Women / Girls – JUMMA MASJID AMMATHI . Built in 1910. Centenarian Mosque.

UAE: Meet the Indian who is travelling from Kerala to London on a bicycle

KERALA :

Fayis Ashraf Ali, who is currently in the Emirates for a pit stop, says one of his biggest dreams is to meet his hero Sheikh Hamdan.

Thirty-four-year-old Fayis Ashraf Ali, a hard-core adventurer, has embarked on a big solo mission: To travel around 35 countries in 450 days — on a bicycle.

From the south Indian state of Kerala, Ali is biking his way to London to cover 30,000km. After departing Thiruvananthapuram on August 15 — where state Education Minister V Sivankutty flagged off his journey — he arrived in the UAE via Oman on September 27.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ali said he entered the UAE through Ras Al Khaimah and cycled through Khor Fakkan and Fujairah to arrive in Ajman.

“I will cycle to Sharjah, spend some time there attending events and then head on to Dubai and Abu Dhabi before crossing into Saudi Arabia,” he said.

The cyclist plans to spend 24 days in the Emirates, the third destination on his list. Here’s a photo of him in Khor Fakkan.

Hoping to meet his hero Sheikh Hamdan

In the UAE, Ali has only one hope – to meet the Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“He is my hero. I draw so much inspiration from his adventurous personality. I sincerely hope to meet him before I depart for Saudi Arabia,” he said.

After his UAE pit stop, he will be moving to Saudi Arabia, where he will cycle across the country for two months.

“I hope to go to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, and visit every place in Saudi Arabia, where I worked for four years with Wipro before leaving my job,” said Ali, an electrical engineer who has kept aside his professional goal to cycle worldwide.

From Saudi Arabia, he will travel to Qatar, and Bahrain, return to Saudi Arabia then head to Kuwait.

“From there. I will go to Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey and enter Europe through Greece. I plan to ride across 22 countries in Europe and hope to reach London in 2023,” he said.

This is not Ali’s first long journey on his bicycle. In 2019, he cycled from Kozhikode to Singapore in 104 days, covering more than 8,000km. He pedalled through Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia during that time.

No support crew, no hotel bookings

Going on this adventure — without any support crew — is not a spur-of-the-moment decision for the cyclist. In fact, it took him over a year and a half to plan the solo journey.

“I am travelling alone as this is being done on a budget. I am staying with people I meet during my travels. I have not booked rooms in hotels or lodges,” said Ali.

For example, in Khor Fakkan, Ali stayed with some cafeteria workers across the police station.

“I coincidentally went into the cafeteria to eat some food and told them about my journey. They invited me to stay with them for the night,” he said. “Since I am a Rotary Club member, I stayed in some of the club locations in India. I am hoping to find similar support in Europe. If not, I will sleep in a tent, a mosque, or whichever place that will have me for the night,” he said.

The Rotary Club, Norka-Roots, Malayalam Mission, Kerala Tourism and the Kerala Hearts Foundation are supporting the endeavour.

He rides on a Surly Disk Trucker Cycle, sponsored by UAE-based travel and luggage accessories company ParaJohn. Dubai- based Emirates First is also lending some financial assistance to him.

On his bicycle, he carries four bags filled with clothes, a battery pack, dried fruits, tools, and a GPS tracker. He rides only in the mornings.

What inspired Ali to take up this adventure?

Ali left his job as a networking engineer in 2016 to take care of his father who was suffering from a cardiac ailment.

“I got into the habit of cycling around that time. I got my cycle when my father was in the ICU. Unfortunately, a week later, my father died,” said Ali. He believes cycling would strengthen one’s heart.

Ali is cycling to raise awareness about heart health, world peace, health care, zero carbon emission and zero drugs. He is married to dentist Dr Asmin Fayis and a father to two boys, Fahzin Omar and Izin Nahel.

“My wife supports me in every way possible. She is the one who plans my itinerary and posts on social media. She helps me immensely with the paperwork needed for such a journey. She does all this while taking care of our kids and is an assistant professor at the Coorg Institute for Dental Sciences. She is a superwoman,” he said.

Ali says that to make extraordinary achievements, one has to make several sacrifices. “I do not want to go back to work, and I want to achieve something extraordinary before I depart from this world,” he stated.

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> World> UAE / by Dhanusha Gokulam / September 29th, 2022

Shaharabanu is bringing smiles on faces of would-be brides from poor families

Chettali (Madikeri Talu), Kodagu, KARNATAKA :

From pre-wedding shoots to the selection of bridal outfits, the stress, especially on the bride-to-be, is tremendous.

