Kerala - Kozhikode   

Women turn to self-employment ventures

Maleeha Raghaviah

Self-Help Groups mobilise women in Wayanad

KOZHIKODE: Plagued as they are by low education levels and decreasing employment opportunities in the agriculture sector in Wayanad district, scores of women now find sustenance through self-help groups in Kaniyambetta grama panchayat.

The women have been managing with a great deal of success, self-employment ventures in mushroom cultivation, goat and cow rearing, readymade garment -making and through small loans for vegetable cultivation.

RASTA

Of the more than 400-odd SHGs that have registered under the Rural Agency for Social and Technological Advancement (RASTA), an NGO based at Kambalakkad in Kaniyambetta grama panchayat, as many as 100-odd groups operate profitable self-employment ventures. The RASTA has been mobilising the women in the below poverty line (BPL) from the tribal and minority community, with the basic objective of development through self-employment besides creating awareness on larger social issues, empowerment and economic independence.

Set up in 1984, the RASTA has been addressing the problems of women from the lower echelons of society, with the aim to uplift their status, says T.K. Omana, Director, RASTA.

The tribal communities among whom the RASTA has been working comprise Kurichiars, Kurumas, Katunayakas and Paniyas.

The SHGs set up comprise five as well as 10-member groups, depending on the availability of funds.

Cattle rearing

"The most viable SHG initiatives are those engaged in goat and cow rearing. The sale of milk and manure is found to be highly feasible. In the case of mushroom cultivation too, a ready local market exists. In fact, the SHGs are not in a position to meet the demands of households and restaurants for mushroom," Ms. Omana says.

SHGs manufacturing readymade garments, herbal preparations and traditional delicacies are also faring well.

The women also take up vegetable gardening, betel vine cultivation and grain milling with small business loans from banks such as State Bank of India, South Malabar Grameen Bank and Indian Overseas Bank.

The RASTA has been coordinating with the District Industries Centre for expertise in small-scale industry, the Agriculture Department for knowhow in small farming, the Balussery-based food processing centre in preparation of food items, and with Uravu for knowhow in bamboo craft.

Ms. Omana says stalls set up at exhibitions are the main marketing outlets. The SHGs have participated in exhibitions in Delhi and Bangalore.

New initiative

In a new initiative, a five-member group of women from the RASTA will undergo training in documentary filming at a Hyderabad-based organisation. Efforts are also on to train the women in puppetry for awareness creation at a training centre in Rajasthan. The RASTA has been organising campaigns in water management, including ground water harvesting.

It also conducts mass awareness campaign for women on International Women's Day on March 8, and Human Rights Day on December 10.

The latest endeavour is in compiling of data to gauge the level of employment opportunities available for women in the agriculture sector, wage level and type of crop.

The data was collected by tribal promoters from among 1,124 tribal women, and 1,226 tribal men of 81 colonies of Panamaram grama panchayat by a house-to-house survey.

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