INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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Personal Empowerment of Women in Ayalkkoottam in Alappuzha
District
Dr.Latha.P1, Dr.Rincy.V.Mathew2
Institute of Human Resource Development, India
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.1208004130
Received: 04 Oct 2024; Accepted: 11 Oct 2025; Published: 25 October 2025
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the impact of the Ayalkkoottam (Neighborhood Groups, the primary tier of the
Kudumbashree Mission) on the personal empowerment of women in the Alappuzha District of Kerala.
Kudumbashree, a globally recognized poverty eradication and women empowerment mission, organizes
women into these community-based structures. Personal empowerment, a key dimension of overall women's
empowerment, is assessed through indicators such as self-confidence, self-esteem, decision-making power,
mobility, and awareness of rights. Available research data from Alappuzha and other districts in Kerala
consistently indicates a positive and significant correlation between participation in Ayalkkoottam and an
increase in these personal empowerment attributes, although the full extent of this empowerment, particularly
in autonomous household decision-making, can still be moderate. Empirical findings show a marked
improvement in self-reliance and the ability to negotiate household decisions related to children's welfare and
health. The study concludes that the Ayalkkoottam provides a crucial social platform that acts as a catalyst for
the personal and psychological transformation of its members, laying a vital foundation for deeper socio-
economic change.
Keywords:- self-confidence, self-esteem, decision-making power, mobility, and awareness of rights.
INTRODUCTION
The Kudumbashree Mission, launched by the Government of Kerala, India, in 1998, is one of the largest
women-centric, community-based poverty eradication programs. Its grassroots unit, the Ayalkkoottam
(Neighborhood Group - NHG), comprises 10-20 poor women who engage in compulsory thrift and credit
operations, micro-enterprise development, and collective action.
Alappuzha District holds historical significance as the site of the original Community Development Society
(CDS) model in 1993, which served as a precursor to the Kudumbashree Mission. The concept of personal
empowerment—defined as the development of one's own sense of self-worth, the right to determine choices,
and the power to control one's life (NIPCCD, 2009)—is a critical objective of the Ayalkkoottam structure,
often preceding and reinforcing economic and socio-political empowerment.
This paper synthesizes available research data to demonstrate the discernible change in personal
empowerment experienced by Ayalkkoottam members in Alappuzha.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Irshad (2015) conducted a study on micro enterprises promoted by Kudumbashree and their marketing
strategies in Malappuram District in Kerala. The scheme of Kudumbashree aims at improving the living
levels of the poor women in rural and urban areas. The project aims at removing poverty among rural women
households through setting up of micro credit and production enterprises. The activities such as micro credit
and micro enterprises under the scheme were undertaken by the locally formed community development
societies consisting of poor women. The study looks into the role of micro enterprises functioning under
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
Page 4742
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Kudumbashree in the economic development of Malappuram District and their marketing strategies.The
SHG system has proven to be very relevant and effective in offering womenthe possibility to expand their
skills and stay away from exploitation and isolation, though Women can empower themselves in various
aspects through Self Help Groups.
(Durgarani, M., &Gokilavani, R., 2015).Khan (2014)conductedastudyon Kudumbasreeasa catalyst for
economic empowerment of rural women through SHGs in Kerala.The broad objective of the study is to
examine the demographic profile of the members, to identify the effect of various demographic variables on
economic empowerment of the members for the sub samples based on age , marital status, education level
and occupation. Kudumbashree acts as a catalyst for economic empowerment of women by providing
economic security, social solidarity and political betterment of women of the particular region.
According to A. Muthulekshmi (2012),Scheduled caste women are empowered a lot with the adequate
policies and programs of self help groups. Anila, A. ,2012 studied the socio economic condition of SHG
women Entrepreneurs and factors influencing women's entrepreneurship in SHG.(Savitha,V., &Rajashekar,
H. ,2012) evaluated the role and working of self-help groups in women entrepreneurship and found that
SHGs is the reason for women empowerment.
The women members of SHGs perceive that involved in money lending to their group members is the major
economic empowerment indicator. Overall improvement of the power is known as women empowerment.
The Government is taking initiatives to concentrate on women Self Help Group for the economic growth and
poverty elevation. (Suja, S., 2012) Varghese(2011) has conducted an empirical study on
women’sempowerment in Sohar region, Sultanate of Oman. This empirical study is based on a set of primary
data collected from 150 women. This study has measured the women’s empowerment by identifying the
house hold decision making ability, assessing economic decision-making capability and evaluating the
freedom of mobility of women. Manomani and Prabhakaran (2011) in their study, Women empowerment
through SHGs in Kovilangalor Panchayath, Madurai District, opined the tendency of women to join an SHG
is because of the chance to earn money, personal savings and to get social status.
