BALCO Celebrates Unnati Utsav with the Community

• Served as an opportunity for self-help groups to showcase their entrepreneurial skills
• Felicitated inspiring individuals for their social contributions
• Launched a new Mobile Health Van (MHV) for ensuring overall health and well-being of the community

Balconagar, 01^st April 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminum producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, successfully completed the 3rd edition of ‘Unnati Utsav’ under BALCO’s Project Unnati, an event to showcase the entrepreneurial skills of the women from local communities. Commemorating International Women’s Day 2024, the exhibition highlighted products crafted by women capacitated with entrepreneurial skills and organized into self-help groups under Project Unnati, and featured a range of decor items, confectioneries, food items, and health and hygiene products. The event saw participation from over 650 women from the nearby communities who are charting their own path towards financial independence.

Conducted for the third consecutive year, BALCO engaged women from communities in various games and cultural performances. During the event, these women showcased Karma and Raut, local dance forms from Chhattisgarh, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the region. To raise awareness around social issues, they also participated in plays and performances addressing crucial topics such as women’s empowerment, menstrual health management, entrepreneurship, and girls’ education.

Featuring impactful plays, cultural performances, an award ceremony and a captivating exhibition with stalls from self-help groups, Unnati Utsav witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 1,000 individuals. The event also served as a platform providing promotional and earning opportunities for women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs), who had set up stalls with their handcrafted food and decor items in the exhibition open to general visitors.

Unnati Utsav is a flagship program under BALCO’s Project Unnati, aiming to empower and mobilize women into Self-Help Groups (SHGs) while honing their capacities and skills for entrepreneurship, and building sustainable livelihoods. BALCO has established 7 micro-enterprise units under Project Unnati offering 12 products, including Gonkra folk art (Chhattisgarh’s local art form), Chattisa (local cuisine), clay idols, mural art, mushroom cultivation, paper bags, among others. This project, running in partnership with GPR Strategies and Solutions (GPRSS), a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to community and social services, has impacted over 5,700 women in BALCO’s surrounding communities.

Appreciating the event and Project Unnati, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director, BALCO, said, “BALCO is committed to supporting women from local communities on their journey of self-reliance by providing them with skills training, financial literacy, and market linkage. Through Project Unnati, we aim to promote the financial empowerment of women, enabling them to establish their individualistic identity within the society and contribute to the growth and progress of their families, society, and the nation.”

In addition to the performances, BALCO had also recognized 16 individuals from the communities for their remarkable contributions to social causes, under BALCO’s social initiatives on health, education, skills, and sustainable livelihoods. From dispelling myths surrounding menstruation to equipping individuals with the skills necessary for sustainable livelihoods, and providing primary academic support free of charge, these individuals were felicitated for their inspiring action and driving positive change in their communities.

The company also launched an additional van under its Mobile Health Van (MHV) initiative during the event, furthering its commitment to the health and well-being of the communities. Introduced to serve over 47 communities through fortnightly visits, camps, and consultation services, this initiative was a key highlight of the event.

Mr. S. N. Kesari, Chief Health and Medical Officer (CHMO), Korba district, applauded the launch of the MHV, and said, “Every individual has the right to primary healthcare. I am pleased that BALCO’s newly launched Mobile Health Van will support the district administration in meeting the needs of essential primary healthcare services for communities in remote areas of the district.”

BALCO, through its community welfare interventions, impacts over 1.5 lakh lives annually across 123 villages, spanning 4 blocks in 4 districts of Chhattisgarh, namely Korba, Kawardha, Surguja, and Raipur. Through its efforts, it aims at transforming all aspects of life with its diverse projects spanning areas such as health, education, sustainable livelihoods, rural infrastructure development, and grassroots sports and culture, with a special focus on women and child development.