At Paribartan, boys give up on addiction, get back to classrooms once again
CUTTACK: Earlier this year, when a group of 35 minor boys were brought to Paribartan, the state's first free adolescent de-addiction and rehabilitation centre at Choudwar, little did they realise the state they were in.
Addicted to cheaply available drugs and alcohol, the boys had quit studies and chose to spend time outside their schools, indulging in anti-social activities. Today though, they are busy making up for the lost classes after being admitted to Janmenjaya Government UP School and Kalinga Public High School in Choudwar. Their de-addiction journey wasn't an easy one but the volunteers at Paribartan helped them navigate the phase and chose a better life.
The de-addiction centre was opened in 2022 and runs from the premises of a voluntary organisation, Udhaar Foundation. 'Cases of drug addiction among minor boys are rampant today. These minor boys were a cause of concern for not just their parents but also the police and district administration,' said chairperson of the centre Bharati Das. The centre offers free de-addiction and rehabilitation to adolescents.
There are 68 minor boys in the centre under treatment now who have been rescued from various slums, bus stands and railway stations. Apart from being provided treatment by experienced doctors, their counselling is done daily by experienced counsellors, she added.
The main objective is to get the minors who have dropped out of school due to drug addiction, go back to the schooling system after de-addiction. Besides, they are encouraged to play games, put through yoga sessions, meditations and spirituality lessons.
'The boarders are currently given drawings, entertainment-based education, dance and music training. Our goal is to provide vocational education to the children after they attain 18 years of age, to make them self-sufficient,' said Bharati.
While the de-addiction is being funded by the district administration under Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram, the centre is being run with the help of donations by some Good Samaritans in the absence of any assistance from the Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities department.
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