RC Panaji, RID 3170, in collaboration with Montfort Academy and Veejay Facility, Panjim, has established the Institute of Nursing at the Montfort Academy in Corlim, Goa.

Over 500 households in villages across West Bengal are now ­complete with toilets, thanks to a global grant project of RC Calcutta ­Chowrenghee, RID 3291, along with international partner RC New York Metro City, USA, and TRF. “Open defecation was rampant in the villages, and women and girls particularly were at danger, as this made them vulnerable to health risks and gender-based ­violence, and affected their dignity and self-respect,” says Vikram Tantia, Foundation Committee chair of the host club. Hence the club decided to install toilets in individual houses in these villages.

A silent crisis affecting young people — a rise in anxiety, depression, and even suicide. It is a national reality and as a mental health professional for 35 years, I’ve been seeing the warning signs. There was a 20 per cent increase in anxiety and depression during the Covid pandemic. Deaths by suicide were also going up, especially among high school students. Due to the stigma surrounding mental health, awareness about it was low. Young people suffered in silence and took recourse to the last option. In India, where over 50 per cent of the population is below 25 years of age and one-third is under the age of 18, this is a critical issue.