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Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Men must be educated to help break stigma on menstrual health: Odisha dy CM Pravati Parida
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday said men must be educated to help break the stigma on menstrual health. While inaugurating a conclave on 'Menstrual Health & Hygiene 2025', organised by IIT Bhubaneswar here, Parida said, "Menstruation, a natural biological process, has long been shrouded in taboo, forcing generations of women to suffer in silence. It's time we break this silence, and initiatives like this conclave are key to driving change." Highlighting the need for cultural transformation, she said, "The day sanitary napkins become part of a family's monthly grocery list or a brother's gift to his sister, we will witness real progress in women's empowerment. Men must also be educated on menstrual health to help break the stigma." Access to safe menstrual solutions in workplaces and educational institutions is essential, Parida said. She further stressed the importance of sustainable use and disposal of menstrual products. "Women and girls must be informed and empowered to claim their right to menstrual health and hygiene," the deputy chief minister added. Project CARE (Campus Action for Reusable Essentials), an initiative to promote the use of reusable menstrual products among school-going girls and college-going women, was launched on the occasion with the distribution of eco-friendly reusable menstrual pads to women from underserved communities. Parida also unveiled two sanitary napkin vending machines on the IIT campus. "Through our Research and Entrepreneurship Park and the 100 Cube Startup initiative, we are advancing innovative, scalable solutions -- from biodegradable sanitary products to AI-powered health tools -- that address real societal needs," IIT Bhubaneswar Director Shreepad Karmalkar said. Stating that menstrual health is not just a women's issue, it's a societal imperative, Karmalkar highlighted that at IIT Bhubaneswar, the provision of work from home for two days during periods has been made for PhD scholars. Willian Hanlon Jr, chief of field office UNICEF Odisha, stressed the importance of partnerships in breaking stigma and enabling access to menstrual hygiene products and education. "Menstruation is not a curse. It is a completely natural process. It is life-affirming, and it deserves to be managed with safety, dignity, and pride," Hanlon said. "As we commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day 2025 , let us pledge that no girl in Odisha, or anywhere, misses school, loses confidence, or suffers in silence because of menstruation. Let us create a future where periods are managed with pride, not shame," he added.
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
MANZI Water joins hands in debuting SA's first fully automated refill store
MANZI Water announced news of its participation in the groundbreaking SKUBU Project, a first-of-its-kind refill store aimed at reshaping how South Africans access essential goods while advancing the circular economy, officially launched this week in Diepsloot, Gauteng. Located at Chuma Mall, this innovative initiative represents a significant step forward in affordable, sustainable consumption and access to everyday essentials in underserved communities. With a focus on sustainability and community engagement, MANZI Water is committed to creating a lasting, positive impact on health, wellness, and the environment. The SKUBU Project is led by Sonke Retail in partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), made possible through the Circular Economy Demonstration Fund. The initiative is also supported by TRANSFORM, a global partnership involving Unilever, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and Ernst & Young (EY). Described as the first store of its kind globally, SKUBU enables consumers to purchase only what they need through smart, automated refill machines, offering essential items at fixed rand-per-litre prices while eliminating single-use plastic packaging. The model provides up to 50% savings compared to conventional retail, delivering measurable impact in both affordability and sustainability. MANZI Water said it's honoured to be featured among the trusted brands selected for this visionary platform, offering safe, clean, and affordable drinking water to the Diepsloot community at a price of just R1.00 per litre. "We are incredibly proud that MANZI Water is part of this groundbreaking development. Our inclusion in the SKUBU Project underscores our commitment to making safe, clean drinking water accessible to all, and we are excited to see the positive impact this will have in Diepsloot,' said Alfred Challis, CEO of MANZI Water Challis also expressed his appreciation to Ebenhaezer De Jongh, CEO of Sonke Retail, for the opportunity to contribute to this pioneering model for inclusive and sustainable retail. 'Eben's vision and leadership made this possible,' Challis said. 'We are grateful to play a part in something that meaningfully improves access to essentials and supports circular innovation in local communities.' Challis further thanked internal stakeholders Pasquale and Belinda Frese, owners of multiple MANZI Water outlets in Johannesburg, whose belief in the vision and willingness to join the bold initiative were instrumental in positioning MANZI Water alongside such influential partners. Their initiative not only credits them as Licensees but also significantly strengthens MANZI Water's presence in meaningful spaces that align with its core mission. MANZI Water said it looks forward to contributing to the success of this pilot initiative and anticipates that SKUBU will serve as a scalable model for sustainable development across South Africa, opening future possibilities for all Licensees across the network. MANZI Water outlets provide safe, clean, and accessible drinking water to communities across South Africa. With a focus on sustainability and community engagement, MANZI Water is committed to creating a lasting, positive impact on health, wellness, and the environment.
