Tata Steel Foundation’s RISHTA Celebrates Menstrual Hygiene Day with Village Girls
Taking a stand for health: Over 200 adolescent girls and women pledge to spread menstrual hygiene awareness.
Narendrapur, May 29, 2023: In observance of Menstrual Hygiene Day, celebrated on May 28 every year, the Regional Initiative for Sexual Health by Today’s Adolescent (RISHTA) from the Tata Steel Foundation held an impactful awareness session in the village near its plant located at Narendrapur, in odapada block of Dhenkanal district.
The program, focusing on adolescent girls and their mothers from the villages of Kasiadihi and Balarampur panchayat, aimed to promote menstrual hygiene, counter misinformation, and eliminate taboos related to menstruation. The theme this year is, “Making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030,” sets the tone for future initiatives.
The session provided a platform for open dialogue about menstruation, a subject often stigmatized and avoided in conversation. The RISHTA team of Tata Steel Foundation fostered vital information on the benefits of sanitary napkins over traditional cotton napkins, the importance of maintaining a healthy diet during menstruation, and the basic mechanics of the menstrual cycle.
The event saw participation from over 200 attendees, which included 70 adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 19, 70 mothers, and several Anganwadi workers, Asha, ANMs, and supervisors from six different villages in the Kasiadihi and Balarampur Panchayat region.
Dr. Chayanika Mishra, Expert in Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), UNFPA, addressed the gathering, emphasizing the consequences of maintaining unhygienic practices during menstruation and the social stigma that often accompanies it. The discussion also educated the attendees about the Reproductive Tract Infection (RTI), a common condition that can occur due to poor menstrual hygiene.
The attendees actively participated in the discussion, seeking solutions for their personal issues related to menstruation. Ms. Minati Rout, Sarpanch, Kasiadihi Village, also took an active part sharing valuable insights on menstrual hygiene with the participants. The event led by Jharana Behera (AHF) and assisted by Dr. Gayatri Nayak, Kabita Dhal, Subash Behera (FTC), and Binita Toppo (FTC), imparted valuable knowledge and created awareness.
The program concluded on an empowering note with all participants pledging to promote menstrual hygiene awareness within their communities. The event marks a step towards a future where menstruation is viewed as a natural process rather than a taboo.