Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal

Bantwal, Aug 31: What unfolded at the Stri Shakti Sabha Bhavana on B C Road was far more than a mere event — it was a powerful commitment by all women present to spearhead social transformation, driven by a shared hope for a brighter, cleaner tomorrow.

The taluk-level community outreach and empowerment programme, held on Saturday, was a collaborative effort by Jana Shikshana Trust, Santhwana Kendra Bantwal, the Women and Child Development Department, Taluk Panchayat, Sanjeevini Union, and the local police.

The initiative focussed on creating waste-free, drug-free, violence-free model villages and promoting the ‘Clean Home, Proud Family’ campaign through heartfelt dialogue and collective resolve.

Jana Shikshana Trust director, Sheena Shetty, who moderated the session, emphasised the societal hurdles obstructing model village development. The person passionately outlined, ‘There are many social obstacles we must overcome to realise the vision of model villages. Change is essential, and we all must take action to bring it about.’

Bantwal Taluk Panchayat executive officer Sachin Kumar launched a booklet titled ‘Clean Home, Proud Family’ — a guide for families to self-declare their commitment to maintaining hygienic and dignified households.

The programme saw the participation of key officials and community leaders including Mamataz, child development project officer of Bantwal taluk; Sudha, manager of the Taluk Sanjeevini Unions; Mangaluru Central police station officers Praveen and Pramila; District Mission Shakti coordinator Anushya; and Krishna Moolya, director of Jana Shikshana Trust.

Police officers Vinay, Pooja, and Ramya from Bantwal Rural, Vitla, and Punjalkatte police stations also contributed to the event’s success.

Community stalwarts such as Jayanti, president of the Stri Shakti Block Society; Chetan, coordinator of Sugrama; Nishapriya, a close associate of Puttur Santhwana Centre; and Gayatri, retired child development project officer, joined hands with community resource persons from Bantwal and Ullal taluks’ Sanjeevini Unions.

Representatives from Bantwal Municipality’s NALAM CRP and Santhwana teams, including Lakshmi, Sundari Kanyana, and Shashikala, also attended. Adding youthful energy were postgraduate students from Mangalore University’s Social Work Department, along with students from Roshni Nilaya and Vitla College.

The event was warmly welcomed by Vidya, associate of Bantwal Taluk Santhwana Centre. social worker Kumari Dakshayini adeptly anchored the programme, while Prashanth proposed the vote of thanks with assistance from Rashmi.

Highlighting the power of creative awareness, students from Vamdapada College presented an impactful short play that brought attention to the critical themes of the campaign.

The gathering reflected a unanimous determination to build cleaner, safer, and healthier communities — especially through empowering women — underscoring that meaningful social change begins with informed dialogue and community commitment.