Balconagar: 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.
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 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.