Shaharabanu shows one of the many bridal outfits which is available at The Rainbow Free Bridal Boutique, opened just weeks ago | Express

Madikeri :

From pre-wedding shoots to the selection of bridal outfits, the stress, especially on the bride-to-be, is tremendous. It is the day when she hopes to look her most beautiful.

However, not every bride can afford a dream wedding, and many young women are forced to stick to simple and inexpensive wear. The Rainbow Free Bridal Boutique in Kodagu is taking these weddings up by a notch. Established by Shaharabanu (20), the Free Bridal Boutique is just weeks old, and operates from the rural part of Chettalli in Madikeri taluk.

Shaharabanu, who quit studies after completing PU examinations last year, is a YouTuber, and had also worked as a beautician for some time. The strong calling to do charity work has manifested itself in the form of this boutique.

“I always looked forward to doing charity work, but my family is not very well-to-do. Financial hurdles are many. However, a unique initiative has been started by one of my friends in Kerala, which led to the establishment of the Rainbow Free Bridal Boutique, a first of its kind in Karnataka,” explained Shaharabanu.

So, what is so unique about this boutique? It provides free bridal dresses to brides from economically weaker sections of society. “Weddings are very special to girls, and almost every girl dreams of wearing a special outfit on that day. However, many cannot afford these bridal outfits, and hence, I started a boutique to collect bridal clothes from women from rich families,” she explained.

She laid out her plan on social media platforms and received positive feedback and support. Responding to her social media post, many women donated their wedding attire, like sarees which they had worn for their own nuptials, and fancy outfits from their trousseau.

The clothes were collected and dry cleaned. “I have collected many wedding clothes, some even from my family members. These clothes will be handed over to brides from weaker sections of society, including orphaned girls who are unable to afford wedding clothes,” she said.

“Our generation is very active on social media and we often make new friends virtually. A WhatsApp group of like-minded girls who were on Instagram was created almost a year ago. In the group, one of the girls, who was poor, requested us to help her out for her wedding,” recalls Shaharabanu.

However, she felt helpless with her family’s meagre earnings, since her parents, Ameena and Maanu from Chettalli, are daily wage workers. Despite the impediments, the girls managed to collect funds and bought their friend a new bridal outfit, she added.

Following the incident, she realised that many girls face this challenge before their wedding, which the girls discussed in the group. That is when one of the girls from Kerala informed her about a boutique that donates bridal dresses to girls from poor families. “This boutique was started by a Kannur resident, Sabeeda, and I contacted her for support. Initially, when everyone was reluctant to donate their bridal wear to my boutique, Sabeeda helped me and brought many dresses all the way from Kannur to Chettalli,” she recalled.

When dresses were donated to a couple of poor girls, residents from Madikeri and Virajpet came forward and donated their bridal outfits. “My house is small. I had to make space to keep the dresses without damaging them. I bought a shelf for this purpose which is in my mother’s room, where the dresses are kept neatly,” she said. “It has been just 15 days since I started the boutique. There is no bar on religion or community of the brides. They can book the service and visit my place in Chettalli to select the dresses they want from what’s available. They can keep the outfits for themselves. This service is for those brides across the state who are battling economic hardship,” she said.

To ensure that the dresses reach the needy, she asks the beneficiary to submit a letter from the religious committees concerned, about the family’s financial situation. In just two weeks, more than 40 brides from across the state contacted the boutique, and Shaharabanu is working towards making their weddings special. “I ask the girls to visit my place 20 days prior to the wedding day. Their happy faces when they find the right bridal dress give me immense pleasure and satisfaction,” she added.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News/ by Prajna GR, Express News Service / April 24th, 2022

Three girl students from Kodagu return safely from war-torn Ukraine

Amidst the blitzkrieg from the Russian military, three students from Kodagu managed to leave the conflict zones in Ukraine and safely returned to India much to the relief of their family members who were pleading for their safe evacuation ever since Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

Alisha Sayyad Ali, Siniya V.J. and M.P. Nirmala, who managed to reach the borders in available modes of transport from their respective cities, returned on Wednesday in the evacuation flights operated by the Indian government.

The girls’ return was confirmed to The Hindu by the Kodagu district administration, whose officials were in touch with the stranded students since the war broke out. A few of the students from Kodagu and Mysuru are said to have reached Poland and are waiting for their evacuation. All of them are safe.

