Jeevan Dhara Welfare Centre Rallies 268 Students in World No Tobacco Day Awareness March
Ghaziabad community initiative draws participation from local police in campaign for tobacco-free society
Jeevan Dhara Welfare Centre, as part of its Empowering Slum Communities of Ghaziabad Project, organized a large-scale public awareness rally on 30 May 2026 to mark World No Tobacco Day. Although the international observance falls on 31 May, the event was held a day earlier to ensure maximum participation from students, teachers, and community members.
The rally commenced at 7:30 a.m. from the Jeevan Dhara Welfare Centre and covered approximately one and a half kilometres en route to St. Joseph Academy School. A total of 268 students, accompanied by teachers and staff, participated in the procession, carrying colourful placards bearing anti-tobacco messages and raising slogans in support of a tobacco-free society. The march drew significant attention from residents along the route, amplifying the campaign’s reach within the local community.
The event was attended by representatives from the local police department, including officials from the Nandagram Police Station. Their presence lent the campaign institutional weight and reinforced the message that combating tobacco use is a shared responsibility across civil society and law enforcement. Police officials urged students and community members to remain free from tobacco and other harmful substances.
Following the rally, participants gathered in the auditorium for a short awareness programme. The session underscored the importance of collective action in protecting children and young people from tobacco addiction, and encouraged attendees to serve as advocates for healthy living in their own homes and communities.
The programme concluded at 10:30 a.m. with a vote of thanks. The initiative reflects Jeevan Dhara Welfare Centre’s ongoing commitment to health education and community empowerment among the underserved populations of Ghaziabad.
