By Our Correspondent
ANGUL/BHUBANESWAR: JSPL Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. (JSPL) announced the Swaymprabha Award for the Adolescent girls who had successfully fought their own health adversities and excelled in their studies and other co-curricular activities under its Kishori Express Programme.
On Monday, on the International Women’s Day, JSPL Foundation felicitated two rural girls of Angul district for spreading the awareness about adolescent anaemia in and around Angul and Banarpal blocks of Angul district.On this occasion Angul Collector and District Magistrate Siddharth Shankar Swain and Tapan Kumar Satapathy, ADM-Angul, felicitated Adyasa Mohapatra and Priyadarshini Parida with the “Swayamprabha Award” for not only taking care of their personal hygiene and overcoming from severe anaemia to normal haemoglobin range but also for excelling in their studies.
These adolescent girls are now working as the torch bearer for other girls of their age groups thereby spreading health & hygiene awareness among the girls in nearby villages and society.The Kishori Express of JSPL Foundation is a specially dedicated vehicle to identify such anaemic young girls and educate them ways and means to overcome the challenges of low haemoglobin with proper counselling, testing and training.
Adyasa and Priyadarshini were identified to be severe anaemic when they were 14 and 16 years of age. Their haemoglobin levels were as low as 8 and 8.2 respectively. With proper education, guidance and care by Kishori Express and ICDS Functionaries associated with the project, their haemoglobin level has increased to 11.8 and 12.5 respectively.
Both the girls are sensitizing their friends and girls from the neighbouring community about the hazards of being anaemic and educating them ways and means to maintain the haemoglobin level for a healthy body and mind.
In her message, Chairperson of JSPL Foundation Shallu Jindal said ” I am happy to know that JSPL Foundation is felicitating the adolescent girls who have overcome their health adversities and excelled in their studies and co-curricular activities with the Swaymprabha Samman. I am sure such Awards will be a big encouragement to the adolescent girls to adopt appropriate health care and personal hygiene measures and pursue their studies for a bright future. I wish all the best to the award winners”.
Kishori Express has been instrumental in making meaningful changes among adolescent girls since 2011 by disseminating knowledge about good health and hygiene habits. Besides focusing on the haemoglobin level in adolescent girls, the project prioritises on use of sanitary napkins. This has resulted in substantial increase in the use of sanitary napkins and the overall awareness level regarding personal hygiene of adolescent girls besides improving school attendance and reducing school dropout.The Kishori Express has touched more than 1.6 lakh adolescent girls from Angul, Banarpal and Chhendipada blocks. The project is implemented in collaboration with ICDS, NHM, Education & Dist. Administration.
