Kudumbashree - Success Story of Archana Cookware making unit

Making iron cookware and earning livelihood: Success Story of Archana Cookware making unit

‘Archana’ Micro Enterprise unit is the one of the best micro enterprise units of Kudumbashree located at the Palakkad district of Kerala. It was started during 2009 and is located at the 15th ward of Parali Grama Panchayath, Palakkad. This unit manufactures and sells kitchen weapons and iron cookware through direct marketing and fairs. This is a group enterprise and is led by Smt. Krishnakumari. All six members of the unit are the members of Archana NHG. Smt. Krishnakumari is the President and Smt. Prasanna is the secretary of this unit, and the other members include Smt. Havvamma, Smt. Rugmini, Smt. Parvathy and Smt. Shubha. All of them are common housewives with tenth standard and below tenth standard educational qualifications.           

Smt. Krishnakumari’s husband had been doing this manufacturing job and Krishnakumari used to helped him in the sales. They used to sell all products in offices and houses. She says, “I was very nervous during the initial days, I hadn’t known anything about how to sale a product, and it was very difficult to travel with this heavy load, everybody called me as ‘Kathichechi’ (One who sells Knives). During those days she had faced so many financial problems also, they couldn’t even buy the raw materials for production. It was then they decided to start their business as a micro enterprise group. Five members come forward to start a group with a small capital Rs. 25,000 from their own NHG as internal loan. Each of them had contributed Rs.5000.  Palakkad District Mission and Panchayath gave all support to them. Krishnakumari’s husband helped them to make kitchen weapons and other five were doing finishing works like fitting handle, polishing and packing. They were paid Rs.250 as daily wages. Still Krishnakumari is only concentrating in sales. But they have no machines and manufacturing unit. They are now making their product from another manufacturing unit for rental basis. They collect used wood saw from sawmills and makes kitchen weapons and buy iron kitchen wears from wholesale dealers.

Now they had become one of the leading enterprise doing the manufacturing and sales of iron products. They have Rs.1,50,000 turn over per month. Krishnakumari says that the main reason of their success is the support from Kudumbashree Mission. Because till now she had visited almost all states in India and attended many trade fairs. In the beginning they had sold their products only through direct marketing, but now they earn more from fairs. Their first fair was an IRDP fair, suggested by district mission. In that fair they had got a good result. From there they concentrated in fairs and makes more profit. When they had gone for SARAS mela at Sikkim, they had honored as best unit in that fair.

According to Krishnakumari the reason for their success is hard work and unity. All members working in this group are really friendly to each other, they do not have any ego problems in their group. And moreover the main reason is the support of Palakkad District Mission. The District Mission of Palakkad had given the all directions and support for all trade fairs they had attended till now.

One of the main challenge they face is the lack of machineries and factory. Now they are producing their products on rental basis. They had got a space at Kanjikode industrial estate for expanding and shifting their factory. If it possible they can produce the Kitchenware too, and without the help of gents, women can easily make all iron item with a single switch. Now all heavy machine tasks are done by gents, ladies are only doing final tasks. But, the project is stopped because of lack of fund, they had finished the work of building now they have to purchase all the machineries, raw materials and others.

In the beginning stage they sold their products in local markets like weekly markets, monthly markets and festival markets only. After attending the IRDP (Integrated Rural Development Program) trade fair they could identify their market and its possibilities.

Krishnakumari is the one of the best entrepreneurs in Palakkad district. She had received as many honors from within the district and trade fairs. As part of the Women’s day celebrations Kudumbashree Mission had once conducted an experience sharing session in all districts for women who had achieved success in their lives. Krishnakumari had also got a chance to share her experience in ‘Sakshyam’ stage as well. She got appreciations for sharing her life experiences and the judging panel had given her extra half an hour for her session. For Krishnakumari, that was the happiest moment in her life.

Her ambition was to start a well occupied manufacturing unit at Kanjikode industrial estate and to make it a high profitable unit, also she wishes to buy a van for her group members to travelling from Parali to their unit at Kanjikode.

Krishnakumari and her group members’ advices that every Kudumbashree unit member should keep unity and patience among their group members.  According to them it is the main reason behind each and every success story.

It is purely the self confidence in oneself that made these women start and success in such an enterprise. When Kudumbashree Mission supported them wholeheartedly, they succeeded in their enterprise and is moving forward.