Vedanta Aluminium Promotes Menstrual Hygiene and Adolescent Health Across Jharsuguda & Sundargarh Districts

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Bhubaneswar: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, reaffirmed its commitment to community well-being through a week-long initiative focused on promoting menstrual hygiene and adolescent health across Jamkhani, Kuraloi and Ghogarpalli regions, benefitting over 600 women and adolescent girls. The programme, conducted in collaboration with local authorities and frontline workers, aimed to improve awareness, access to hygiene products, and encourage open conversations around menstrual health.

Menstrual hygiene continues to be shaped by limited awareness, inadequate access to sanitary products, and persistent social stigma, often leading to poor hygiene practices and restricted participation in daily activities. Addressing these challenges, the initiative included interactive learning sessions, distribution of sanitary pads, and awareness drives led by medical practitioners and supported by employee volunteers.

The orientation session was led by Seema Kua, Community Health Officer, Hemgir, who emphasized the need to move beyond fragmented interventions and recognize menstrual health as central to dignity, equality, and access to essential services. A medical session by Dr. Rahul Sahu, Gynaecologist, Community Health Centre, Lakhanpur, provided clinical insights on menstrual hygiene and reproductive health.

A key highlight of the initiative was the cultural integration of Alta application, a traditional practice associated with Odisha’s Raja festival symbolizing menstruation, fertility, and womanhood, helping reinforce positive cultural associations and encouraging open conversations.

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Participants shared that the sessions helped them better understand menstrual hygiene practices, government health schemes, nutrition, and the importance of open conversations around menstruation, helping break long-standing social taboos.

Saraswati Sa, Community Resource Person, Bhograkachar, adds, “The programme provided a valuable platform for community members, including adolescent girls, to engage in open discussions on menstrual health. It helped challenge prevailing social taboos, fostered greater confidence among women and girls, and strengthened awareness about menstrual hygiene. The session also reinforced our role as community leaders in promoting health, dignity, and well-being at the grassroots level.”

Dina Kerketa, resident of Kudaloi, shares, “After the session, I feel more positive and confident, and also learned about good hygiene practices and support schemes like Khushi Yojana, which are very helpful for women.”

Vedanta Aluminium remains committed to driving transformation in its operational areas through initiatives spanning education, healthcare, sustainable livelihoods, rural infrastructure, and grassroots sports and culture. By working closely with local authorities and community stakeholders, the company ensures its interventions lead to tangible socio-economic progress in its operational areas.

Also read: Vedanta Aluminium expands community water access for 23,000 people across Odisha during peak summer

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