Preventing Pakistani youth from suicide and drugs

Under the URAAN Project, AWARD Pakistan continued its efforts to safeguard young people from suicide and drug addiction by equipping them with practical skills, guidance, and opportunities for a brighter future. In collaboration with the Punjab Government Skill Development Institute, Sanatzar, TEVTA, Female Exclusive Training Institute, and ITHM College, a series of Motivation and Awareness Seminars was organized for school and college dropouts across rural and urban areas of District Faisalabad and District Toba Tek Singh. A total of 806 youth (327 male and 479 female) participated in these sessions, where they were motivated to view vocational and technical skills as a pathway to personal dignity, economic stability, and positive mental health. These seminars not only encouraged youth to pursue constructive learning but also helped them overcome feelings of isolation, frustration, and hopelessness, which often push them towards drugs or suicidal behavior.

The project initially aimed to enroll 100 dropout students into vocational and technical institutes. With well-planned and dedicated efforts, the URAAN team succeeded in facilitating the enrollment of 191 students into a wide range of government and private institutes in Faisalabad and Toba Tek Singh. These enrollments provided participants with practical opportunities to learn marketable skills, gain direction, and secure a livelihood. For many, this became a turning point, giving them a sense of belonging and purpose, and steering them away from destructive habits and negative coping mechanisms.

To strengthen the economic resilience of participants, the project team conducted a two-day Business Development Training with 90 selected youth, both male and female. The training covered business planning, communication, marketing, record-keeping, savings, reinvestment, and crisis management. At the conclusion of the training, each participant received a grant cheque to purchase business equipment. With direct support from the URAAN team in sourcing equipment, these young people were able to launch small enterprises. This intervention not only created income-generation opportunities but also enhanced their confidence, reduced vulnerability to drugs, and instilled a sense of ownership and responsibility towards their future.

Alongside technical and entrepreneurial support, the project also focused on building leadership and career direction.  Five leadership seminars were organized to develop resilience, responsibility, and confidence, equipping participants to resist peer pressure, bullying, and negative influences. Additionally, three awareness seminars on CSS, PMS, FPSC, and PPSC examinations were conducted for intermediate and graduate-level youth, broadening their vision and offering them constructive career goals. The project team also assisted 67 skilled youth members in applying for jobs, out of which 56 were successfully employed, giving them stability and a renewed sense of hope.

Through these activities, the project has directly contributed to its core objective of preventing Pakistani youth from suicide and drugs. By creating avenues for skill development, livelihood generation, and leadership building, the URAAN Project has transformed vulnerable young individuals into motivated, resilient, and constructive members of society, providing them with the tools and confidence to reject despair and choose life, growth, and contribution.