CSR: Vedanta’s Lanjigarh conducts sensitization drive on Menstrual Hygiene in Kalahandi

Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has initiated a sensitization drive on menstrual hygiene for adolescent girls and their mothers in its peripheral villages of Kalahandi district. As part of the NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District program, Vedanta Lanjigarh is carrying out this drive since December 2020 and so far, has reached out to over 2000 adolescent girls and their mothers in more than 100 villages.

The knowledge sharing sessions, under the guidance of the Dr. Sraddha Suman Patnaik of the state-of-the-art multi-specialty Vedanta Hospital, Lanjigarh, are designed with special focus on menstrual hygiene, eradication of related myths and misconceptions and bring change in the habits and practices of the adolescent girls pertaining to menstrual and reproductive health.

As a result of this drive, the adolescent girls have already started using the sanitary pads in these villages. Earlier, they were using clothes during these days, which used to result in several hygiene related health problems.

Rakesh Mohan, Chief Operating Officer, Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh unit said, “At Vedanta Lanjigarh, we have always given priority towards ensuring good health and well-being of the communities around our areas of operations by bringing in positive changes in the life and lifestyle. As an active partner of NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District program, we are happy to be a part of such an initiative, which aims at sensitizing the adolescent girls in the tribal dominated area about the critical health issue pertaining to menstrual hygiene. This campaign will not only help in making these girls aware about their health with proper knowledge but also lead them towards a healthy life.”

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Bhumisuta Majhi, Anganwadi Worker, Kutendeli Village, Lanjigarh Block said, “These awareness sessions organized by Vedanta were very informative and useful for us. We are now aware and informed about one of the most important and critical health issues of our life – menstruation, which has been considered as a taboo to be discussed so far. Our mothers are also participating in these programs, which will certainly help us in addressing the problems related to this and help us in leading a healthy life.”

Vedanta’s social interventions in the domains of sustainable livelihood, women empowerment, quality education, health, water and sanitation, bio-investment and community infrastructure reach out to a total of 69 villages in Lanjigarh and nearby areas, benefiting about a lakh people in a year. It empowers more than 3000 women from 305 self-help groups (SHGs), provides healthcare services to about 30,000 people annually, gives educational support to more than 2800 students, has planted more than 5.4 lakh trees in the community, and built 500 plus infrastructural projects at community level.

Vedanta is the largest producer of aluminium in India and remains the premier manufacturer of metallurgical grade alumina. The company operates a 2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) capacity alumina refinery in Lanjigarh (Kalahandi district, Odisha), India since 2007 and an associated 90 MW captive power plant.

Vedanta is committed to reinvest in the social good of its neighbourhood communities and the nation. The Group’s flagship CSR project, Nand Ghar, is a network of model anganwadis where the thrust is on inclusive development of women and children at the grassroots level. The Group CSR initiative comprises of seven key verticals – Education, Healthcare, Water and Sanitation, Sustainable Livelihood, Skilling, Sports & Culture and Employee Volunteering.

Vedanta Foundation, a philanthropic initiative of Vedanta Group is focused on skill development and vocational training programmes for the underprivileged to make them employable. A key healthcare specialty CSR project is the Balco Medical Center, a 200-bed state-of-the-art Cancer care hospital located in New Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The company supports grassroots level sports through their Football academies in Goa and Udaipur.