Kudumbashree - Success Story of Kairali Brick Making Unit

Making Building Blocks and earning livelihood: Success Story of Kairali Brick Making Unit

Kairali was one of the average graded NHGs in Kannambra grama panchayath of Palakkad district of Kerala in the initial period.  All members in the NHG searched for an income generation activity during 2008 and started some activities like lease land farming and animal husbandry caring. The members were so happy with that activity. One stone crusher unit was started in the area of the NHG helped to rethink.  8 members of Kairali NHG, including its president and secretary visited one of the bricks making unit in Thrissur with instruction of the owner of the stone crusher unit. After the visit, the opportunity of availability of the raw material in the nearest place led to the launch of a cement bricks making unit.  Cement bricks are made using stone and stone powder.

 Village Extension officer of the village prepared a proposal for evolvement of the unit and submitted it to the panchayath for all its initial licenses. Panchayath provided all needed licenses and the unit started functioning with the support of subsidy from the block panchayath. Bricks making unit was included in the small cottage industry of rural development department. Kairali NHG conducted a meeting for the selection of the members for the unit and only 8 members had shown interest to take up the job.  A small work shed was built in the land of one active member and that family fully supported the functioning the unit. In the initial times, they had faced issues of less voltage to operate the machine.  One of the major success was a transformer fixed in the area which provided more voltage to all families near the unit. 
The crusher owner gave the stone powder and small stone on credit basis and it also helped to run and develop the unit into a sustainable model. The members took small amount as salary in the initial period and they saved money for betterment of infrastructure of the unit. All neighbors and political leaders extended support and helped find orders for the bricks. The unit functioned on the basis of order for bricks availed from Palakkad and Thrissur. Vehicle driver and cement distributer also helped to collect more order for the unit. 
Presently the unit have only 4 members, the other 4 members left the unit due to some of their physical problems. The hard work and physical work are very essential to bricks making unit. Making of bricks and loading to vehicle are the main activity of members. A cement brick has an average weight of 15 kg always loaded to lorry vehicle is a herculean task. But the unit members were doing the activity with full enjoyment, because they availed a per month wages of Rs.8500-15000.  Smt. Lilly is the president and Smt. Annamma is the Secretary of the unit.

Belief in self to do the work, Support of the Village Extension officer, continuous support of Kudumbashree and local self-government, self-identification of orders and work, quality of product- No using special gum to bricks were the reason for their success. Purchase of new machinery with high speed capacity – increased the number of production is the Turning point to success. They are planning to change the location to other area and select some outside workers will select, own a vehicle for transportation and identify regular shop for sales and order of bricks are their future ambitions. Installation of new machine and infrastructure developed by saving of money- self ownership is their happiest moment in their life. “Belief in self to do any hard or difficult work as a passion” is their message to the aspiring women. By extending opportunities to many women like the entrepreneurs of Kairali Brick Making unit, Kudumbashree Mission is giving wings to the dreams of many and helping them fly!