Don Bosco DREAM II launched in Thiruvananthapuram to build a drug-free Kerala

After reaching over five lakh students in its first phase, Don Bosco BREADS begins a four-year mission to shield children and youth from substance abuse

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, August 10: The second phase of the Don Bosco DREAM (Drug Rehabilitation, Education and Mentoring) project — DREAM II — was formally inaugurated at Don Bosco Veedu, Manacaud, on Monday by District Collector Smt. Anu Kumari IAS, at a District Level Stakeholders’ Meeting that brought together representatives of the Child Rights Commission, the Excise Department, the Child Welfare Committee, Don Bosco institutions and other key stakeholders working to protect children and youth from the growing threat of addiction.

Launching the new phase, the Collector called for a united, community-wide response to substance abuse, noting that the safety of children at home, in schools, on the streets and in the digital world must be a shared responsibility. The keynote address was delivered by Smt. Cicily Joseph, Member, Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR), and Deputy Excise Commissioner M. Sooraj offered a special address on enforcement and prevention.

What DREAM I achieved (2021–2025)

Implemented across ten districts of Kerala from November 2021 to April 2025, the first phase of DREAM created one of the state’s largest community-based movements against addiction. Through awareness programmes it reached 4,05,977 school students and 94,620 college youth, and trained 3,055 student leaders as peer influencers who now carry the anti-drug message among their friends.

The project also equipped the adults around every child: 3,876 teachers, 3,00,562 parents and 681 volunteers were trained to identify risk early and to prevent addiction within their own spheres of influence. Advocacy and campaign activities carried the message to a further 88,231 people, while 57,940 children and youth received mentoring and counselling support.

To make help available close to home, ten specialised counselling centres were established across the ten districts. In 2022 the project set up Don Bosco Sadan, a government-approved de-addiction and rehabilitation centre at Monvila, Thiruvananthapuram, which has successfully treated and rehabilitated 207 boys below 18 years of age. The impact of the first phase was independently evaluated by the Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery.

What DREAM II will do (2026 onwards)

Building on this foundation, DREAM II is a four-year programme designed to strengthen prevention, early support and rehabilitation systems in schools, communities and government mechanisms alike. The project aims to make protection structures functional and self-sustaining rather than dependent on any single agency.

In schools and communities, DREAM II plans to train 1,000 school counsellors and 3,200 teachers across ten districts, strengthen 100 Vimukti Clubs in each district, and build the capacity of 2,000 local leaders — youth group heads, PTA and PRI members, civil society and religious leaders — drawn from 50 Grama Panchayats. Vigilant committees, trained volunteer resource persons, workshops for social work and psychology students, and annual public awareness campaigns will widen the circle of protection.

On the care side, the project will roll out a digital counselling platform and strengthen Don Bosco’s counselling, rehabilitation and after-care services, with a target of supporting 1,500 to 2,000 children in every district each year — an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 children over four years. Government stakeholders will receive structured capacity-building, and each district will work to leverage CSR and government resources to keep the mission sustainable for the long term.

A shared mission

Delivering the welcome address, Fr. Thomas PD, State Director of DREAM II and Director of Don Bosco Veedu, said the project carries forward the Don Bosco commitment of serving the young and the poor “with love and reason.” State Coordinator Greeshma Joseph N presented the district status and the way forward, while Fr. Sebastian Kalambadan, Rector of Don Bosco Veedu, delivered the presidential address. Fr. Philip Parakatt, Director of Don Bosco Sadan, spoke on rehabilitation and reintegration, and Dr. Mohan Raj, Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, released the DREAM II logo.

DREAM II is an initiative of Don Bosco DREAM, promoted by BREADS (Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society), implemented in Kerala by the Trivandrum Don Bosco Veedu Society in collaboration with Don Bosco institutions and government partners.

— Issued by the DREAM II Media Team, Trivandrum Don Bosco Veedu Society