Micro-enterprise

The innovativeness of Kerala’s people was mind blowing, especially the efforts taken by women’s groups to improve the local economy and fight issues like food scarcity through agricultural practice. In Kerala, land prices are very high and agricultural practices have declined, because more money can be made in other industries and within urban settings. However, much land is left unutilized by rich landowners. Using the government funds available for individuals and groups who propose an enterprise or project, several women came together to farm one of these unused sections of land. By renting the land, this group began to fight food scarcity with the production of bananas, coconuts, tapioca and other small crops. A majority of these crops mature in one years time. On the same day we also visited a male-run farm, which produced a different variety of crops for the surrounding area.

Women's Cooperative 

Men's Cooperative

Near the Laurie Baker Center for Habitat Studies, we visited a women’s cooperative for papermaking. The women recycle paper and cotton cloth into beautiful colored and white paper, to be sold as a handicraft. The building itself, designed by COSTFORD forms a reflection on a body of water at its entry, with a large swooping roof to invite occupants to rest on its front porch. The spaces for papermaking and drying are smaller in comparison to this large open area at the front.

Entry

Mixing machine for processing paper

Beautiful Paper

One non-profit leading the way in poverty alleviation through micro-enterprise is the Kudumbashree Mission. This organization is made up a network of women’s organizations working in cooperation with the local self-government focusing on farming, animal industry, micro-enterprise, and skill training. The activities undertaken by Kudumbashree also include thrift/credit, destitute rehabilitation, assisting children with special needs, gender relations, and urban social infrastructure. By linking with local governance, the mission is given an excellent outreach system. The most fascinating note made in this lecture was in response to a question about success rate among the micro-enterprises. When asked what percentage fail, the speakers appeared confused and just repeated that lessons were given in improving productivity and with financial counseling. Eventually it became clear to us that failure was not an option, when it was an individual or group’s livelihood at stake. It was not a question of is this profitable enough to continue? But rather how do we increase productivity? And in any way possible, they will. This is a clear lesson for many of us foreigners.