Dream trip for Kudumbashree’s tribal leaders

Four Kudumbashree members from tribal areas in the State recently got a rare opportunity to leave the familiar surroundings of their homes to travel to the national capital. When they first heard from the Kudumbashree Mission about a plane journey to New Delhi and a chance to see popular landmarks they had only seen on TV or read about, the four Kudumbashree community development society chairpersons, were in disbelief.

Among them, only one had previously been to Delhi. Praja Narayanan from Attappady had taken part in a National Saras Mela there. However, she had travelled by train at that time and did not have the opportunity to visit landmarks such as the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s beautiful Amrit Udyan or the majestic India Gate. For the other three – Reena.K from Kasaragod, Shyamala Ravi from Wayanad, and Icymol from Idukki – the idea of visiting India’s capital, that too by plane, felt like a dream.

The opportunity to visit Delhi came as recognition of their model activities aimed at the financial and social empowerment of women in tribal areas. These included bringing the tribal women into neighbourhood groups, ensuring livelihoods through farming and animal husbandry, promoting microfinance to strengthen savings, and organising Balasabha activities for children.

Although apprehensive about their first flight, the women, accompanied by Kudumbashree State Assistant Programme Manager Preetha G. Nair, left for Delhi from Thiruvananthapuram on March 8, International Women’s Day. During their visit to New Delhi, they toured prominent landmarks like Amrit Udyan, India Gate, Qutub Minar, Akshar Dham, and Humayun’s Tomb.

They met Union Rural Development Ministry officials, including Joint Secretary Ms. Smriti Sharan and Deputy Secretary Ms. Monika Bhutunguru, along with representatives from various States who have demonstrated excellence in activities related to the tribal sector.

The Union Rural Development Ministry offers women in self-help or neighbourhood groups in different states — who excel in tribal development activities — an opportunity to visit Amrit Udyan. In Kerala, the National Rural Livelihoods Mission is implemented through the Kudumbashree.