The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, FEB 9, 2024
The persistent specter of malnutrition continues to cast a shadow over public health in Odisha, presenting a multifaceted challenge characterized by undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overnutrition. According to the Coalition for Food & Nutrition Security (CFNS) report, alarming statistics reveal that 31.0% of children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth, while 18.1% face the grim reality of food wastage. Shockingly, 8% of these children are classified as Severely Affected Malnourished (SAM), and a significant 30% fall within the Grade I-IV malnutrition spectrum.
The heart-wrenching narrative of malnutrition-related fatalities persists unabated in the mineral-rich district of Sambalpur. Here, communities grapple with semi-starvation and hidden hunger, their plight exacerbated by a dearth of crucial information regarding entitlements and avenues to access state-provided benefits and services.
In a commendable bid to address this pressing issue, Aditya Birla Group’s Aditya Aluminium has taken proactive steps to engage with the populace of Sambalpur district, particularly within the Rengali block, in close collaboration with the State Government. The year 2019 witnessed the inception of the “Suposhan” project, spearheaded by Aditya Aluminium as a committed pledge partner of the State Government’s overarching ‘Suposhan’ initiative.
Speaking to the initiative’s broader goals, Sameer Nayak, Unit Head of Aditya Aluminium, articulates, “Our overarching objective is to foster a culture of awareness among the residents of the six gram panchayats comprising the Rengali Block, emphasizing the pivotal role of healthy dietary choices and their far-reaching benefits. Our Nutrition Garden initiative stands as a testament to this commitment, aiming to supplement the nutritional requirements of households, particularly in locales where access to diverse and nutritious food remains a challenge. To date, through the ‘Suposhan’ campaign, we have directly impacted the lives of over 1500 individuals across our model villages of Naikpada and Narupada.”
Expounding upon their multifaceted interventions, Sameer Nayak elaborates, “Our outreach extends to pregnant women, lactating mothers, adolescent girls, and children across all age groups. We have provided essential nutrition kits to pregnant and lactating mothers, facilitated access to nutrition garden support through the Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) under the Mo Bagicha Abhiyaan, a pivotal component of the government’s broader Poshan Mission, and distributed fruit saplings to catalyze backyard fruit orchard development.”
Moreover, Aditya Aluminium endeavors to address micronutrient deficiencies by supplying pediatrician-recommended multivitamins for children. Each meticulously crafted nutrition kit includes essentials such as Horlicks, jaggery, and soya chunks. Concurrently, the company conducts educational sessions for mothers, imparting valuable insights into the preparation of nutritious meals utilizing locally available ingredients. To further facilitate this process, households are provided with comprehensive menu charts detailing simple yet nourishing meal options.
Leelabati Nag, the Child Development Program Officer in Rengali, lauds Aditya Aluminium’s tireless efforts, affirming, “The company’s initiatives serve as a commendable complement to the government’s endeavors in combatting malnutrition and anemia. The pervasive prevalence of these issues stems primarily from a profound lack of awareness within the community. Often, the women tasked with safeguarding their families’ well-being find themselves grappling with labor-intensive jobs or are simply unaware of the requisite steps to bolster their Red Blood Cell count and combat the scourge of anemia and malnutrition.”
In a remarkable testament to their commitment, the Aditya Birla Group’s initiatives extend far beyond Sambalpur, encompassing over 5 lakh individuals and touching the lives of more than 2 lakh people across 128 villages in Odisha. These endeavors fall under the purview of the Aditya Birla Centre for Community Initiatives and Rural Development, steered by Rajashree Birla. The Group’s overarching vision is to actively contribute to the socio-economic development of the communities in which they operate, thereby fostering a sustainable and equitable way of life for marginalized segments of society while bolstering the nation’s Human Development Index. In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), the Group’s CSR vision is intrinsically linked to the broader objectives of poverty eradication and food security.
