By Matters India Reporter
Miao: A group of young people in Arunachal Pradesh has resorted to inter-school sport and literary competitions to fight drug abuse in the northeastern Indian state.
The group comprises 22 youth from Changlang district studying in various colleges across northeastern India.
They have come together as Inter Collegiate Youth Association (ICYA) of Miao to spread awareness about substance abuse that now threatens the future generations of the state
“Young people like us do not get a platform to express ourselves and get social attention. This lead us to pick up harmful habits, including drugs,” ICYA president Gini Kenly told Matters India.
He said his group’s motive is to catch the young and keep them busy. “By gathering the students from almost every high schools in Kharsang, Namphai and Miao blocks of the district, we not only keep them busy but give them a platform to express themselves and get a sense of achievement,” Kenly explained.
Football for boys and girls, tug-of-war, obstacle race, badminton, singing and drawing are a few of the host of competitions spread over a period of two weeks. The Newman School managed by Miao diocese in Neotan won the football championship for both boys and girls category. The Light of the World School, Miao won the tug-of-war championship.
Kenly claimed the competitions found good response from all the schools.
Prior to the competitions the youth association visited all schools in the blocks to conduct awareness program on the evil effects of drug addiction and how not to be its victim.
IYCA general secretary Ahuntang Tikhak said the association is not for promoting its members but to fight drug abuse in the state. “Once we have achieved our goal in Changlang district, we will take this initiative to other districts,” he told Matters India.
Father Felix Anthony, Miao diocesan youth director, welcomed the IYCA initiative which he said is timely in view of the increasing number of young people getting addicted drugs in Arunachal Predesh’s eastern region. “The ICYA is a refreshing change. If you are able to change even just one boy, that is your success,” the priest told ICYA members.
The youth move “is more about stopping the next generation of youth from indulging in drug abuse,” added the priest, who is also the diocesan spokesperson. He wants other young people in the state emulate the ICYA members.