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The Kudumbashree Mission has taken up the issue of transgenders. The mission has made as many as 21 exclusive neighbourhood groups that included 274 transgenders
Kudumbashree is primarily a community network that covers the entire state of Kerala. Kudumbashree is a women empowerment and poverty eradication programme, drafted and enforced by the State Poverty Eradication Mission of the Government of Kerala.
It consists of a three-tier structure with Neighbourhood Groups (NHGs) as primary level units, Area Development Societies (ADS) at the ward level, and Community Development Societies (CDS) at the local government level.
It is reported to be one of the most extensive women’s networks in the world. While the community network is formed around the central themes of poverty eradication and women empowerment, its main characteristics claim to include democratic leadership and support structures built by the ‘Kudumbashree family’.
The Kudumbashree Mission has taken up the issue of transgenders. The mission has made as many as 21 exclusive neighbourhood groups that included 274 transgenders.
The mission aims to support and help the members of these groups to find their means of livelihood by setting up micro-enterprises. Each group will be granted a corpus capital of Rs 10,000. Any transgender aged 18 or above can join this group.
Though the mission requires 10 to 20 members to form a group, the condition has been reduced in the case of transgenders. District coordinators of the mission can use their discretionary powers to approve the formation of the groups.
Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode district have three groups each for the transgenders, while Kollam, Ernakulam, Palakkad and Malappuram have two each. Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod districts have one group each.
The new action has already led to the launch of 12 micro enterprises for transgenders, which will allow them to be as financially independent as the other women attached to the Kudumbashree. The enterprises range from juice sales to dance training.
There is already a chips shop owned by transgenders in Kannur and a juice shop owned by another group of transgenders in Kozhikode.
Transgenders in Kochi were earlier offered jobs during the construction of metro rail Through the Kudumbasree facility management centre, 14 transgenders have worked there.
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