The community-based student peer educators’ sentiments for a healthy Puducherry echo the objectives of the project “Towards a Drug Free Puducherry District” – a community-based project jointly undertaken by the Department of Social Work, Pondicherry University and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), Government of India under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, Launched on 6th April 2022, over a period of 12 months, the project sensitized faculty and students from higher educational institutions in Puducherry against substance abuse and alcoholism in Puducherry District.
As part of the project, students from 10 higher educational institutions in Puducherry were trained as peer educators to mobilize women, youth, and at-risk groups in local communities to address the substance use-related issues faced by community members and to aid them in accessing psychosocial support services.
The villages of Periyakalapet, Solainagar, Keezhparikalpattu, Kottaimedu, Melthirukanchi, Sivaranthagam, and Kezhoor were selected for peer-led interventions in this phase of the project. Between December 2022 and April 2023, the students organized a series of activities in these communities such as awareness programmes, focus-group discussions with women, youth and self-help group (SHG) members, health awareness sessions, sports and rangoli competitions, and household KAP (knowledge, attitude, and practice) surveys.
The student peer-educators were felicitated by Prof. Gurmeet Singh, Hon. Vice-Chancellor of Pondicherry University and Prof. B.B. Mohanty, Dean, School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Pondicherry University, Prof. R. Nalini, Principal Investigator provided a brief summary of the project’s major achievements. Professor Gurmeet Singh, Hon. Vice-Chancellor, Pondicherry University delivered the presidential address and tabled the project report for the period April 2022-March 2023. Felicitations were offered by Professor B. B. Mohanty and Dr. K. Anbu, Head (i/c) Department of Social Work, Pondicherry University.
The dignitaries distributed the certificates and medals to the student peer educators in recognition of their work and achievements in their communities. Dr. Iftekhar Alam, Assistant Professor and Co-Principal Investigator offered the vote of thanks. The felicitation programme was organized to recognize and commend the potential of youth in Puducherry under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan campaign towards reducing the demand for drugs, especially among children and youth for the creation of a healthy and youthful Puducherry.