Siniya, who landed in Bengaluru airport on Wednesday evening, was welcomed by her family members.

Jose, her uncle, said Siniya had to walk about 20 km from her shelter in Kyiv along with other students to the railway station to reach Livv. She was evacuated from Budapest in Hungary to New Delhi.

“Minutes before Siniya was supposed to board a flight to Dubai on February 24 from Kyiv to join her sister for a vacation, Russian forces attacked Ukraine and the flights got cancelled. She had to rush back to her accommodation in available means of transport for her safety. Her 40-kg baggage was stuck in Kyiv airport and she flew to India with only a few pairs of clothes as all her belongings are at the airport,” Mr. Jose said.

Alisha, a student of Ivan Francisco Medical University, has also returned.

M.P. Nirmala, a student of Bogomoleth National Medical University in Kyiv, was stranded at a school after the invasion. Her mother Rajani was praying for her early return, pleading with the authorities for her evacuation. Ms Rajani said, “My daughter landed in Delhi this morning and is on her way to Bengaluru.”

Karthik, brother of Likith, who was stranded in Kharkiv with eight others, said his brother and some of his friends have reached Poland. “It was tough for them to reach the borders but they managed and are now away from the conflict zone Kharkiv which is under siege. They are waiting for their turn to board the next evacuation flights,” he said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – March 02nd, 2022

Kodagu girl returns safely to India from war-torn Ukraine, urges Indian Embassy to rescue others

Madeeha received support from the Indian Embassy. She was among the 240 Indian students who were evacuated from Ukraine on Monday.

Madikeri :

A girl from Kodagu studying in Ukraine has returned to Karnataka safely.

However, she has requested the Indian Embassy to help numerous other students who are trapped in the war zone.

Madeeha MG, daughter of Gafoor MM, is a resident of Gonikoppal in Kodagu. Madeeha is pursuing her first-year MBBS in Uzhhorod city of Ukraine at the Uzhhorod National University.

“I left for Uzhhorod on January 14. Uzhhorod City is safe and there was no bombing in the city,” Madeeha shared.

She, however, felt a sense of panic following the news of the war. “I kept getting updates on the war from Indian news channels and I panicked a bit. My parents were also worried. However, the University supported us,” she explained.

The University arranged for a bus to reach the Hungary border and once they crossed the border, Madeeha received support from the Indian Embassy.

“As soon as we reached Hungary, facilities were extended to us by the Indian Embassy. From Hungary, we boarded a flight arranged by the Embassy to reach Budapest Airport. From here, we reached Delhi. At the Delhi Airport, the Karnataka state government had arranged for a flight to Bengaluru and we landed safely in Bengaluru,” she said.

She was among the 240 Indian students who were evacuated from Ukraine on Monday. She appealed to the Indian Embassy to help evacuate numerous other students who are stuck in the war zone.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / March 01st, 2022

Kodagu students take refuge in bunkers after explosions

*Students from Kodagu and other cities of Karnataka taking shelter in a bunker at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT*

Family members tense as stranded students yet to get evacuated from the war-torn Ukraine amidst rising attacks

The family members of students from Kodagu stranded in worn-torn Ukraine are keeping their fingers crossed and desperately hoping for their early and safe return amidst unrelenting air strikes on the cities by Russian forces.

Sinya Varoke Jose, a 22-year-old fourth year medical student in the capital Kiev, which is under attack with Russian military advancing, has taken shelter in a bunker at a school building with another student from Karnataka. The Indian Embassy asked them to shift to the bunker after attacks on Kiev intensified.

Mr. Jose, Sinya’s uncle in Ponnampet, said the stranded Indian students had given the information that the Indian Embassy is in constant touch with them but their evacuation is getting delayed with rise in aerial strikes on the city, and difficulty in reaching the nearest international border amidst the war situation.

“The embassy officials seem to have told them that they need about eight buses to shift all of them to the border. Moreover, there is a shortage of gas as only 15 litress per vehicle is being provided. Even food is in short supply and they are having a harrowing time,” Mr. Jose explained his niece’s plight.

Mr Jose, who spoke to Sinya on Saturday morning and has been in constant touch since the war began, said her mother lives in a village near Ponnampet and she hasn’t been told about the crisis. “We are praying for her early return. My niece told me that the locals are helping them but the situation is very tense and unsafe,” he said.

*Likith, a student from Ponnampet in Kodagu, who is one of the students from Karnataka stranded at Kharkiv in war-torn Ukraine. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT*

Karthik is constantly watching news channels for updates on the Ukraine-Russia war as his brother Likith is stuck in Kharkiv, one of the cities bombarded by the Russian forces.

