SPYM

May 3, 2024

1. Project Title: “NAVCHETNA: A New Consciousness on Life Skills and Drug Education for
   Children”
2. Need for the Project: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), Government of India, in collaboration with the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS, New Delhi, released a report on “Magnitude of Substance Use in India” following the “National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India” in 2019. According to the report, there are 16 Crore alcohol users in India out of which 5.7 Crore Indians need help for alcohol use disorders. There are 3.1 Crore cannabis users, of which 72 Lakh are problem users and 25 Lakh people are dependent users (those in need of treatment). For opioid users, the number is estimated to be 2.3 Crore, of which 28 Lakh are dependent users.
   Collectively it is estimated that at least 7.5 Crore people need help for alcohol, cannabis and opioid use disorders.
   There was strong evidence to support substance use among children. The National Survey (2019) reported approximately 77 Lakh users of volatile/inhalant substances, of which 26 Lakh were among children. It was also found that the prevalence of opioid use among those aged 10-17 years was just under 2% nationwide. An earlier nationwide specific study of children and substance use conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (2013) found that the past month’s use of tobacco among the participants was 75%, 57% for alcohol, 31% for inhalants and 29% for cannabis. A cause of increasing concern was that the age of initiation of drug use was decreasing and that only a few children come forward for treatment.
   As per a survey, namely conducted by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India (Magnitude of Substance Use in India, 2019), about 2.1% of the country’s population i.e., 2.26 crore people were opioid users. The most common opioid used is heroin (1.14%) i.e., approximately 1.2 crore people. Even if one child can be kept away from possible substance use after attending the NAVCHETNA workshop the annual savings on cost incurred for procuring the drug will work out to Rs. 5,40,000 per year (assuming 0.5 gms of consumption of heroine per day, i.e., 180 gms per year at the rate of Rs. 3000 per gm) which is 5 times more than the cost incurred in organizing the workshop as proposed. It is needless to mention that this will also prevent committing of crimes by the victims for procuring drugs.
3. Exact Location/Address: Faridabad
4. Project Start Date: October 10, 2023
5. Brief report on progress to date: SPYM sought formal approval from the Education Department, Government of Haryana in October 2023. A copy of the letter of approval is attached. In coordination with the District Education Officer (DEO), Faridabad, the NAVCHETNA Teacher Training batches were organized by SPYM with the support of Imperial Auto Industries Pvt. Ltd. Each training session spanned two days, encompassing lectures, interactive activities, an discussions. To date, 461 teachers have undergone training, benefiting over 16,600 students so far.
6. Achieved milestones:
   Batch Performance:
   In the pre-test, pass rates varied across batches, with percentages ranging from 30% to 65%.
   In the post-test, there was a noticeable improvement, with post-test pass ratesconsistently higher, ranging from 90% to 100%.
   Improvement Trend:
   Across all batches, there is a clear trend of improvement from pre-test to post-test, indicating the effectiveness of the training in enhancing participants’ knowledge.
   The overall data suggests a consistent and substantial improvement in participants’ knowledge from the pre-test to the post-test.
7. Number of beneficiaries impacted: 461 teachers trained of which more than 332 teachers have conducted training in their respective schools impacting approximately 16,600 students. This process is continuing in schools.