Reliance Foundation, Simply Sport Foundation collaborate for menstrual awareness in sports

The focus of the nationwide menstrual programme is to help understand the relationship between menstruation and athlete performance, educate the athlete ecosystem and champion the cause of female athlete wellness, according to a statement from Reliance Foundation.

To enhance awareness, Reliance Foundation and SSF have planned a series of workshops to equip athletes and coaches with essential knowledge and tools related to menstruation and its impact on the sport.

Further, develop a comprehensive knowledge repository covering topics such as female athlete nutrition, body image issues, psychology, and overall health, Reliance Foundation said. These resources will be made accessible through digital channels, to ensure widespread awareness and education.

Olympian and Reliance Foundation scholarship athlete Lovlina Borgohain, "It's very important to normalise talking about periods. For female athletes along with overall wellbeing, performance too is connected to menstruation. Much like regular training we need to ensure that we have regular periods as well. It's high time we ended the silence about periods. I am glad Reliance Foundation and Simply Sport Foundation are engaging in conversation around female athletes and menstruation."

Recognising the need for a stronger bond between athlete and their coaching and backroom team, a Reliance Foundation spokesperson said, "We are very happy to partner with Simply Sport Foundation for the Simply Periods initiative, through which we aim to break the silence surrounding menstruation and create a supportive environment for female athletes."

At Reliance Foundation, the spokesperson said, "We firmly believe that women are the backbone of our society. This initiative will enable us to support and empower women in sports and pave their way to succeed and bring pride to our nation."

Ankit Nagori, Founder of Simply Sport Foundation, commented, "We are excited about this collaboration with Reliance Foundation, which will enable us to expand the reach of Simply Periods and create a positive impact on the lives of a lot of female athletes. Together I hope we are able to empower athletes and coaches, break down societal barriers, and foster an inclusive sports environment."

According to the statement, Reliance Foundation said it has a comprehensive vision of empowering women in sports by providing them with the necessary opportunities to thrive and achieve remarkable success on the global stage.

As part of this vision, this partnership with Simply Periods will aim to address the sensitive issue of menstruation faced by female athletes. Through this initiative, the Simply Sport Foundation has already made a positive impact by reaching out to more than 3,000 athletes and coaches.

Reliance Foundation said that it sought to complement its efforts and use its own and partner ecosystem with the ultimate goal of creating a lasting and transformative impact.

Guided by Reliance's overarching 'We Care' philosophy, Reliance Foundation in the statement said it was committed to the empowerment of women and girls in all walks of life from comprehensive initiatives in technology access such as the WomenConnect Challenge India, to capacity building of social sector leaders, such as the WomenLead India Fellowship.

From enhancing agency to fostering women's entrepreneurship, Reliance Foundation also aims to drive transformative change, enabling women with tools, skills and support to realise their full potential; to be catalysts of change across the socio-economic fabric of our nation. (ANI)