Page 98 - 1-37
P. 98
TRANSFORMING TRANSFORMING TRANSFORMING
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT FY 2023 COMMUNITIES THE PLANET THE WORKPLACE
Creating Leaders Korba have been transformed into Community Infrastructure
To initiate and sustain the social and MHM-friendly environment through such
behavioural change across communities, it training. The first ever MHM session for
was important to engage powerful local specially-abled students has also been Reviving Indigenous Handicrafts - Dhokra Craft and Saura Art
influencers so that a chain of learning and organized at Korba’s only government
sensitization could be built. More than 600 school for the differently abled. of employment, enabling them to earn a
SHG women and frontline health workers livelihood in their villages. In FY23, Dhokra
(including anganwadi and ASHA workers), Creating MHM infrastructure and Saura artists achieved INR 0.7 million
adolescent girls and boys were trained as BALCO has established four Swastha in sales, resulting in an average 15%
‘Master Trainers’ on Menstrual Health Suvidha Kendra’s (SSK centres) as a growth in household income. Vedanta also
Management (MHM). Involving “Men in one-stop solution point for MHM. It is Vedanta Lanjigarh initiated a mission to revive launched an online art gallery to increase
two traditional art forms, Dhokra metalwork and
Menstruation” by training adolescent boys driven by adolescent leaders and Saura tribal paintings, which carry immense market reach and visibility.
and youth from the community was a functions as a platform for counselling cultural significance in India's history. In
calculated step to create inclusive buy-in and and capacity building where girls and Lanjigarh's Kankeri village, artisans struggled to Vedanta's efforts in reviving indigenous
to present MHM as a ‘community’ health and women come to learn and further sustain their craft, pushing many to abandon handicrafts, Dhokra craft, and Saura art,
well-being issue, thereby creating empathy propagate the knowledge that they gain their ancestral skills for migrant labor. Similarly, not only preserved these traditions but
with the woman’s situation. The community on menstruation. the future of Saura art in Odisha was uncertain. also economically empowered the artists.
now takes the lead by organizing Vedanta recognized the need to preserve these Through training, marketing support, and
MHM-friendly gram sabhas, that carry forward The impact created by the project has art forms and took proactive steps. financial assistance, the project
transformed the lives of artists in Kankeri
the work of spreading awareness and building been life-changing, and the community village and beyond, attracting attention
support, and is a testimony to the positive has driven through Nayi Kiran with great To support the artisans, Vedanta provided from local authorities, leading to essential
change that has been achieved. momentum as it answers a heartfelt training in contemporary designs using modern infrastructure development and inclusion
need. So far, more than 48,000 techniques, enhancing their ability to create of social schemes.
Transitioning to Hygienic Menstrual Health community members have been marketable products. The company facilitated
Practices sensitized on MHM; more than 600+ their participation in events, exhibitions, and art
The project has successfully created community leaders shows, promoting and selling their work at
awareness about menstrual hygiene across a better prices. Financial assistance and financial
wide cross section of young girls and women, literacy training empowered the artists to
introducing them to menstrual health manage their earnings effectively.
products and aids. As a cost-effective and
easy option, we have initiated the ‘Stitch My The impact of the Dhokra Art Revival project
has been substantial. A community of poor
Own Pad Campaign’ under this project migrant laborers in a remote Kalahandi jungle
wherein 30 SHG women and adolescent girls village transformed into thriving, prosperous
have been taught methods of making artists. Household incomes increased by over
reusable cloth pads. This has also opened up 50% since the project's inception. Recognizing
business opportunities for the SHG women. its success, local authorities extended
government social schemes to the village,
As a part of the school awareness sessions, including access to electricity and LPG
adolescent girls have been sensitized about connections, and improved essential
menarche and ways to manage it better. More infrastructure.
than 50% of the block-level government
secondary and higher secondary schools of Expanding the project to other villages, Vedanta
aims to prevent artists from migrating in search Dhokra art - Tribal couple
A bronze sculpture depicting a tribal couple
50
