Street plays are an effective medium of public awareness under the Garima Project
Under the ‘Garima’ project of ‘Sankalp Ek Prayas Sanstha’, street plays have emerged as a powerful medium through which social awareness is being spread in rural communities. Under this initiative, the team of the organization runs a public awareness campaign by visiting 250 villages, various districts and panchayats. The presentations of street plays are prepared on the basis of local language, culture and context, due to which the villagers feel directly connected and the message reaches deeply.
Awareness on the following major social issues is spread through street plays:
Addiction and drug abuse (Substance Abuse):
Through drama, youth are told about the ill effects of drug addiction and are encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
Hygiene & Sanitation:
The importance of cleanliness, diseases caused by open defecation and the benefits of adopting hygienic habits are depicted in an interesting manner.
Child Marriage:
By showing the social, mental and physical harm of child marriage, people are encouraged to stand up against it.
Menstruation and Hygiene (Menstrual Awareness):
This issue, which is considered a silent subject in society, is presented openly so that understanding and empathy can be increased among adolescent girls and their families.
Program Features
- Participation of local artists: Performances are given by artists from the rural environment, which further increases the impact.
- Venue based performances: The play is performed in markets, schools, panchayat bhawans and these are done in open spaces in fairs and markets so that maximum people can join.
- Interactive Session: The play is followed by an interaction with the audience to enable them to ask questions and understand the depth of the topic.
Impact
- Open discussions on social issues have started in the communities.
- Due to awareness, incidents of child marriage have reduced.
- Thinking against drug addiction is developing among teenagers and youth.
- The misconceptions related to menstruation among women and adolescents are gradually breaking down.
Street play under the Garima project is not just a cultural performance but a live medium of social change. It lays the foundation of awareness, dialogue and solutions in the rural society and motivates them towards an empowered, dialogue and solutions in the rural society and motivates them towards an empowered, educated and secure future.