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Westgold appoints Ivan Mullany as Independent Non-Executive Director
PERTH, Western Australia, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ - Westgold Resources Limited (ASX: WGX) (TSX: WGX) – (Westgold or the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Ivan Mullany as an Independent Non-Executive Director to the Board, effective immediately. View PDF Mr. Mullany (BSc, Majoring in Extractive Metallurgy, CIMM, FAusIMM), has over 35 years in mining project management with broad international experiences. Most recently, with Newmont Corporation and its predecessor Goldcorp Inc. on the Senior Leadership Team, Mr. Mullany led numerous major projects, collectively in excess of $18 billion, during the engineering study, construction and execution stages. In Australia and most recently, Mr Mullany was appointed Chair of the Hemi Gold Project Committee at De Grey Mining Limited (ASX:DEG), where he provided strategic oversight of the Project Execution Plan for the proposed Hemi development, prior to the takeover by Northern Star. Mr Mullany is currently a Non-Executive Director of Nexgen Energy Ltd and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. " Westgold is delighted to welcome Ivan to the Board. Ivan is a great cultural fit and his extensive operational and project delivery experience will significantly strengthen our Board and strategic planning processes. Our leadership team will directly benefit from his operational excellence background as this is a key to unlocking greater productivity and increasing free cash flow from our expansive Western Australian gold portfolio." This announcement is authorised for release to the ASX by the Board. SOURCE Westgold Resources Limited
Hans India
2 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Men must be educated on menstrual health: Dy CM
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday said men must be educated to help break the stigma on menstrual health. While inaugurating a conclave on 'Menstrual Health & Hygiene 2025', organised by IIT Bhubaneswar here, Parida said, 'Menstruation, a natural biological process, has long been shrouded in taboo, forcing generations of women to suffer in silence. It's time we break this silence, and initiatives like this conclave are key to driving change.' Highlighting the need for cultural transformation, she said, 'The day sanitary napkins become part of a family's monthly grocery list or a brother's gift to his sister, we will witness real progress in women's empowerment. Men must also be educated on menstrual health to help break the stigma.' Access to safe menstrual solutions in workplaces and educational institutions is essential, Parida said. She further stressed the importance of sustainable use and disposal of menstrual products. 'Women and girls must be informed and empowered to claim their right to menstrual health and hygiene,' the Deputy Chief Minister added. Project CARE (Campus Action for Reusable Essentials), an initiative to promote the use of reusable menstrual products among school-going girls and college-going women, was launched on the occasion with the distribution of eco-friendly reusable menstrual pads to women from underserved communities. Parida also unveiled two sanitary napkin vending machines on the IIT campus. 'Through our Research and Entrepreneurship Park and the 100 Cube Startup initiative, we are advancing innovative, scalable solutions -- from biodegradable sanitary products to AI-powered health tools -- that address real societal needs,' IIT Bhubaneswar Director Shreepad Karmalkar said. Stating that menstrual health is not just a women's issue, it's a societal imperative, Karmalkar highlighted that at IIT Bhubaneswar, the provision of work from home for two days during periods has been made for PhD scholars.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jackson County Fire Department requests funding for staffing shortage
JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – With too few hands and too many calls, Jackson County Fire and Rescue Teams say they're challenged daily. The department is facing staffing shortages, and leaders say the number of calls is only increasing. 'Jackson County Fire Rescue has been understaffed in my estimation for a number of years. Part of that is because Jackson County's population becoming elderly and more senior. And so with that elderly population, we certainly have more calls, more need for just County Fire Rescue Staff,' Commissioner Paul Donofero said. However, there could be a solution in the form of Florida's Coordinated Opioid Recovery or C.O.R.E. Project. Jackson County pursues former Marianna city manager for county admin position Jackson County has received $700,000 to directly fight the epidemic. The Northwest Florida Health Network is giving $500,000 to PanCare Health, which will provide treatment for overdoses and recovery services to addicts. 'There were 247 suspected overdoses for the fiscal year of 2023 to 2024 for Jackson County. So that number is very significant, and we want to ensure that those folks who do happen to have an overdose will receive the services they need,' Northwest Florida Health Network Behavioral Health Supervisor Lexi Harris said. Jackson County Fire Chief Charlie Brunner wants the remaining $200,000 to create two new full-time positions in Fire-Rescue to help meet the rising demand. 'That will give us the ability to jump-start getting those positions created. And again, just wanting to be sure that we have the capability, funding-wise, to be able to fund those into the future,' Donofro said. Serious injury reported in two-car crash on U.S. 231 C.O.R.E. funding can only be used for treatment and EMS response. 'It's not just the county getting these funds and just using it however they want. There is a structured layout of what they can use the funding for, and based on those options, the county will then make their decision on how they would like to use the funding,' Harris explained Jackson County Commissioners will discuss Brunner's request at their June 10th meeting. Donofro said if commissioners deny the request, they'll consider adding fire rescue positions in next year's budget. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
