LAHARIYAVAM   KALIYIDANGALODU- Campaign by DREAM Kasaragod

The team of DREAM Kasargod in association with the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), conducted a football match to create awareness among the local youth. The programme was held on 7 January 2023 at the Don Bosco Football Academy ground, Chullikara.  The match attracted around 850 people from different panchayats of the district. As the various teams competed for the prize, cheered on enthusiastically by their supporters on all sides, it made for a truly lively spectacle.

Envisaged as a campaign to create and spread awareness of drugs among the public, especially the youth in the district, the football match was also a means to bring together people, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, etc., and government officials for a common cause. As the availability of drugs is very high in the district, the youth have easy access to the same. The football tournament was also a platform for the DREAM Kasaragod team to create a network with every youth group in the community, to involve them in future initiatives in the fight against substance use and addictions. The DREAM team displayed many informative banners in the surroundings to create awareness in the audience.

The 5s football match was inaugurated by Mr. Rajesh Vellattu, (District President, DYFI), and Fr. Sunny Thomas (District Director, DREAM Kasaragod) addressed the gathering. The youth  were very happy about the initiative, and to take part in the 5s football game.  They were also agreeable to spreading the awareness about addictions to their companions. The football tournament created good visibility about DREAM in the district, creating opportunities to conduct different awareness programmes in the future.