Livelihood centres exclusively for women

In a bid to empower women, the Kudumbashree Mission, based in Kerala, is going to set up “livelihood centres” especially for women. Women will learn the different aspects of entrepreneurship, skills to become self sufficient and much more. Kudumbashree is a female-oriented, community-based, poverty reduction project of the government of Kerala.

These centres are an effort under the National Rural Livelihood Mission’s poverty alleviation programme. An amount of Rs. 20 lakh has been set aside by the Centre to help women in setting up their own small-scale businesses and getting up on their own feet. In the initial phase, these centres are going to be established in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kannur and Pathanamthitta.

“The Centres will ensure business training and services, besides providing details of various employment training groups, centres and job opportunities. Other than aiding the women to get bank assistance, it would function as a help desk as well.”

Since, Kudumbashree has the most number of women involved with it at the block level, all the centres have been opened on this level. The centres will be under the supervision of Kudumbashree training groups, micro enterprises and consultants. Training will definitely be the major part of these centres; however, the women who are already entrepreneurs will also be called to interact with the women in the livelihood centres. These experienced women have had prior bank linkage in starting up their businesses which will be helpful in giving guidance to the trainee women.

It is a great initiative by the Kerala government who have always been on the forefront of women empowerment in the country. Be it the literacy level, matriarchy, gender neutrality, the state has always been an example for other states to follow. These livelihood will prove to be another feather in the cap for the state thats growing away from female bashing and towards equality.

Source- The New Indian Express

Picture Credit- Wikipedia