The East Jaintia Hills District (EJHD) of Meghalaya has taken a decisive step in addressing substance abuse among adolescents while fostering youth aspirations through the “ia ka Mynried” initiative. Spearheaded by the District Administration and supported by the District Mineral Foundation, the initiative has successfully conducted winter camps across 11 educational institutions, impacting 1,826 students to date. The latest certification events were held on Tuesday at longkaluh for 247 students of St. Peter Secondary School and at Byndihati for 126 students of Sacred Heart Secondary School and 315 students of Byndihati Secondary School. Santa Mary Shylla, Member of Legislative Assembly, Sutnga-Saipung Constituency, attended as the Chief Guest at Sacred Heart Secondary School, Byndihati.
While many northeastern states grapple with rising substance abuse among youth, Meghalaya has taken a proactive approach, prioritizing empowerment and resilience- building alongside enforcement measures. The state’s intervention under the Drug Reduction Elimination & Action Mission (DREAM) integrates soft skills training with substance abuse prevention, positioning it as a leader in youth development. Speaking at the event, Santa Mary Shylla, MLA of Sutnga-Saipung Constituency, emphasized the program’s lasting impact:
“The winter camps have created a lasting impact in the district as students have received training that can transform their lives. I implore each student to take this as a challenge to be a better person. This winter camp is one of the best things we have done for our students in East Jaintia Hills, and we aim to bring it to more schools. It is our hope, and that of our Deputy Commissioner, that initiatives like this continue to empower our youth to become better students and, more importantly, better human beings.” Shivansh Awasthi, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills, highlighted the initiative’s broader mission.
