Karthumbi umbrella project battles fund crunch amid soaring demand in Attappadi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Held back by a lack of funds and delayed government support, the Karthumbi Umbrella Project in Attappadi is struggling to keep up with the rising demand. Launched in 2014 by the tribal welfare group Thampu, the initiative has become a lifeline for tribal women in one of the state's most marginalised regions.
'We've made around 12,000 umbrellas this year so far,' says Rajendra Prasad, coordinator at Thampu. 'Once schools reopen, the number could rise to 20,000-22,000,' he said.
The project began with a goal to offer sustainable employment to tribal women who had little to no access to economic independence.
Currently, 30 women across 13 tribal hamlets are actively making three-fold and walking stick umbrellas at home, taking raw materials from a central store and stitching them during their free time. 'One experienced woman can make up to 15-20 umbrellas a day. It takes about 20 minutes to make one. If she finishes 20, she earns Rs 600,' said Prasad.
These numbers could be much higher. But what is stopping them? A lack of consistent support. 'We've trained 250 women but due to a fund crisis, we can't offer jobs to everyone. The tribal department has not given the promised funds for the past three years. That's holding us back,' said Prasad.
The gap between potential and capacity is stark. The team received around 25,000 enquiries this year from across the country, but couldn't fulfil most of them due to the shortage of working capital. Sourcing raw materials is another hurdle.
'All the materials come from Bombay,' says Prasad, listing out the eight essential components-nylon cloth, tube frame, chanduwa, handle, top washer, kangri, inner ferrule and covers.
The total production cost comes to Rs 290-300 per umbrella, including labour, transport and packing. They sell it for Rs 350 in bulk, while it retails at `460 in shops.
'Some of the women used their income to buy two-wheelers, some built houses,' he said. But the profit margins have shrunk over time. 'Initially, women got `75 per umbrella. Now it is Rs 30 because the cost of materials has gone up,' the coordinator added.
The project's turning point came in 2023 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Karthumbi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address.
'That gave us national visibility. We started getting calls from outside Kerala. One of the biggest orders came from Bank of Baroda, which bought 10,000 umbrellas at `350 each. But this year, though they contacted us, we have not been able to confirm the order,' Prasad said.

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