ANTI – DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAMME

KISMAT INITIATIVE AT PAYYAVOOR, KANNUR

Inauguration by Adv. Sajeev Joseph, MLA Irikkur

The Migrant Help Desk (Kerala Interstate Alliance for Transformation) Kannur in association with Payyavoor Police and Excise department organized an Anti – Drug Awareness programme for the guest workers residing in the Payyavoor area on 8^th January 2023. 70 Interstate migrants from Payyavoor attended the program. The program kick-started with a silent prayer at 2 pm followed by the welcome speech by Shri. E.K Kurian, programme convenor, and the presidential address delivered by Rev. Fr. Saji Elamblaseril SDB, Director, Don Bosco Veedu, Trivandrum. The programme was inaugurated by Adv. Sajeev Joseph, MLA Irikkuri. He is very keen on working towards the welfare of interstate migrants and assured to conduct a mass programme in his constituency exclusively for migrants, listening to their problems and coming up with better solutions. After the inauguration Fr. Sojan Panachickal SDB, HOD Social Work Department, Don Bosco Arts & Science College, Angadikadavu delivered the keynote address highlighting the activities carried out by KISMAT for the welfare of migrants.

An awareness session was taken on drug abuse by Mr John Sumit Jose, the state coordinator of KISMAT followed by an Ice – Breaking session by Fr. Sojan. The awareness class imparted consciousness about the adversities of drug abuse specifically the common usage of alcohol and pan masala among interstate migrants such as health issues, breakage of family bonding, financial problems, and social issues like stigmatization. The session also intended to spread the prevention of substance usage and the system existing in Kerala to support them from addiction. A medical camp was also carried out simultaneously for migrants to ensure their physical health. The program was initiated under the Kannur migrant help desk and which was successful in building networks with all of the guests and ensuring the physical and mental health of the interstate migrants in the Kannur district.