BALCO’s MHM Workshop Raises Menstrual Health Awareness in Korba District
- Enhancing Menstrual Health Advocacy Among Local Educators
- Inclusive MHM Awareness: Supporting Specially-abled Individuals
TFP Bureau, Korba; Oct 07, 2023: In a concerted effort to promote menstrual health and hygiene awareness in the Korba District, Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium and India’s prominent aluminium producer, recently conducted a transformative two-day District-Level Teachers Training program on Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management (MHM). This endeavor was achieved in collaboration with Sarthak Jan Vikas Sansthan and the District Education Department of Korba, under BALCO’s ambitious initiative, Project Nayi Kiran.
The primary objective of this training program was to equip local educators with the knowledge and skills required to become advocates for MHM within their schools. By doing so, BALCO aimed to create a more empathetic and informed environment surrounding menstruation, breaking down long-standing taboos.
Conducted under the guidance of Mr. Om Prakash, a renowned MHM Subject Matter Expert, the program covered a diverse range of topics over two intensive days. Educators delved into subjects such as understanding the menstrual cycle, dispelling myths and taboos, promoting health and nutrition, exploring gender-related issues, and fostering MHM-friendly school environments.
One remarkable aspect of this initiative was the inclusion of specially-abled individuals. Recognizing the unique challenges they face when managing menstruation with dignity and hygiene, BALCO organized a specialized Menstrual Health Management (MHM) session tailored for visually, speech, and hearing-impaired children. This session, held at Divya Jyoti School, catered to more than 55 children from the district.
The MHM Awareness Sessions conducted under Project Nayi Kiran have already made a significant impact, reaching more than 6,800 adolescent girls and boys across 30 government secondary and higher schools in the Korba District. The workshop has played a pivotal role in elevating awareness surrounding menstrual health and hygiene among educators. It has influenced over 70 teachers, representing 56 government secondary and higher schools in the Korba District.
Rajesh Kumar, CEO and Director of BALCO, emphasized the workshop’s impact, stating, “This initiative embodies our unwavering commitment to fostering a more inclusive and enlightened society. By equipping our community educators with the knowledge and tools to promote menstrual health and hygiene, we are not only empowering our students but also dismantling long-held taboos, one classroom at a time. This is not just a workshop; it’s a catalyst for change, igniting a brighter future where every girl and woman can embrace their natural biological processes with dignity and pride.”
The enthusiasm for this initiative was shared by Gend Lal Bhaskar, a teacher at Govt. High School Darri, and a participant in the MHM workshop. He stated, “We must recognize the urgent need for behavioral change in how our society treats menstruating girls and women, highlighting the normality and naturalness of this biological phenomenon. I commend BALCO for its dedicated efforts in creating MHM-friendly schools where girls feel empowered and are nurtured with the knowledge and respect they deserve.”
Project Nayi Kiran, initiated in 2019 in partnership with Sarthak Jan Vikas Sansthan (SJVS), has been instrumental in breaking down menstrual myths and taboos while promoting sustainable hygiene practices. It has raised awareness about product choices through Menstrual Health Management (MHM) capacity-building, ensuring safe reproductive health. To date, this project has sensitized over 48,000 individuals across 45 villages in Korba block and expanded its impact to other blocks in Korba district, including Podi Uproda, Kartala, Pali, and Katghora in Chhattisgarh. Moreover, it has empowered over 600 community members, including adolescent boys & girls, SHG women, and frontline workers (Anganwadi & ASHA workers) as master trainers, making them torchbearers of change in the community.
