Palakkad,Kerala: “Those were the days when rains come unexpectedly over the deep interiors of Attappady and lasted for several hours. People did not lend umbrellas to strangers, especially tribal schoolchildren returning home. I used to take refuge under some canopy till the rains were over,” recalled B. Lakshmi of the Dasannur tribal settlement, while making umbrellas on the premises of tribal social service organisation Thampu at Kottathara, near here.
Lakshmi is part of a 30-member collective of tribal women which manufactures three models of quality umbrellas under an empowerment project supported by a social media initiative of Keralites living in the Gulf. The collective is now making umbrellas on a large scale to retail across the State for monsoon. Branded Karthumbi umbrellas, they would be marketed with the cooperation of non-governmental organisations, government departments, schools, colleges and private establishments.
According to Selvi Balan, a member of the collective and standing committee chairperson of the Sholayur grama panchayat, each beneficiary tribal woman gets a daily wage of Rs.700 through the initiative.
“We decided to intervene in the area after reading about the infant deaths in Attappady because of poverty and malnutrition. When Thampu offered local coordination and infrastructure, we collected capital for the umbrella manufacturing unit,” said Sneha Edamini, a social media coordinator for the initiative.
| The unit began functioning last year with an initial working capital of Rs.100,000. Though there was meagre production and weak retail network in the initial phase, efforts are now on to increase investment and production. The retail network is also getting strengthened. |
Minister for Welfare of SC/STs and Backward Classes A.K. Balan distributed the first batch of Karthumbi umbrellas, the entrepreneurial venture of a group of Adivasi women from Attappady. The umbrellas were handed over to Y.V. Maggie, vice president of Prathidhwani, socio-cultural organisation of Technopark employees, at a function held at the office of tribal social service organisation Thambu in Attappady on May 26
Each woman makes 8 to 10 umbrellas a day. “We are promoting advance booking and bulk booking by organisations and establishments,” said Rajendra Prasad of Thampu.
Techies for Karthumbi
Over the past two days, 1,122 orders were received from Technopark employees for Karthumbi umbrellas. Each umbrella costs ₹350. For the women who are part of the project, a daily income of ₹500-700 is ensured.
Sholayur grama panchayat president Rathina Ramamoorthy presided over the umbrella distribution function.
Good response
The representatives of Prathidhwani expressed satisfaction at the response from the Technopark employees to the project. More organisations and individuals from Kerala and abroad have placed orders for the umbrellas following the campaign by Prathidhwani.
Those who placed pre-orders will get the umbrellas by the first week of June, in time for the monsoon.
Efforts are also on to prompt the SC/ST Department to buy Karthumbi umbrellas to distribute among students of tribal residential schools across the State. Thampu is also planning to market Karthumbi brand washing powder, ragi powder, and toilet cleaners.
source: The Hindu