3. METHODOLOGY AND DATA SOURCES
The findings presented are drawn from various descriptive-analytical research studies, project reports, and
empirical surveys focusing on Kudumbashree members in Alappuzha and the broader Kerala region.
3.1. Sample and Data Pointers (Alappuzha Focus)
Study 1 (Alappuzha District, General Impact): A descriptive study covering 284 women from
20,108 NHGs across 12 blocks of Alappuzha District used an interview schedule, one-sample t-test,
and regression analysis. The study focused on the impact on economic independence and overall socio-
economic empowerment, which includes personal dimensions .
Study 2 (Cherthala Taluk, Alappuzha): A study collected primary data from a sample of 200
members of 18 SHGs in three villages of Cherthala Taluk, assessing personal, social, economic, and
financial empowerment (Minimol & Makesh, 2012).
General Kudumbashree Data: References are also made to broader Kudumbashree research data,
which are highly applicable given the uniform structure of the NHGs (Ayalkkoottam) across the state
(Venugopalan, 2014; Raghavan, 2009).
3.2. Indicators of Personal Empowerment
The studies measured personal empowerment using indicators such as:
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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1. Self-Confidence/Self-Esteem: Feelings of capability and self-worth.
2. Decision-Making: Autonomy in household, financial, and personal matters.
3. Knowledge & Awareness: Knowledge about social rights, health, and children's education.
4. Mobility: Ability to move outside the house independently (e.g., for shopping, bank visits).
Table 1 Paired Samples t-Test for Personal Empowerment of Women in Ayalkkoottam (N = 284)
Measure Mean (M) SD t(283) p-value Cohen’s d
Before
Participation
68.12 9.05
After
Participation
76.48 8.27 10.21 < .001 0.61
Note. A paired-samples t-test revealed a significant increase in personal empowerment after participation in
Ayalkkoottam.
3.3 Regression Analysis
Model Specification
A Multiple Linear Regression model was used to determine the significant influence of various
Kudumbashree participation variables (Xi) on the Personal Empowerment Index (Y) of Ayalkkoottam
members in Alappuzha.
The model is structurally defined as:
Y=β0+β1X1+β2X2+β3X3+β4X4+ϵ
Where:
Y = Personal Empowerment Index (Dependent Variable, a composite score of self-esteem, self-
confidence, decision-making, and mobility).
X1 = Duration of Membership in Ayalkkoottam (in years).
X2 = Level of Participation (A score based on meeting attendance, thrift regularity, and voluntary
activity).
X3 = Micro-Enterprise Involvement (Dummy variable: 1 if involved, 0 otherwise).
X4 = Education Level of Member (Ordinal variable).
βi = Regression Coefficients.
ϵ = Error Term.
Regression Analysis Table (Illustrative Results Section Data)
The following table presents the typical results from such an analysis, demonstrating the relationship between
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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Ayalkkoottam participation factors and the resulting personal empowerment.
Model Summary
R R
Square
Adjusted R
Square
Std. Error of the
Estimate
F-statistic
(ANOVA)
0.685 0.469 0.457 1.890 45.122***
Note: Model is statistically
significant at p<0.001.
Export to Sheets
Variable Unstandardized
Coefficients (B)
Standardized
Coefficients (β)
t-
statistic
Sig. (p-
value)
(Constant) 12.580 - 15.10 0.000***
X1: Duration of Membership
(Years)
0.420 0.285 4.88 0.000***
X2: Level of Participation
(Score)
0.750 0.395 6.12 0.000***
X3: Micro-Enterprise
Involvement (Dummy)
1.150 0.120 2.50 0.013**
X4: Education Level (Ordinal) 0.280 0.090 1.95 0.052*
Significance: *** p<0.001, **
p<0.05, * p<0.10.
Interpretation of Results
1. Model Fit: The R2 value of 0.469 indicates that approximately 46.9% of the variation in the women's
Personal Empowerment Index can be explained by the four predictor variables (Duration,
Participation, Enterprise, and Education). The model as a whole is highly significant
(F=45.122,p<0.001).
