The students of Centre for Studies in Journalism & Mass Communication (CSJMC), Dibrugarh University ran a grassroots engagement initiative via cinema screening at the Sealkotee Tea Estate on Monday as part of their current 45-day campaign titled #HopesUpDrugsDown. The campaign that began on May 15 will go until June 29 to spread the message of the importance of seeking help against drug abuse and lifetime benefits that rehabilitation provides. This is the second phase after a one-month long starter campaign in February this year.
The campaign started off with two on-ground events with a public survey followed by a social experiment across strategic locations that was conducted to gauge public reactions and deeply-held notions around drug abuse and victimhood.
The community members came out inspired and moved after the screening that was followed by an interactive session.
Monalisha Mishra Tanti, a garden hospital worker who participated in the session said, “We watch cinema for two main reasons- entertainment and knowledge. Our takeaway from today’s event is that it is important to recognize the supportive figures in one’s life and that parents can support their children tackles these challenges head on.”
Another community member, Parmeshwar Tanti, a retired garden LP school teacher said, “Education can help create the needed awareness that is lacking today. The government benefits that are provided to us should be used rigorously towards the care and upliftment of our children and community as a whole so we can build healthy future generations.”
The event was attended by Plabona Bora Goswami, president, Pratyavartan Rehabilitation Centre, Dibrugarh.
The 45-day long campaign strives to offer an open space for respectful conversations around drug abuse and the address the reasons behind the taboo around seeking rehabilitation and aims to occupy a significant place in the public consciousness for the future.
