KOCHI: For a long time, male labourers from outside the state used to come alone or in groups. Of late, the trend has changed. With improved living conditions and opportunities for their children under various educational schemes, the labourers have started settling here with families. However, women were still inside their homes taking care of the family though they wished to earn for the household.
To develop an inclusive society and provide opportunities to these women, Kudumbashree, the self-help group of women, plans to set up another stitching unit at Perumbavoor apart from the ones at Kalamassery, Muvattupuzha and Kadungalloor.
Though there was a plan to start the unit long back, the lack of interest on the part of women put it on hold. "The first attempt was to involve the wives of the workers of an asphalt company but they were not interested. Now, another group has approached us. So, a new unit will be formed in Perumbavoor," said Renjini S, assistant district mission coordinator.
The coordinators say the women are skilled in handicraft and stitching woollen apparels. “We aim to bring out their talent and help them explore the opportunities available based on their skill. Activities and training classes to boost their confidence and create awareness among them on the options available will happen this financial year,” she said. In total, over 60-65 women are involved in this Kudumbashree Mission.
Issues
The lack of a common tongue among the women was one issue the coordinators faced when the unit was started at Vengola. It failed, for the same reason. The absence of a structured occupational pattern among men, due to which they move on, also caused issues in the active functioning of the unit. The lack of a proper building and storing spaces also affected the mission. "To receive orders in bulk, we needed to have a proper building and storage space. As of now, a room is being readied for starting the unit," she added.
Other units
The Kudumbashree units at Kalamassery and Muvattupuzha have more Tamil migrants who are settled here for the past 15 years. "They are more active in Kudumbashree activities. They participate in the programmes, involve in bookkeeping and the fairs and fests conducted by us," Renjini said. Earlier, 16 migrant women at Kadungalloor had received month-long training in stitching and sewing under this mission. Sewing machines were distributed to them. Though there were some hindrances due to flood, the unit is now taking orders from residents. "We are trying to get bulk orders so that they can slowly start experimenting with various new trends in designing and prints," she added.