Correspondent
Kohima, Nov 3 (NPN): ACTS Connect officially launched the fourth edition of “Breaking the Silence 4.0”, an awareness campaign on mental health and substance abuse, at Mount Olive College, Kohima, on November 3.
The campaign was jointly organised by the Department of Social Welfare, Nagaland; Assam Rifles; Recovery Wellness Society; and Mount Olive College.
The programme was graced by Major General H.A. Mavi, IGAR (North), as the guest of honour, while Wango Langsym, Deputy Director and State Nodal Officer, Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA), Department of Social Welfare, attended as the special guest.
Addressing the gathering, Major General Mavi encouraged individuals to speak out whenever they felt something was wrong and to extend support to those struggling with mental health issues or substance abuse. He urged people to believe in one another, break the silence and muster the courage to overcome addiction.
In his address, Langsym urged young people not to limit their dreams or allow substance abuse to destroy their aspirations and future prospects.
Short addresses were delivered by T. Bahun Nongrum, Miss Divine Beauty India 2026, Miss Earth India 2025 First Runner-up and Miss Meghalaya 2024; Lovikali Swu, Miss Grand India Nagaland 2026; and ZT Slingshot, rapper and songwriter from Nagaland, who also presented a musical performance titled “Voice Beyond Silence.”
The keynote address was delivered by Bendang Imsong, Director of ACTS Connect.
Imsong said mental health challenges and substance abuse had remained hidden for too long behind fear, shame and stigma, leaving individuals to suffer in silence and families to struggle alone. He noted that many young people refrained from seeking help due to fear of judgement, labelling and misunderstanding.
He said the Breaking the Silence campaign was launched in 2023 to transform silence into dialogue by challenging stigma surrounding mental health and substance abuse, replacing misunderstanding with empathy and encouraging young people to seek help without fear.
According to Imsong, mental health and substance abuse issues affect not only individuals but also families, schools, colleges, workplaces and communities. He stressed that silence often becomes a barrier to recovery, while open conversations create opportunities for healing and support.
He said the campaign’s core message, “It is okay not to be okay. It is not okay to suffer alone,” aims to encourage people to acknowledge their struggles and recognise that identifying a problem is the first step towards treatment, recovery and hope.
Reflecting on the campaign’s journey, Imsong said that from 2023 to 2024, the initiative brought together community organisations, government departments, educational institutions, Assam Rifles, health professionals and youth ambassadors across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Nagaland.
He said the campaign focused on raising awareness on mental health and substance abuse, challenging myths and misinformation, reducing social stigma, encouraging young people to seek timely help and creating supportive environments within families, educational institutions and communities. He added that the initiative also complemented the vision of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan for a drug-free India.
Highlighting the role of youth-led advocacy, Imsong said youth ambassadors and community leaders helped carry the campaign’s message beyond auditoriums and into everyday conversations. He emphasised that leadership was not about having all the answers but about creating spaces where others could be heard.
He further stressed that awareness must lead to action, noting that while campaigns and events could inform and inspire, lasting change depended on daily acts of understanding and support, such as parents listening without judgement, teachers recognising students in distress, friends offering support and young people feeling safe to seek professional help.
Imsong also maintained that recovery was possible through compassion rather than criticism and that prevention was more effective than punishment. He added that no single institution, government department or organisation could address these challenges alone.
Looking ahead, he called for Breaking the Silence 4.0 to evolve into a people-driven movement that continues in homes, classrooms, campuses, neighbourhoods and digital spaces, rather than remaining confined to events and slogans.
The fourth edition of the campaign will extend its outreach across four northeastern states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland. Delivering the concluding remarks, ACTS Connect Managing Director Ainato Yeptho said speaking up was a sign of strength and not weakness. Encouraging those struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues to seek help, he emphasised that a single caring conversation could save a life.
Highlighting ACTS, which stands for Aid, Care, Trust and Support, Yeptho urged young people to say no to drugs, especially the first trial, stating that drugs do not remove problems but instead take away one’s future. He called on the younger generation to become a generation that breaks the silence and chooses healing.
On behalf of ACTS Connect Nagaland, he expressed gratitude to the Inspector General Assam Rifles (North), 13th Assam Rifles, Department of Social Welfare, Government of Nagaland, Recovery Wellness Society Assam, Mount Olive College, the youth icons, students, volunteers, media personnel and faculty members for their support in making the programme successful.
Yeptho informed that Breaking the Silence 4.0 would continue its outreach across the Northeast, with its next programme scheduled at St. Xavier Higher Secondary School, Jalukie, Peren, on November 4, followed by Jorhat on November 11, Tezpur on November 12 and the grand finale at NEHU, Shillong, on November 14.
He concluded by reiterating the campaign’s central message that no one should have to face their struggles alone.