By Chadan Kumar Sahu
BERHAMPUR: Adolescents through the ‘teen clubs’ have taken initiative to fight stigma and social taboos related to the menstrual of teens in the slums in Berhampur city. Youth for Social Development has started a “Kishori Shakti” campaign among the adolescent and youth in the city to sensitise on issues related to the menstrual hygiene, related stigma, and also fighting for access to menstrual products, sanitation infrastructure, public services, status of women and girls in society and gender disparity. The volunteers of Youth for Social Developments are creating awareness among the adolescents and community on menstruation hygiene, health and right age at marriage, identify school and college dropout, provision skill development basically emphasis on employability and life skill and promote gender equality through these adolescents collectives/teen clubs.
Youth for Social Development team and the volunteers have a roadmap to sensitise more than 1000 adolescent girls in 40 slums on menstrual hygiene, fight social stigma and taboos, campaign against child marriage, violence against women and girls, provide them life and employability skills, making them go back to schools and college and link to develop their skill for livelihood and develop leadership skills and above all for gender parity in the society. They also engaged with the ASHA, ANM and Anganwadi Workers and other government departments in the city and localities to improve service delivery to the adolescents.
Under the “Kishori Shakti” (empowering adolescent) campaign YSD has plan to provide hygiene materials including hand wash, sanitary napkins and training on best practices. Today we have initiated this by providing hand wash to 60 adolescents at Dhobandhahuda Street and provided training on personal hygiene and care. YSD targeted to conduct the program in 40 slums in Berhampur city. More than 1000 adolescents will be participating in ‘Kishori Shakti’ program. On this occurrence the ICDS Supervisor V.Manimala presented and provided training on personal hygiene and care to the adolescents especially during Covid-19. Madhusmita Patra, Ipsita Sur, Purnima Day and Supriya Rout took actively participation and facilitate volunteers.
