Cost Effective Crematorium for the landless - Successful Women from Kudumbashree Mission

There is a micro enterprise located at the Idukki District Mission of Kudumbashree named ‘Pratheeksha’. As the name implies, the unit itself is being the last hope of many destitute and many landless people in and around the Idukki District of Kerala. The Idukki District Mission of Kudumbashree made a different yet socially relevant intervention by launching a cost effective mobile crematorium and is being a hope of so many destitute and landless who would be in the sorrow of the loss of their beloved  ones.

Cost Effective Mobile Crematorium

The idea of Mobile Crematorium was put forward by the Kudumbashree unit from the Idavetti CDS of Idavetti Panchayath, Idukki. The unit focuses mainly at serving the landless and destitute other than earning a monthly income of their own. Even though, every unit member earns at least Rs 8000 per month out of the Mobile Crematorium. The idea was propelled to address the space shortage for funeral faced by landless people.

The first of its kind initiative among the Kudumbashree Enterprises was inaugurated on 22 December 2017. The Mobile Crematorium is launched under the leadership of Pratheeksha Yuvashree.

A Yuvashree group consists of both men and women in the age group 18-35 years. This is an initiative of Kudumbashree mission to provide work to the unemployed youth who are below poverty line. These people are given the freedom to start an enterprise in which they are interested and Kudumbashree supports them just like how it supports the other enterprises run by women.

The unit was started with an investment of Rs 10 lakh. Out of that, Rs 5.5 lakhs was taken as loan and Rs 3.5 lakhs was received was received as innovation fund.  The rest of the amount was met by the unit members themselves. The office of the Mobile Crematorium unit is at Sasthamparambu, Idukki. Smt. Anitha Vinoop, Smt. Tintu Smithesh, Smt. Sandhya Jayesh, Smt Shalini and Shri. Ranjith Gopalan (son of Kudumbashree Neighbourhood Group Member) are the members of the Yuvashree unit.  

Even though they struggled in the initial stages of the commencement of the functioning of the unit, the mobile crematorium unit is now extending their services to at least 7 different locations a month.

Usually, cremation consumes a lot of money. It is for lowering the expenses of cremation that the Pratheeksha unit made such an intervention. The mobile crematorium is gas operated and so is eco- friendly. The eco-friendly gas crematoriums are not only cost-effective and time-saving but also smoke and smell-free as well.

Working of Mobile Crematorium

The mobile crematorium is brought to the location as per the request. The unit had also procured a vehicle to bring the mobile crematorium to the respective locations. Other than that, the unit also set up the temporary sheds and also take initiative to make necessary arrangements for the cremation activities.

The unit had also extended their services to outside the district as well. The unit had stretched out their services to Kaloor region of Ernakulam district and to various other regions as well.  The initiative thereby helps the people to meet the funeral activities at low of cost. The Destitute, Kudumbashree members and those families who deserve special care and attention may receive special considerations for availing the mobile crematorium services. The service charge would be deducted and only the expenses is charged for destitute families.

With their socially committed work, The Mobile Crematorium unit had been bringing in positive vibes in the society thereby raising themselves. They are earning their income along with serving as many landless and destitute in the district and is being a ray of hope to many of them who would be mourning in grief because of the loss of their beloved ones. It is their social commitment and empathy that brought the micro entrepreneurs of Mobile Crematorium to such a novel idea. By offering help to as many people the unit is writing the story of compassion and love. By encouraging such units, Kudumbashree Mission is thereby being a ray of hope to many.