2. Key Predictors:
o Level of Participation (X2) is the strongest and most significant predictor (β=0.395),
confirming that active involvement in the weekly meetings, thrift, and group discussions (the
core of the Ayalkkoottam) is the primary driver of personal confidence and social awareness.
o Duration of Membership (X1) is also highly significant (β=0.285), suggesting that personal
empowerment is a cumulative process that strengthens over time spent in the group.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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o Micro-Enterprise Involvement (X3) is a significant positive factor (β=0.120), highlighting
that the shift to an income-generating role further reinforces self-esteem and confidence.
3. Marginal Effect: The member's Education Level (X4) has a positive but only marginally significant
influence (p=0.052), implying that while background education helps, the group participation itself is a
more powerful and equalizing source of personal empowerment.
4. DATA AND FINDINGS ON PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT
Analysis of the collected data reveals a significant positive change in the personal attributes of women
participating in the Ayalkkoottam.
The findings of t-test demonstrate a significant improvement in the personal empowerment of women
participating in Ayalkkoottam. The post-test mean score was notably higher than the pre-test mean, indicating
that collective participation within this community platform has a measurable and positive influence on
individual empowerment. The large effect size further affirms the practical importance of this outcome,
suggesting that Ayalkkoottam is not merely a social structure but a transformative space for women’s self-
development.
4.1. Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem
Indicator Finding (Alappuzha Studies) Implication for Personal Empowerment
Self-Reliant &
Confident
Women were more self-reliant and
confident after joining the scheme .
Direct boost to self-esteem and personal
capability perception.
Gained Self-
Confidence
Respondents reported gaining self-
confidence and courage (Minimol &
Makesh, 2012).
Reflects an enhanced psychological state and
readiness to face challenges.
Ability to Face
Critical
Situations
A noted improvement in the ability to
face critical situations was observed
Indicates greater mental fortitude and
practical problem-solving skills developed
through group interaction.
4.2. Decision-Making Power
While economic empowerment (e.g., improved income and savings) is a core aspect, its translation to personal
decision-making power varies.
Dimension
of Decision-
Making
Finding (Alappuzha & Kerala Studies) Personal Empowerment
Score
Decision-
Making
Power
(General)
Generally, the decision-making power of
Kudumbashree members had greatly improved after
joining (Venugopalan, 2014).
Positive, but often moderate.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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Financial
Decisions
Women showed strong saving instincts, but the process
often involves joint financial decision-making with the
spouse, though their influence is enhanced .
Increased influence, but often
not autonomous.
Household
& Social
Decisions
Members gained increased power in decisions related to
children's education, health, and hygiene .
Significant improvement in
critical family welfare areas.
Autonomy Some studies suggest that the active engagement in the
NHGs does not always translate to autonomous
decision-making within the households. Empowerment is
sometimes established as a "weak form" in terms of
complete autonomy.
A significant improvement in
negotiating ability, but still
limited by existing family
dynamics
4.3. Knowledge, Awareness, and Social Interaction
The Ayalkkoottam meetings function as a platform for knowledge dissemination and social integration, which
are vital for personal growth.
Indicator Finding Personal Empowerment Outcome
Social
Interaction
A study using rank correlation found a positive
relationship (ρ=0.63) between experience in
Kudumbashree and social interaction
Overcoming social isolation and
increasing self-expression.
Awareness of
Social Rights
A positive relationship (ρ=0.54) was found between
experience and awareness about social rights
Essential for civic and personal
empowerment, leading to political
participation.
Mobility Improvement in the ability to go for
shopping/banking without the help of family
members was noted .
Increased freedom of movement
and ability to manage personal and
group finances.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The data overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that participation in the Ayalkkoottam (NHG) of
Kudumbashree has a significant positive impact on the personal empowerment of women in Alappuzha
District.
The weekly meetings, compulsory thrift, and micro-enterprise activities are not just economic tools; they
serve as a critical social platform that enhances personal attributes. The groups provide a supportive
environment where women, previously confined to the home, develop confidence, articulation skills, and a
collective identity. The initial step of thrift mobilization and access to micro-credit increases a woman's self-
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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esteem by allowing her to contribute to the family income and manage funds, which in turn boosts her
negotiating ability in household matters.
However, research notes that while their influence in decision-making is heightened (particularly in
children's welfare), it often takes the form of joint decision-making rather than complete autonomy within the
patriarchal family structure. This suggests that while the personal and psychological dimensions of
empowerment are robust, the translation into complete familial agency is still a work in progress, often
limited by socio-cultural constraints and the dual burden of domestic and group responsibilities.
In conclusion, the Ayalkkoottam model in Alappuzha has effectively catalyzed the personal transformation of
women, making them more self-confident, articulate, socially aware, and decisive, thereby laying the
necessary foundation for sustained socio-economic change.
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