As the war situation escalated, the Indian Embassy has told Indians stranded in Kharkiv not to venture out unless told by them even as Karnataka students have so far not received any communication about their evacuation.

“With my brother, eight other Karnataka students are stuck in Kharkiv. They moved to a bunker from the basement of their apartment on Saturday morning after loud explosions. Our prayer to the Indian government is to help them reach the border and evacuate them at the earliest to India as my family is worried about their safety,” said Karthik, an MBA student in Mysuru.

The place where Karnataka students are stuck also has 100-plus students from other Indian States.

Karthik, who has sent mails to the State government and the district administration with details of his brother for help, said Likith, a third year student at Kharkiv National Medical University, was planning to return to India after tensions rose but he did not get tickets. He attended online and offline classes the day before Russian invaded Ukraine. His flight was scheduled on March 3.

The situation appears to be tense as they are constantly hearing loud explosions. From the basement, they shifted to the bunker for their safety and eagerly awaiting evacuation calls from the Embassy, said Karthik, whose mother is a nurse.

“The nearest international border is about 1,500-km. away So, it is very challenging for the embassy officials too to move all of them to the border for evacuation. We don’t know how the situation will evolve in the next couple of days as tensions are building up with essentials getting exhausted,” said Karthik, after speaking to his brother.

Ten students from Kodagu are stuck in Kiev, Kharkiv, and Sumy Oblast. They include Ashwin Kumar B.V., Alisha Saiyad Ali, Billava Likith Koragappa, Chandan Gowda, Akshitha Akkamma, M.P. Nirmala, Arjun Vasanth, Sinya V.J., Mysore Kantharaj Tejaswini and Sheetal Sampath, according to the district administration.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 26th, 2022

Ashram in Karnataka’s Madikeri unites those deserted by their kin

Established in April 2017, Thanal Ashram has provided shelter and been a home to many women, including a few who now live happily with their families.

Madikeri :

Solace to the distressed, neglected and the homeless – this resonates as a synonym of Thanal Ashram in Madikeri. Established in April 2017, Thanal Ashram has provided shelter and been a home to many women, including a few who now live happily with their families.

Located amid the chaos of bad roads and routine buzz of the normal world, Thanal is a symbol of tranquillity. Smiling faces and sweet greetings welcome one into the building, currently home to 24 women. Most of them are homeless, and a few others made the ashram their home, after being deserted by their families.

“A 96-year-old woman who was found on the road, was brought to Thanal. The first thing we do is give them a bath. The woman was unclean but refused to take a bath till she was fed. When we gave her food, she ate her fill. This is when I realised that we first need to cater to their hunger,” shared Shashikala BK, an employee of the ashram.

She narrated stories about many women who were, and are, being nurtured at Thanal. “An old woman, Parvathy, was brought to the ashram from the District Hospital in Madikeri. After she was admitted to hospital, no family member came to take her back. She had cancer and she passed on in a few months, after living at the ashram,” she said.

Parvathy was from the Kodava community. “In order to perform the final rites as per Parvathy’s religion, we contacted people from the Makkada Koota and Kodava Samaj. The members took Parvathy’s body for cremation, as per Kodava rituals,” explained Mohammed Musthafa, the head of Thanal in Madikeri.

“Parvathy had no family, but there were many people from the surrounding areas who attended her funeral and bid her goodbye,” recalls Shashikala.

The head office of Thanal is based in Kerala, and is founded by Dr Idris, who is also chairman of the charitable trust. In Madikeri, the trust is run by Daya Rehabilitation Trust, headed by Musthafa. “No one who has a family should stay homeless on the roads. While we shelter the homeless, we look forward to reuniting them with their families,” says Musthafa.

He narrated the stories of Muthulakshmi, Jalavathi and others who were reunited with their families after many years of separation. “Jalavathi is from Uttar Pradesh. She got lost on a train and somehow ended up in Madikeri. She couldn’t speak proper Hindi and didn’t know her address. Her son’s number was traced by Thanal and she was reunited with her family after two years,” says Musthafa.

Like Jalavathi, Muthulakshmi was found in a pitiable state near the Madikeri Bus Depot. Two of her toes had fallen off and her legs were rotting due to myiasis (infection caused by maggots). She was treated for her infection and mental illness.

