A winter camp was organised by the administration of East Jaintia Hills for the young people of the district to help build up their confidence and give them soft skills to help them tackle the world.
More than 300 students participated in this winter camp, which was the first of its kind in East Jaintia Hills. Dubbed “ia ka mynried” (for a better tomorrow), the initiative was implemented by Avenues and sponsored by the EJH district administration
The students were felicitated at a certification event held yesterday in Khliehriat in the presence of Sutnga-Saipung MLA Santa Mary Shylla and Deputy Commissioner Shivansh Awasthi.
The winter camp, which ran for six days, was the district administration’s efforts to address the poor communication skills and lack of confidence amidst the growing concerns surrounding substance abuse amongst adolescents, particularly in mining affected communities of the district. Avenues has developed a curriculum that focuses on building confidence, basic communication skills and healthy coping habits against exposure to substance abuse.
The winter camp also provided a platform for the students (Classes 7 through 9) to showcase their talents in an effort to build self-esteem and identify personal strengths.
A key highlight of the certification event yesterday was the ‘Wellbeing Pledge’ taken by the programme participants against drugs and substance abuse. Some of the participants shared their learnings from the programme, while others showcased their talents in front of the audience.
Xevia Samantha Sympli, a Class 7 student, shared her experience from the winter camp, saying, “I learnt how to use the 4Ss – Stand, See, Smile and Speak – to communicate more clearly and confidently. It was very interesting to also learn the five elements about ourselves – Hobbies, Talents, Interests, Skills and Qualities.”
Speaking about the sessions on substance abuse awareness, she said, “Drugs are really dangerous for our health and the environment or relationships we have with others. The meaning of “ia ka Mynried” is “for the future” and these winter camps will really help us improve our wellbeing for the future.”
During one of the sessions, Alrik Shylla, of Class 9, shared his story about being born and brought up in Khliehriat: “Many people here, even those of my age, are addicted to drugs. But I am choosing to walk a different path. I am so glad that they have brought the winter camps to us where we are learning about the dangers of drug abuse and how to avoid them. Our group has come up with a slogan which says, ‘If you can skip it for a day, you can skip it for a lifetime’. I am very much inspired to help spread awareness against drug abuse.”
Shylla, the MLA, said, “This programme brings two of our focus areas together – education and health… The awareness that the trainers are bringing in about drug abuse and its harmful impact on health and society is so important and it is even more important for you (the students) to take the message back to your homes and communities. I hope that this programme will continue in other schools and communities across our district.”
Awasthi also spoke on the occasion, saying, “Drug abuse is a major issue, particularly in our district. It’s not enough to simply say that we will not do it. We have to work as a team to fight it. To do that, we need to know the harm it causes in the long run to us, our families, and our society.This programme “ia ka Mynried” is for you because you are the future of our state, our country and the whole world.”
The training interventions under “ia ka Mynried” will extend to more schools in the area in the coming months with the objective to reach more than 1,700 youths in the district.
