BALCO conducts training programme on Menstrual Health Management

Balconagar, Korba, December 5, 2021: Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer, organized a training programme on Menstrual Health Management under its flagship Project Nayi Kiran from 28th November – 4th December, in partnership with Sarthak Jan Vikas Sansthan. The training sessions were organized with the main objective of creating awareness and building capacity among women and adolescent girls on hygienic practices during menstruation.

The week long training programme included different sessions and activities on various subjects such as life skill education, menstrual health as a biological process and social stigmas attached with it, gender disparity and men in menstruation. The programme witnessed participation of around 175 adolescent girls & boys, health workers, mitanins and community members.

Mr. Abhijit Pati, CEO and Director, BALCO appreciated the initiative and said, “BALCO is committed to extend every possible support to the members of community through its community development programs. Our Nayi Kiran Project is focused on improving women's health in the region by engaging them in various interactive activities on different occasions.The target group which participated in the training programme will act as a torch bearer and will spearhead the message on safe menstrual health practices in the communities, thus further enhancing the reach of the project.”

Sharing her experience, Savitri Shriwas, a mitanin, says, “the training session has provided useful information about following hygienic menstrual health practices. After participating in the workshop, I have realised the importance of menstrual health management and will disseminate the awareness about the same in my community as well.”

Talking about the usefulness of the initiative Mr. Om Prakash, Trainer and Subject Expert, says, “Due to the stigma attached with menstrual health, often the right information does not become available to the females. The initiative of BALCO and SJVS is a step in right direction towards busting myths related to menstruation and sensitising the males, along with making the females aware.”

Since 2019, BALCO and SJVS have collaborated to run various menstrual health and hygiene awareness programs in nearby villages and municipal corporation areas of Korba district, reaching out to nearly 24,000 women and girls in the process. Multiple G-9 groups have been formed comprising the sarpanch, mitanins, councilor, anganwadis workers, and cluster president of Self-Help Groups, to spread awareness about menstruation. Under the aegis of Nayi Kiran project, a training unit has also been set up at BALCO Township to skill women in manufacturing of sanitary napkins.

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) is India’s iconic aluminium producer. It is owned 49% by the Government of India and 51% by Vedanta Limited. BALCO is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium. BALCO operates a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is also a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelter and power plants, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

About Vedanta Limited:

Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies company have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award 2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by Government of Rajasthan. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com

About Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO):

Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) is a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, operating a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest producer of Aluminium, producing almost half of India’s Aluminium i.e., 1.96 million tonnes in FY21. Vedanta Aluminium is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class Aluminium Smelters, Alumina Refinery and Power Plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

बालको की ‘नई किरण’ परियोजना से महिलाओं को मिला माहवारी स्वास्थ्य प्रबंधन प्रशिक्षण

बालकोलगर, 5 दिसंबर। वेदांता समूह की कंपनी भारत एल्यूमिनियम कंपनी लिमिटेड (बालको) ने सामुदायिक विकास परियोजना ‘नई किरण’ के अंतर्गत कार्यशाला आयोजित की। इसका उद्देश्य महिलाओं और किशोरी बालिकाओं को माहवारी स्वास्थ्य एवं प्रबंधन के अनेक आयामों से परिचित कराना था। 28 नवंबर से 4 दिसंबर, 2021 तक आयोजित कार्यशाला स्वयंसेवी संगठन सार्थक जन विकास संस्थान (एसजेवीएस) के सहयोग से संपन्न हुई।

 कार्यशाला में प्रतिभागियों को माहवारी की जैविक प्रक्रिया और उसके महत्व, शारीरिक परिवर्तनों, हार्मोन संबंधी बदलावों, विभिन्न बीमारियों से बचाव, पोषण आहार की भूमिका, सामाजिक भ्रांतियों, लैंगिक असमानता और माहवारी के प्रति जागरूकता मंे पुरुषों की भूमिका से अवगत कराया गया। 175 प्रतिभागियों में महिलाओं और किशोरी बालिकाओं के अलावा स्वास्थ्य कार्यकर्ता, मितानिन, किशोर बालकों के साथ अनेक नागरिक शामिल थे।
 

 बालको के मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी एवं निदेशक श्री अभिजीत पति ने सामाजिक चेतना की दृष्टि से महत्वपूर्ण आयोजन की प्रशंसा करते हुए कहा कि बालको अपने सामुदायिक विकास कार्यक्रम के जरिए जरूरतमंदों की हरसंभव मदद करने के लिए कटिबद्ध है। ‘नई किरण’ परियोजना के अंतर्गत लक्षित महिलाओं को स्वास्थ्य के प्रति जागरूक बनाने के लिए उन्हें अनेक गतिविधियों से जोड़ा गया है। कार्यशाला की प्रतिभागी महिलाएं समाज की अन्य महिलाओं को जागरूक बनाने में योगदान देंगी। कार्यशालाओं के जरिए जागरूकता का संचार कर हम अपनी बेटियों और समाज के लिए सुरक्षित भविष्य का निर्माण कर रहे हैं।

 कार्यशाला की प्रतिभागी मितानिन श्रीमती सावित्री श्रीवास ने बताया कि माहवारी स्वच्छता और स्वास्थ्य प्रबंधन के नजरिए से अनेक नई बातें सीखने को मिलीं। माहवारी संबंधी अनेक भ्रांतियां दूर हुईं। इससे महिलाओं को अपने स्वास्थ्य का ध्यान रखने में मदद मिलेगी। प्रशिक्षण के बाद महिलाएं इस विषय पर खुलकर चर्चा कर सकने में सक्षम हुई हैं। कार्यशाला के विशेषज्ञ श्री ओम प्रकाश ने बताया कि माहवारी स्वास्थ्य संबंधी प्रशिक्षण से महिलाओं तक सही जानकारी पहुंचाने में मदद मिलती है।

 बालको ने वर्ष 2019 से सार्थक जन विकास संस्थान के सहयोग से कोरबा जिले के गांवों एवं नगर पालिक निगम क्षेत्रों में माहवारी स्वास्थ्य एवं स्वच्छता जागरूकता परियोजना लागू की। इसके दायरे में लगभग 24000 महिलाएं और किशोरी बालिकाएं शामिल हैं। परियोजना के अंतर्गत जी-9 समूह (सरपंच, मितानिन, पार्षद, आंगनबाड़ी कार्यकर्ता, स्व सहायता समूह की क्लस्टर अध्यक्ष) का गठन किया गया है। इस समूह के सदस्य माहवारी संबंधी जागरूकता लक्षित नागरिकों तक पहुंचाने में महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभा रहे हैं। परियोजना के अंतर्गत बालकोनगर में महिलाओं को सैनिटरी नैपकिन बनाने का प्रशिक्षण देने के लिए बालको द्वारा एक इकाई स्थापित की गई है।