GDC Drass signs MoU with Charkha to expand Youth Leadership and Skill Development under PM-USHA

Youth Club formed as seven students selected for advanced training to lead community outreach programmes

DRASS: Government Degree College (GDC), Drass on Friday concluded its five-day PM-USHA workshop on women leadership, life skills, menstrual health and hygiene, and stop-motion animation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Charkha Development Communication Network, New Delhi, paving the way for sustained collaboration on youth capacity-building and community outreach.

The MoU, signed in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Drass, Imteeaz Kacho, is aimed at expanding cooperation between the college and the development communication organisation through future training programmes, leadership initiatives and skill-based interventions for students.

The valedictory function brought together college faculty, students, resource persons and district officials, marking the culmination of a programme designed to strengthen leadership among young women while promoting awareness on menstrual health, life skills and creative learning through stop-motion animation.

Welcoming the gathering, Principal of GDC Drass, Nasirul Mehdi Shabani, outlined the objectives and outcomes of the workshop, describing it as an effort to equip students with practical life skills alongside academic learning. He also announced the distribution of menstrual cups, provided by Baqirya Health Centre, among participants to encourage safe menstrual health practices.

Programme Manager of Charkha Development Communication Network, Ananya, thanked the college for hosting the workshop and commended the active involvement of students and faculty. She announced the formation of a Youth Club to ensure continued engagement on the themes discussed during the workshop and said the organisation would maintain its association with the institution through future mentoring and support.

She further disclosed that seven girl participants had been selected as the core group and would receive advanced training to become resource persons capable of conducting similar workshops in schools and other educational institutions.

One of the highlights of the programme was the screening of a stop-motion animation film jointly produced by the participants during the five-day workshop. The presentation documented learning experiences, activities and creative projects undertaken during the training and drew appreciation from the audience.

Participants received certificates, coffee mugs and menstrual cups during the closing ceremony, while the workshop facilitators were felicitated with traditional khataks and souvenirs by Deputy Commissioner Imteeaz Kacho in recognition of their contribution.

Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner congratulated Government Degree College Drass for organising the programme under PM-USHA and appreciated the quality of the stop-motion animation produced by the participants. He said such initiatives contribute to quality education, skill development and the holistic growth of students, expressing hope that the institution would continue organising similar programmes in the future.

The workshop was facilitated by Play for Peace practitioners Swati and Agyat along with Charkha team members Ananya and Nitin. The five-day programme, including the valedictory session, was coordinated by Shujat Ali Mir, Co-Convener, PM-USHA, Government Degree College Drass.

The formal vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Sajjad Hussain, while the proceedings were anchored by Dr. Ghulam Mustafa.