Micro Enterprises + Moo Moo's

We had rain today!  And learned a lot.  Representatives from the state organization Kudumbashree came and told us all about their work.  We were supposed to go their office, but apparently there were statewide strikes going on and the roads may have been blocked.  So they came to the LBC.  Kudumbashree's mission statement is:

"To eradicate absolute poverty in ten years through concerted community actions under the leadership of local governments, by facilitating organization of the poor for combining self-help with demand-led convergence of available services and resources to tackle the multiple dimensions and manifestations of poverty, holistically."

The work they do is built around social, economic, and women's empowerment and work with micro-enterprises and micro-financing among other programs.  After the talks we went to visit three of the micro-enterprises that developed with the help of Kudumbashree.

The first business was the Pioneer Paper Bag Unit.  They use recycled papers and magazines to make mostly bags and jewelry.  

Cute kiddos in the area

The women were so proud of what they do. They were showing us two awards that they received along with all of their work.

A PUPPY! 

The second business we went to was a dairy unit.  This woman runs the unit all by herself.  She has a machine that milks the cows for her.  She also has a bio digester that collects the gas from the cow poo and she uses that gas instead of buying it from the grid.  

Her ladies

Baby!

Look at that face!

Talking with the owner

Her home

The third business was a distributing center for Nutrimix, a nutrient packed formula that is given to pre-schoolers.  All government funded pre-schools purchase the product for their children.  We even tasted the formula.  It was pretty good; it was just a powder with a peanuty taste.  I'd eat it. 

Kehla modeling our super awesome hats we wore while touring the center

Ingrid and Katie with some owners/workers

Packaging area

A few of us went out for some dinner and decided to stop in this huge bridal store. 

So many gorgeous things to wear!

Tomorrow we are heading out bright and early to Kumarakom and staying in a houseboat on the backwaters of Kerala for the night.  For the next few days I'll be traveling all around Kerala to Aleppy, Kumarakom, Kochi, Thrissur, and Thekkadi.  I'm not sure if I will have internet service in any of those places, but if I do, you will know! :)