She Lodge: Women's Only Hostel Launched In Kerala

Kerala inspires us all with yet another brilliant initiative to empower women. She Lodge, part of a ‘women's empowerment’ project by the state, aims to build women’s only hostels across the state for travelling women and their children. The first of its kind was inaugurated last week at Thrissur, a town in central Kerala. According to an Indian Express report, another lodge was also launched recently in Kanhangad, a town in Kasaragod to the north.

She Lodge: Structure and facilities

In view of the security issues concerning women, She Lodge is a ‘secure, affordable’ option for travelling women. Facilitating safety during travel, She Lodge provides with single rooms and dormitories accommodating 50 women at a time. The whole building has all women staff, including in the car service department. Further, the lodge is all covered with CCTV cameras and additional securities to provide a safer environment. With a kitchen, dining hall and other necessities, the ‘dream project’ has also launched a separate online booking service.

The project is expected to launch 14 such hostels across the states in different districts. Accessibility to nearby bus and railway stations further add to its attraction. The state is also trying to tie up with She taxi and other such initiatives run by organizations like Kudumbashree.

Management by Kudumbashree

Kudumbashree is a women' empowerment and poverty eradication network of around 40 lakh women in the state. The management of She Lodge has been given to Kudumbashree. “The She Lodge is a dream project of the government. We have lodges and hostels for women in Kozhikode and Malappuram run by private entities, but this is the first time the government has stepped in. Since Kudumbashree has a lot of goodwill and credibility in the state, we have been asked to operate them,” said Jaison T J, state mission manager of Kudumbashree.

The She Lodge initiative is also bridging a gap between costly private hostels and low cost but with security issues accommodations. Understanding the need of travelling for females in groups or solo and building such projects by the state is necessary and commendable.

Other such initiatives

The state, earlier this year, had also launched a hotel run totally by women staff, promoting tourism for women. The private sector is blooming with various female-oriented travel groups and projects that promote solo travel for women. WOW, Soul Purpose Travel, Ladakhi Women’s Travel Company, are few among many such offbeat travel initiatives by individuals.

Picture Credit: The Hindu

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Rachna Chandira is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv