In Srinagar's Downtown area, the emerging Downtown Heroes Football Club, predominantly composed of local Kashmiri players, aspires to represent the region on the national stage. Founded in 2020 by Mushtaq Bashir and Hinan Manzoor to counter drug addiction and change perceptions, the club aims to provide a platform for local talent. Despite challenges, the club has achieved notable success, secured sponsors, and is set to participate in the prestigious Durand Cup, offering hope to Kashmir's youth and showcasing their football potential.
A young man named Aasif tragically took his own life, leaving his family devastated. His suicide highlighted the painful truth that suicide transfers the burden of suffering to loved ones left behind. Aasif's family struggled to cope with the loss, and the financial strain added to their grief. The article also discussed the importance of interventions and open conversations about mental health to address the rising suicide rates in young people.
A year ago, Shafiya discovered her teenage daughter's self-harm wounds, leading her on a journey to seek psychiatric help. Her daughter, Sana, suffered relentless bullying, leading to depression and self-harm. Insha, another girl, turned to self-harm after experiencing childhood sexual abuse, while Saima resorted to sleeping pills due to exam stress. Raima and Hina inflicted harm due to household conflict and guilt. Many hide their scars, opting for tattoos to conceal them. Self-harm stems from emotional pain, trauma, and mental health issues. Timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, including therapy and medication, are crucial. Parents and teachers play a vital role in creating a supportive environment for affected individuals.
It requires a lot of comparative data to suggest if teenage knife crimes have gone up but the fact is incidents of stabbing are reported more frequently in Kashmir. The worst incident was reported last week when a 16-year-old literally butchered a man, three times older than him.
'Mission Youth' has succeeded in turning J-K youth into ambassadors of innovation, peace and development through systematic interventions for youth engagement and outreach under six domains including livelihood generation, education/skill development, financial assistance, counselling/theory, sports and recreation.