Kudumbashree, a Kerala initiative “aimed at complete poverty eradication,” was launched in 1998. It is built on neighborhood groups, ayalkoottam, of 10 to 20 women from the same area. They meet every week and pool their savings. Membership is open to all adult women, one per family.
The groups run small enterprises, such as baby food units, catering, tailoring and poultry. In 2018 The News Minute counted “nearly 41.5 lakh members.”