Kudumbashree products to fly off carts online

43.07 lakh women across Kerala, now part of the Kudumbashree mission, will get new vistas open for their products from around 17,000 enterprises. An MoU will be signed with Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce site, and its Indian competitor Flipkart to sell the Kudumbashree goods online

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kudumbashree, the state poverty eradication mission, was formulated with the objective of poverty eradication through the empowerment of women in 1998 and it has now 43.07 lakh women members. Till last year, Kudumbashree products were available only at various fairs. But now it is making forays into the e-commerce business, including https://www.kudumbashreebazaar.com/, Flipkart and Amazon.

Kudumbashree has come a long way since James Varghese, a bureaucrat, was appointed as its first executive director. It was implemented through Community Development Societies (CDS) of poor women, serving as the community wing of local self -governments.

During IAS official T. K. Jose’s tenure, Kudumbashree initiated many projects, including micro-housing (Bhavanashree), Balasabha (forum for children), Clean Kerala Campaign (collection and disposal of solid waste), Clean Destination Campaign (maintenance of tourist destinations by Kudumbashree workers). Jose received several national and international recognitions during his innings with Kudumbashree. Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc, once said, “it's clear that the most precious resource we all have is time.” The same motto is being practised by the Kudumbashree which is evolving as per the market-driven needs without wasting its time.

Kudumbashree has set up permanent markets utilising public spaces. Ajith Chacko, chief operating officer of Kudumbashree, told DC that by the end of this month, Kudumbashree will sign an MoU with Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce site.

“It was started as a pilot project with Amazon and we will sign an MoU with it on Februray 27. Another USP of ours is Government eMarketplace (GeM), the National Public Procurement Portal which is a one-stop-shop GeM to facilitate online procurement of common use goods. Currently we are working on supplying Kudumbashree products through Flipkart,” said Ajith Chacko.

Since inception, micro finance has been the basic thrust of Kudumbashree to address the challenge of poverty. Women’s self-help groups can play an important role in Kerala’s industrialisation drive. A 49- year-old woman, who was engaged in collecting solid waste from Vellayambalam area in Thiruvananthapuram, had lost her job after the corporation authorities stopped taking the garbage. There was no source of income. But after a few months, she found herself working under a pickle unit and currently, she is a cook specialised in making various types of dishes.

“If not for Kudumbashree, I would have ended up working as a house maid against the wishes of my alcoholic hubby. But since I joined the Kudumbashree, he has permitted me to work. Over the last few years, I have contributed to the family budget,” said the woman.

Kudumbashree bazaars function in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta and Kambalakkad in Wayanad. By March, Kudumbashree bazaars will be launched in Kasaragod, Thrissur, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram districts. A senior marketing official told DC that the districts’ traditional products will be available in the bazaars where converging mechanism would be incorporated. The products of other government societies will also share shelf space with Kudumbashree products.

“The outlets of Supplyco and Horticorp and the collectorates also will display Kudumbashree products. A total of 498 nano centres will come up in public spaces,” said the official.

When Kudumbashree bazaar’s website was launched in February last, 525 products belonging to 183 entrepreneurs were uploaded. So far 90 orders have been undertaken. Over the next few weeks, Kudumbashree officials have decided to market their website aggressively. The products sold through their website include exotic fish pickles, wash items, fruit juices and other food products. Work on selling women’s products through Flipkart is ongoing. There are 17,000 enterprises under Kudumbashree which have been replicated in 16 states and also in African countries and central Asia.

From 2016 onwards, Kudumbashree has nabbed 30,000 stray dogs for Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes. Since last April, the workers have caught 17,166 stray dogs. During 2019-20, the LDF government has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for Kudumbashree’s development activities.

“By 2020, we are expecting the launch of 12 more categories, including Kerala Chicken. Next year, 200 more outlets will be opened which will sport ‘She Brand’ look and feel,” added the marketing official.

The recent devastating floods had affected at least 3,550 women entrepreneurs in Kudumbashree. The Kerala State Planning Board’s Economic Review 2018 states that losses worth Rs 7.80 crore were sustained by micro-enterprise units set up by women using loans received through Kudumbashree.