A unique and novel initiative by Kudumbashree Mission has helped a team from a small village called Namagoma, in Central Uganda, fight poverty by training their women to start a hibiscus wine and juice making business, which is now reaping benefits.
The mission had imparted a 15-day training session in March to a team from the East African country on poverty eradication through agrarian based micro-enterprises, reports Deccan Chronicle.
The training programmes were initially organized by the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (Manage) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). A 26-member team from Uganda, Mangolia, Malawi, Afghanistan, Ghana, Kenya and Mosambia had earlier come to Kerala and were provided training under the scheme.
Training programmes were organized under the supervision of Kudumbashree in Kerala and their success prompted Uganda to invite Kudumshree members, said executive director of the Kudumbashree Mission, S Harikishore, reports TOI.
Later, as per the request for further expertise four Kudumbashree members visited Kambala for ten days from November 13 to train the women in community organisation through agriculture based micro enterprises.
Amritha G.S., Kudumbashree programme officer who was part of the team said, “We emphasised community organisation building through agriculture-based micro-enterprises. Among the 56 persons who underwent training, there were farmers and teachers” reports Deccan Chronicle.
The women from Uganda who obtained entrepreneurial training from the Kudumbashree set up a plant to make juices and wine from roselle flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa), which has turned out to be successful.
TOI reports that the plant in Namagoma, a village in Central Uganda, was set up by a team of 23 members, of which 21 were women. The wine and juice making plant, which was started in May, has started making profits and each member of the unit earns up to Ugandan shilling worth Rs 3,000 a month.
Kudumbashree executive director S. Harikishore told DC, “They earn approximately 171,000 Ugandan shilling per month now which is equivalent to Indian rupees 3,000. The launching of hibiscus vine is expected to fetch 342,000 shilling to each member per month within six months.”
With Christmas season round the corner, the entrepreneurs expect sale of wine to pick up and have been looking forward to earn up to Ugandan shilling worth Rs 6,000 a month.