Women clam collector: (Live feed processor)
- Mrs. Navaneetham from Kovalam, Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, is a clam collector and a clam marketing agent.
- She supplies clams to hotels and to hatcheries ( feed for crabs and shrimps).
- The step involved in clam collection is collection of clams and meat separation from clam shells and drying the clam shells.
- Only when they get an order form the hatchery or hotel they go for clam collection.
- The work starts at 6 am and ends at 3 pm.
- The group members wear very light clothing and do not consume food when they go for clam collection in the brackish rivers.
Women engaged in clam collection
- Frequently they keep changing their areas for collecting clams. Once, they understand that the availability is less in a particular place. They visit some other area for collection.
- They give a long gap and then reach the original area for clam collection. By this they help in the growth of clams.
- Mrs. Navaneetham and her group members move in rows in the brackish water canals or rivers.
- Though they know swimming they only swim to a shallow depth area in the water and by experience they can identify the areas where clams are available in the canals or rivers.
- Only when they return to the shore they have there food or even skip their food because of nausea feeling created by swallowing the brackish water in the canal or river.
- They often get hurt on the feet and palms due to sharp mussel shells found in the bed of the water bodies.
- Tolerating these wounds they continue they work.
- She rides motorbikes and travels 60 km per day to supply clam meat to hotels and hatcheries.
- She gives employment to more than 100 women in the village through this enterprise of clam meat collection
- She plays a vital role in the community development and capacity building of rural coastal women.
- She is a role model to other women in this field of clam collection.
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