the state capital. Despite the minimum sitting facility, the business is doing well. The stamp of Kudumbashree attracts many,” K Shailaja, a member running the Kudumbashree Pink Café, said.
At least ₹6 lakh was spent to convert the old bus and set up a kitchen inside. Members also give a rent of ₹20,000 per month to the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.
“For me, Kudumbashree is a symbol of purity and confidence,” P K Dineshan, a jewellery firm employee, said.
“The members took the challenge head on. Besides creating opportunities for themselves in troubled times, they rose to the occasion upholding social responsibility. They played a key role during the pandemic. Their commitment and hard work are the key to success,” executive director of Kudumbashree Mission, S Harikishore, who is also a young IAS officer, said.
Started in a small way in 1998 under the local-self department of the state government, Kudumbashree is now a household name and a symbol of quality and consistency. Its model has been replicated by several states.