Shaping Resilient Futures: Enhancing the Networks through State level StakeholdersWorkshop

DREAM Project with the collaboration of Kerala Child Rights Commission organised the state level stakeholders workshop

Dr V Venu inaugurating the State level stakeholders workshop

Bangalore Rural Educational and Developmental Society (BREADS) in association with the Kerala State
Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR), DREAM Kerala conducted a state-level
stakeholders’ workshop on the current status of substance abuse among children and the interventions by
various government departments and NGOs in Kerala. The workshop is part of BREADS’ Drug
Rehabilitation Education And Mentoring (DREAM) initiative in Kerala and was conducted at Apollo Di
Mora Hotel, Trivandrum, on 29 February 2024.
After the inauguration by Dr V Venu (State Chief Secretary), dignitaries such as Mr. K V Manoj
(Chairperson-KSCPCR), Dr. Shermila Mary (Principal Secretary-LSGD), Mr. S S Hanavas (Director
General Education), Fr Philip Parakattu (State Director-DREAM), Fr George PS (Executive
Director–BREADS), Ms. Jalajamol T C (Member-KSCPCR), and Ms. N Sunandha (Member–KSCPCR)
addressed the gathering.
There was active participation of 178 members from various government departments such as Women and
Child Development, Excise, Education, Social Justice, Health, Local Self Government, State Child Rights
Protection Commission, and various NGOs, who work among vulnerable children prone to substance/drug
abuses and other addictions. All members took part in the event by sharing their various services and
valuable experiences towards the prevention of substance abuse among children and youth.
Mr. Manoj Kumar concluded the session by assuring the gathering that the suggestions that came up during
the discussions would be collated and submitted to the state government to facilitate policy and
implementation changes in the state of Kerala by the government.