THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Eyeing a major overhaul, the Kudumbashree District Mission will roll out refresher courses and training programmes to empower its 43 lakh members attending neighbourhood groups (ayalkootam).
Under the informal learning programme called ‘Kudumbashree School’, the Mission will impart lessons on leadership skills, social responsibilities and prepare members to fight against alcohol and drug abuse.
“The aim is to empower women to become agents of social change. It will help strengthen the effort to curb substance abuse and to build a corruption-free society,” said Kudumbashree executive director S Harikishore.
According to him, the ‘school’ will give impetus to the functioning of Kudumbashree. The project will help members to enhance the knowledge level of those women who are part of their socio-economic endeavours. The school will give thrust to the overall personality development of women attending the neighbourhood groups, said Harikishore.
Retired teachers and experts in the socio-cultural sphere have been tasked with training the women. Six resource persons have been selected from each ward for imparting training.A total of 1.19 lakh teachers will be part of the training session in 19,854 wards in the state. Each session, spanning two hours, will be held after neighbourhood meetings. The members will be provided training for six weeks. The groups that spent over 12 hours for training will get a certificate. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the programme at Vilappil panchayat on October 21. Similar sessions will be held simultaneously at various neighbourhood groups in the state on the same day.