“During the course of her treatment, she recalled the name of her village. There are many villages by that name and we visited several before we finally traced her village in Tamil Nadu. She was reunited with her family after seven years. No one must stay orphaned if they have a family and Thanal strongly believes in this,” said Mohammed.

However, a few women who have been abandoned by relatives, swear to spend their last days in the comfort provided by Thanal. This destitute home has sheltered over 80 women in the past three years and has united at least eight families.

In case of death, the rituals of the deceased’s community are followed during the last rites. “This is not a home for people from any particular caste or community. This is a home for humans,” shared Musthafa.

The ashram is run by the trust, and with support from the main branch of Thanal. However, it is in need of more funds and benefactors who recognise their social work. Reach out to Thanal Ashram on 9844558896.

Thanal Ashram

Established in Madikeri in April 2017 to provide a home to distressed and homeless women. It has since become a home to many.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Prajna G R, Express News Service / January 23rd, 2022

MLC candidates in Kodagu declare assets

Suja Kushalappa is the richest among the candidates who have filed nominations for Legislative Council elections in Kodagu.

Suja Kushalappa’s total assets add up to Rs 26.22 crore. His wife Parvathi has assets worth Rs 11.27 crore (including ancestral property). He has liabilities to the tune of Rs 4.77 crore and his wife has availed loans upto Rs 17.59 lakh.

Suja, his wife and children own a total of twenty vehicles, out of which a pick-up vehicle is registered in Suja’s name. He has 350 gm gold worth Rs 16.38 lakh. His wife has diamond jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh, 1,400 gm gold and 10 kg silver.

Suja possesses a revolver, a gun and two 0.22 rifles. Suja has failed in SSLC, as declared in the affidavit submitted by him during the filing of nominations for MLC elections.

Dr Mantar Gowda’s declaration in the affidavit states that his assets are worth Rs 94 lakh and his wife’s assets are worth Rs 2.95 crore. He has an Innova Ford car, 600 gm gold and 2 kg silver. Mantar’s wife Divya has 1,500 gm gold and 3 kg silver. He has a license to grow tobacco. His education qualification is MBBS, MD (Radiology).

Isac Khan has Rs 1 lakh and his wife Fauziya has Rs 3.57 lakh. They have no liabilities. He has studied upto PUC.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DHNS, Madikeri / November 23rd, 2021

Honesty Glitters More Than Gold: Petrol Pump Staff Finds Suitcase With Jewels

A petrol pump attendant returned a suitcase that contained gold jewels worth more than Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 6 lakh (a conservative estimate) to the actual owners. The suitcase was left on the main road by two women who had alighted a bus from Bengaluru in Kushalnagar.

On the night of Thursday (Nov. 4) at 10, a bus stopped in front of the TATA Petrol Pump in Kushalnagar amidst rain. Two women got down from the bus with bags and a black suitcase. They were waiting on the road while a car stopped in front of them. In a tearing hurry to get inside the car to escape rain, the women forgot the suitcase on the road. The car left the place moments later.

As it was closing time, H.V. Somashekar came out of his petrol pump office to close the gates after a long day. The black suitcase lying on the road amidst a drizzle caught his eye. He looked around only to see the area deserted. He did not open the suitcase; instead stood near it and called the Kushalnagar Police Station.

Dy.SP Shailendra and Circle Inspector Mahesh asked ASI Manjunath and two others to go to the spot and retrieve the suitcase, taking all precautions. They did not have any idea of what the suitcase contained and brought the same to the Police Station.

As they opened the box, they could not believe their eyes. It contained gold ornaments, all brand new. Not sure of the value of the gold, they also recovered cash worth Rs. 5,000 and two costly watches. There were some new clothes in it and the Police found a slip with a phone number.

When the Police called that number and told the woman on the other side who answered the call that they were calling from Kushalnagar Police Station, the woman immediately cut the call hearing the word ‘Police’ and switched off the mobile. The Police kept on trying but the mobile was not switched on.

However, at around midnight when the Police dialled the number, the same woman picked up the call. The Police told her about the suitcase found in front of the petrol pump. The woman till then had not realised that her black suitcase was missing and only after the call it dawned on her that she had forgotten the suitcase on the road that night.

The woman, who identified herself as Nafisa from Bengaluru, had given her daughter in marriage to a family at Kumboor near Suntikoppa and the mother and daughter had come from Bengaluru to attend a relative’s wedding in Kushalnagar.

Though they wanted to come to the Police Station at midnight, the Police refused as there were procedures to be completed. They were asked to come the next morning. Accordingly, they came to the Police Station, checked the box and found all the ornaments and other valuables intact.

Picture shows petrol pump staff H.V. Somashekar receiving the cash reward from Dy. SP Shailendra as Inspectors Mahesh and Traffic SI Chandrashekhar look on.

The mother and daughter profusely thanked the petrol pump employee Somashekar for returning the suitcase with jewels and also thanked the Police.

Somashekar told the Police that he believed in hard work and was a God-fearing man without having a desire to grab somebody else’s cash and gold. The mother-daughter duo and the Police gave Somashekar a cash award for his honesty.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / November 06th, 2021

True grit: These women from Kodagu rise from ruins towards self-reliance

The villagers were mostly agriculturists, but with their farmlands and estates buried under debris, their future appeared grim.

Madikeri :

In August 2018, when the skies opened up with a vengeance, and flash floods and landslides left a trail of destruction, Kaluru was one of the worst-hit villages in Kodagu district. People lost their livestock, houses, farmlands and estates overnight.

“Over 200 families moved to relief centres in August and we returned to our village only in October. Estates, farmlands, cattle – everything was lost,” recalls Dechavva, who was left to pick up the pieces after the disaster.

The villagers were mostly agriculturists, but with their farmlands and estates buried under debris, their future appeared grim. If was the women who rose from the ruins to crossed all hurdles to turn around their lives. Their grit and determination earned them the title of ‘Kaluru women’. They are now entrepreneurs and sole breadwinners, thanks to Project Coorg, a rehabilitation initiative.

Narrating how they started getting back on their feet, Dechavva, who became a master tailor at the age of 65, says the village temple priest, Nagesh Kaluru, approached Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, seeking support to rebuild the life of the villagers.

Dechavva, who learnt tailoring at the age of 65

Under Project Coorg, the trust started organising skill development programmes for the women of the village. They were also joined by a few affected women from Devasthuru village. Soon, tailoring and food processing training programmes took shape.

The tailoring unit was headed by Ashrafunissa. “I didn’t know much about Kaluru village till the disaster. I stay in Madikeri and my house also suffered severe damage due to landslides. During this time, I was approached by Balaji Kashyap – who heads Project Coorg. I was asked to train women in tailoring,” she says. A total of 30 women were trained for six months.

However, not all the women wanted to take up needle and thread. The older ones opted for food processing, and 30 women were trained in manufacturing masala, pickle, chocolates, chips, rice flour and other food items by Neena Shetty, award-winning chef from Udupi.

“We wanted to create a continuous revenue generating model for the women. We didn’t take the CSR approach as it is not suitable for the situation here. However, sponsors and partners came in to support the initiative after seeing our work,” says Kashyap of Project Coorg.

The women were also taught soft skills and other business know-how by Kashyap and the initiative launched ‘Yashaswi’ – a self-help group to empower the Kaluru women. The villagers’ struggle didn’t go unnoticed. Many sponsors came forward to support the group, and the land for the Yashaswi factory was donated by the Karera family of the village. The factory building was sponsored by the Kodava Koota of North America. With equipment donated by various companies, including Bosch India, the women of Kaluru soon became entrepreneurs.

“I only worked in farmlands all my life. I did not know how to even hold a needle. But our trainer, Ashrafunissa, taught me like I was a child and now I stitch bags for several companies; I continue to earn my own living,” adds Dechavva.

Ashraf explains that the women get orders from various schools to stitch uniforms and other products. “Our business is expanding as we are getting orders from colleges outside Kodagu too,” she says. Many other women in the village now have the skill of working with factory jack machines installed at the unit.

Ashrafunissa (standing) and her team at Yashasvi Tailoring Unit | EXPRESS

Muthamma, an entrepreneur under the Yashaswi group, opted for training in food processing as her eyesight was not good enough for stitching. Along with other elder women, she grinds rice and flour, prepares various masala powders and tries her hand at chocolate making. “Apart from the regular salary, we are paid incentives when sales increase,” she said.

A rustic eatery, called Forest Cafe, was also set up next to the factory, and tourists often visit it. “We serve local delicacies and also sell food products which we make,” says Jamuna. The flood victims have now become an inspiration for many, and skill development training is being extended to many other women across the district. “Post the pandemic, the Project Coorg initiative has expanded from being a rehabilitation initiative to a women empowerment initiative,” says Balaji.

30 women trained in manufacturing masala, pickle, chocolates, chips, rice flour and other food items

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Prajna GR, Express News Service / September 26th, 2021