In the three years since a new team took over the reins of the Community Development Society, the Kudumbasree in Ramamangalam along the eastern suburbs of Ernakulam district has turned into a model venture with the number of initiatives more than tripling from a previous 11 to 36.
Their work was recognised recently when the Ramamangalam CDS was adjudged the best Kudumbasree CDS in Pampakkuda block with a cash award of ₹2 lakh.
When the 14-member team led by CDS Chairperson Sheeba Yohannan steps down a little over three months from now, on completion of its term, it would be leaving a lasting legacy tough to match up to.
"We started off by building a house for a destitute at an investment of ₹4.50 lakh, which we mobilised with the help of the panchayat and private sponsors. Our construction team of 20 members then went on to build a house for a scheduled tribe family under the LIFE Mission and did countless house maintenance works for the poor and destitute," said Ms.Yohannan.
The Ramamangalam CDS spread over 13 wards comprises 139 Neighbourhood Groups accounting for around 2400 members.
In keeping with the government's campaign to turn fallow land fertile, the CDS started cultivating paddy on 28 acres of land that was lying fallow. "Our brand of rice, Mamalasserry Rice, is now very popular and we distribute 150-200 kilograms of it to the Kudumbasree Bazar ar Kolancherry every week," said Ms. Yohannan.
Besides, the CDS runs a value added chips unit by procuring banana and tapioca from the Kudumbasree joint agriculture groups. A hotel is also being run that serves lunch for as little as ₹20 while a citizen service centre offers online services.
Mushroom, dairy farming and poultry farms are some of the other initiatives. While only 30 families received subsidised support for poultry farms, the CDS helped another 75 families by facilitating bank loans.
The CDS also operates a Gender Resource Centre to help fight atrocities against women and children. "The centre has handled around 70-80 cases so far. It also offers counselling service twice a week and free PSC coaching for children from poor families,” said Ms.Yohannan.
The team also revived the previously dormant distribution of kits of essential items to the eligible. Now 106 families benefit from the kits valued at ₹500, ₹700 and ₹900 depending on the number of members in the beneficiary families.
"We were active through the lockdown and beyond by supplying life saving medicines at doorsteps and have distributed sanitisers to every household," said Ms. Yohannan.