THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Covid-19 pandemic affecting the traditional ways of livelihood, the Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen (SAF), a registered body under the Fisheries Department, has come up with alternatives to help the community to adapt to the changes. In a departure from providing assistance to groups to start their own ventures, SAF has started an apparel park to train women to successfully run large units.
The units can provide employment to 50 workers. The apparel park has come up in the building run by Mahila Powerloom Industrial Co-operative Society at Kanjiramkode in Kundara, Kollam. Fisheries minister J Mercykutty Amma will inaugurate the park officially on Monday.The project has cost Rs 1.2 core. The bulk of it came as government grant (`81 crore), the rest as a bank loan. The beneficiaries have to contribute over Rs 6 lakh to the park.
“It is the first big production centre started by SAF. The consortium consists of 12 apparel units which can handle bulk orders,” said SAF executive director Sreelu N S.The SAF already supports 430 small tailoring units and formed an apex federation consisting of its representatives. The apex body would help the apparel park to source material at a discount and help with the orders and sales, said Sreelu.
The SAF has an understanding with the Apparel Training Designing Centre under the Central government to train the women.It has already purchased machinery worth `20 lakh. The training will start from Monday.
Rolling funds
The SAF recently launched the distribution of rolling funds to 1,000 fisherwomen in Kollam and Alappuzha. The interest free-fund with a longer duration for repayment is meant for women to improve their fish sale.The scheme will be extended to fisherwomen in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam also by the end of this year.