The Kudumbashree district mission is set to embark on standardisation and branding of products made in BUDS institutions in the district to find a better market for them.
Products made by BUDS school and BUDS rehabiliation centre students and their parents will reach the market under the brand name ‘Ithal.’
The programme is being implemented with the support of the district administration, which has promised interventions to find a market for the branded products.
It was in the 2020-21 financial year that a livelihood project was rolled out for students attending BUDS institutions and their parents. In the first phase, the livelihood project was implemented in 14 BUDS schools and BUDS rehabilitation centres. Each school makes two products. Nearly 200 parents are involved in the project.
The project picked up steam this financial year once the COVID-19 threat had abated. The products made with the participation of teachers in BUDS institutions include notepads, office files, seed pens, cloth bags, and paper bags.
Kudumbashree district officials say that at present if they receive a bulk order for the State or the district and source the products from the BUDS institutions, these tend to vary from institution to institution.
Also, one BUDS institution may be manufacturing standardised products and earning a good turnover, but products made by other institutions may be good enough only for the local market.
With standardisation and branding, uniformity in appearance and design can be ensured, making it possible to get bigger orders, and a turnover of ₹1 lakh to ₹2 lakh a year for each school.
The Kudumbashree officials say the project allows parents to travel with their wards to the BUDS schools, work and interact with other parents there while keeping an eye on the children, and return home with the children. More than the financial benefits, the improvement in the mental health of the parents is a very significant gain.
More diverse products
The livelihood project is being implemented in only 14 of the 44 BUDS school and BUDS rehab centres in the district. If the branding exercise is successful, then the project may be extended to other institutions and more diverse products identified for production.
Besides an online presence, these products will also be sold through the Kudumbashree bazaars. A kiosk at the Disrict Collectorate, with an honesty box where the BUDS products can be picked up and the money deposited in a box, is also being planned.
Logo designed
The Kerala State Institute of Design at Chanthanathope in Kollam has designed the logo for the branding. It has readied guidelines for the branding process and is providing the training too. A two-day training programme for 50 parents and teachers concluded at the Karakulam Grameena Padhana Kendram on Sunday.
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