Malappuram (Kerala): COVID lockdown has been a testing time in various ways for most people. Many lost their livelihoods and are yet to figure out other means for income. This girl from Kadambuzha in Malappuram district, pursuing B. Ed after her post-graduation thought differently.
She broke the existing notions and took up coconut tree climbing along with her father as a means for living. Sreedevi is the final year B. Ed student with the NSS Teachers Training College in Ottappalam.
Sreedevi, the eldest daughter of Gopalan a coconut tree climber and Usha, used to work in tuition centres and Akshaya Centre before lockdown, to help her father.
With the lockdown, as all these options remained shut for more than two months, Sreedevi started thinking of another means of income which can be worked by maintaining a physical distance from people.
Her father had once said, if he had a son, he could have helped him in coconut tree climbing. Sreedevi thought about these words. She started to learn and practice coconut tree climbing. Her father had never expected one of his three daughters to be helping him in coconut tree climbing.
COVID lockdown break gave her ample time to be adept in coconut climbing. Initially, her family was apprehensive about her turning to coconut tree-climbing as she is educated and that she is a girl. Later they agreed to her wish and supported her.
As her attempt to climb the coconut tree using Thalappu (a rope-tie used traditionally by coconut tree climbers) was not successful, she started using the machine to climb up the coconut tree. Now, Sreedevi climbs more than 20 coconut trees a day to support her family.
The villagers are also in support and respect for the young educated girl who broke the notions and decided to help her family during this tough time.
