Chinchu Shaj, Silna K.V., Soumya Biju, Natasha Baburaj, Sreevidya R., and Shameena P.N. at the Kochi airport
Kudumbashree members Soumya Biju of Thrissur, Natasha Baburaj of Ernakulam, Sreevidya R. of Palakkad, and Silna K.V. of Kasaragod are thrilled about having visited New Delhi for the Independence Day parade.
The women got the opportunity to celebrate the country’s 78th Independence Day following an invite from the Union Defence Ministry through the Union Rural Development Ministry. The four are entrepreneurs and farmers in the farm and non-farm sectors under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission that is being implemented in the State through the Kudumbashree.
They were informed about the opportunity to take part in the Independence Day celebrations from the Kudumbashree State Mission. Accompanied by Kudumbashree State programme manager (farm livelihood) Shameena P.N. and State assistant progamme manager (microenterprises) Chinchu Shaj, the women left for New Delhi from Kochi on August 13.
The women are still excited about the unexpected flight journey and getting to watch the parade directly instead of on TV.
As many as 75 women and their partners had attended the Independence Day celebrations on the invitation of the Union Rural Development Ministry. A special function was held to honour them on August 14 in which Union Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandrasekhar attended.
Soumya Biju rears cows and goats while Natasha Baburaj owns a mushroom enterprise and sells value-added products made from coconut. They were selected from the Lakhpati Didi category, while Sreevidya and Silna who have received drone training and procured a licence have been selected from the Drone Didi category.
