CSR: Vedanta conducts week-long observance of World AIDS Day in Jharsuguda

JHARSUGUDA (Odisha): Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda conducted a weeklong campaign to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS, reaching out to nearly 8000 people including employees, partner organizations, truckers, students, community and Jharsuguda citizenry.

Various activities and interventions like IEC material distribution, awareness sessions, street plays, etc. were conducted as a part of the campaign in collaboration with OSACS and Wockhardt Foundation, depicting this year’s theme ‘Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, Community by Community’ as initiated by OSACS.

The campaign started off on World Aids Day with a showcase of solidarity as employee volunteers led by the CSR team distributed red ribbons and informative materials at the plant premises, to create awareness amongst all employees, partner companies and everyone associated with our operations. Post that, the campaign spread outwards to include community members, college students, and truckers and mobile workforce and residents of nearly 24 villages of Jharsuguda.

Over the week, various activities and awareness sessions were conducted at the Jharsuguda Women’s College, LN College, Black Diamond Engineering College and Reserve Police Lane. The awareness sessions were conducted under the expertise of OSACS by resource personnel Shiva Prasad Ojha and Prashant Patra.

“Our CSR department partnered the Mirror Theatre Group for spreading awareness on HIV/AIDS prevention through street plays at multiple locations inside the plant premises, Bhurkamunda village, Sarbahal, etc. addressing truckers, migrant workforce and community members in the process.”, the company said.

Speaking on the company’s CSR efforts CN Singh, CEO – Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda said, “We are the first organization in the state to roll out an Employer Led Model of HIV/AIDS awareness & prevention project – Jagruti in partnership with OSACS, which was greatly appreciated by NACO as well. As a company, we are committed to delivering sustainable and responsible growth, transforming the lives of communities around us for the better. We are driven by a safety-first culture, with focus on prevention first and our CSR efforts are aligned to the same.”

Ashwini Kumar Mohanty, Superitendent of Police – Jharsuguda, thanked Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda and OSACS for organizing the awareness session, initiating an open dialogue on the topic of HIV/AIDS and addressing the queries and concerns of participants.

“Health & sanitation is an important dimension of Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda’s CSR outreach. Our CSR dept. has sensitized nearly 30,000 people including employees, partner organizations, truckers, community members, students and vulnerable mass through efforts in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention in the last three years alone, and sustained efforts are underway to reach out to and educate more people in the days to come.”, the Company informed.