Conducted by Seng Kynthei, UUNEI
The program Navchetna: a New Consciousness on Life Skills and Drug Education was designed for all Unitarian Schools and Sunday school children in India. It has many modules for training which has made it easier for trainers to plan their training schedule.
Although the program is focused on children of the ages between 10 and 18, we have included children of all age groups in our Sunday school curriculum as there are many things that the younger ones also need to learn.
In 2025, this program was conducted at five clusters of five to six Unitarian churches in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, North Eastern India.
The Shillong cluster includes six congregations. In February 2025, at the Nongthymmai congregation, the training session was led by Dr. Rica Lamar and included the following topics and presenters:
- Recognition of Risks, Family Relationship and Being Safe, Mrs Amon Palei M Pdah, Seng Kynthei member
- Emotions and their Management, Miss Amy Amanda Shullai, Seng Kynthei member
- Hygiene and Nutrition, Balanced Diet, Peer Pressure and Basics of Drug Education, Dr Echuamidaka M Pdah, Senior Youth Wing UUNEI
At the same time, Elgiva and Phiralin Passah gathered the younger children outside and interacted with them through games and situational Questions and Answers. They addressed subjects like gender equality, learning home chores, companions, self-care, recognizing dangerous situations at schools, good and bad touch, dangers of using smart phones and more. The children’s awareness and responses were surprisingly very good and positive. It shows parents involvement and education at home.
The Jowai Cluster of six congregations held its first training in April at the Mukhap congregation. Here Tippor Shullai spoke on Life skills and Pretty Tongper spoke on Menstrual Hygiene. A second session was held in May at Nongtalang Congregation where Pretty Tongper spoke on Good Touch and Bad Touch.
In June, Nongkrem cluster of five congregations met to learn about Life Skills Education, Live and Eat Healthy, and HIV Infection and its Prevention of Spread, all covered by Dr. Rica Lamar. The participants learned about Physical Exercises and Good Health from Pretty Tongper.
The Ri- Bhoi Cluster of ten congregations held its training in September at Kyrdem, Bhoi where Ivyreen Warjri spoke on Life Skills and Drug Education and D Bahun Mukhim covered Underage Pregnancy and its Ill Effects.
The Kharang Cluster of seven congregations gathered in October at Mawsynjri, Kharang. Dr Rica Lamar covered the topics of Eat and Live Healthy and Drug Education, while Pretty Tongper spoke on Exercise and Yoga for Women.
I would like to place on record my heartfelt gratitude to the members of the International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women (ICUUW) who are the actual backbone of our Khasi projects, and with whom the Seng Kynthei UUNEI collaborates and partners. Thank you for your continued support, campaigning and donating generously to raise funds for these developmental projects for women and children that Unitarian Women carry out in their respective countries.
The Seng Kynthei UUNEI has trained 25 Master Trainers in two sessions to carry out training programs for all the Unitarian Schools and Sunday school children in India. By the time we complete the mission in North East India, we hope to extend the program to South India and to extend help to the government.
I end here with these words found in James 2:17 reminding us that faith alone is not enough but is made complete by action.
TO NANGROI (Khasi language: always forward!)
