DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS:
One of the activities initially undertaken by the swadhyaya sangams has been the distribution of household articles and commodities of everyday use. Sevashram buys the required goods in bulk, which are made available to the sangams for distribution to the members who are given the facility of paying the price in instalments. Every effort is made to have some control on the price and quality of the commodities brought and distributed through Sevashram. Above all there is total transparency in the whole transaction. The list of commodities with their prices and handling charges are notified, and the amount of instalment to be paid is specified. Each sangham maintains its own accounts and presents them at the weekly meetings.
HOUSEHOLD-BASED ACTIVITIES :
An agro-based programme of the Sevashram, that is cost-effective, is that of vermi compost. This can easily be implemented by any small farmer at the household level. The basic requirement is an earthen jar costing about Rs.500. The jar can be kept on the premises of the house. Biodegradable waste materials are deposited in the jar and earthworms are allowed to grow. Sevashram supplies the worms. An individual household can produce about 1200 kg of vermi compost in a year through this process.
Another home-based activity for the benefit of the rural community is the cultivation of Azolla, a blue-green algae that has high nutritious content. It can be used for feeding cattle and poultry. The basic requirement for this activity is the concrete container for growing the plant. The seeds of Azolla and the containers are provided by Sevasharam. A pair of containers and the raw materials would cost about Rs.1000.
Gruhaiswarya, another household programme of Sevashram, is that of kitchen garden for growing vegetables in one’s courtyard using the waste water. Waste water from kitchen is collected in soak pits through small canals constructed by brick and cement, and is used for irrigating the garden.
SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICES :
Sevashram has introduced social security measures in collaboration with the Life Insurance Corporation of India and United India Insurance Company. The organisation enrols people in the Janasree-Bima & Sikshak Sahayog Yojana. The scheme provides insurance cover to those who pay an annual premium of Rs.100 with an equal amount remitted by the Union Government towards the premium. In case of accidental death of the insured, the family will get Rs. 75,000. The scheme also provides for educational aid to the children of the insured. Some of the other policies distributed by Sevashram are Jeevan Madhur, Janatha, Janarogya etc.
With special focus on the service to the senior citizens, Sevashram started the sevan kendra at Kalady on 1 January 2005. Its services include assistance in accessing the benefits from various pension and relief schemes, settling personal, family and property disputes, and leading a happy family life.
Six Kerakendras’ were operationalized by Sevashram in the areas belonging to the Angamaly Block Panchayath.
Kera Kendra is a facilitation centre to help the marginalised farmers engaged in coconut cultivation. It has two basic objectives. (1) Enable the farmers to adopt organic farming methods, mixed, inter- and multi-layer cropping patterns, integrated pest management systems etc. (2) Assist marginalised and small farmers to draw maximum benefit from various developmental projects, launched from time to time by the Central and State Governments, Spices Board, Coconut Development Board, Coir Board, National Horticultural Board, National Medicinal Plants Board, Khadi and Village Industries Commission and Board, Small Farmers Agro Business Consortium (SFAC), Kerala Agricultural University, Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council of Kerala (VFPC-K), NABARD, and other financial institutions.
Sevashram has also a programme of distributing coconut seedlings in order to support and encourage small farmers in coconut cultivation. Coconut seedlings, raised from seed nuts, processed scientifically under the expert guidance of an agronomist, are distributed to the farmers from the houses of Sevashram at Angamaly, Pullani and Vaikom, on a no- profit-no-loss basis.