Attappadi
(Created page with "{| Class="wikitable" |- |colspan="0"|<div style="font-size:100%"> This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.<br/> </div> |} [[Category:Ind...") |
Revision as of 11:43, 17 September 2017
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Umbrella production
Tribal women of Attappady are trying to make their presence felt in the umbrella market
A set of tribal women from Attappady are attempting to make their presence felt in the seasonal umbrella market, dominated by big players, with quality products in various colours and designs.
A 60-member collective of tribal women from various settlements are making over 10,000 umbrellas targeting school and college students across Kerala at the start of the academic year.
Their Karthumbi brand of umbrellas had a humble beginning last year with a modest production of 800 umbrellas. Tribal voluntary organisation Thmabu and Peace Collective, a social media initiative of overseas Malayalees, are supporting the group. The Scheduled Tribes Department is extending financial support to the initiative.
“Though rain continues to elude the rain-shadow Attappady, we are fast making the umbrellas to ensure a big sale during the school-opening season. Most of us who are involved in umbrella-making never owned any umbrellas. We used to take refuge under canopies till the rain got over,” said B. Lakshmi of the Dasannur tribal settlement, who mastered umbrella-making two years ago.
The Hindu carried an article on Karthumbi last year and a number of individuals have approached Thambu, offering to buy the products since then. The C-DAC Recreation Club in Thiruvananthapuram has ordered 100 umbrellas.
Financial support
It was Peace Collective that ensured the working capital last year. Some of its members extended interest-free loans up to ₹10,000. “After selling the umbrellas, the tribal women were able to repay the loans. This year, the collective is promising more financial help,” said K.A. Ramu of Thambu.
Each beneficiary gets a daily wage of ₹600. Sneha Edamini of Peace Collective said it started engaging in the project after knowing about the high rate of poverty and malnutrition in the region.
