My first initiative under health through Youth for Seva, was the Anti-tobacco skit and awareness program we did for the high school boys at the government school where I was teaching.
Anand (who was also teaching at the same school) and I put together this dramatic skit of a common person (played by Vikshut) who gets drawn to cigarettes in college, gets addicted, tries to quit, and then how he struggles with withdrawal symptoms. We showed two parts of the story - In one part, our struggling hero succumbs to the temptation and eventually dies. In another part, our hero finds enough reason to quit and actually changes his life around. The message was clear - the choice is yours.
Having written out the detailed script, we started looking for people who could act and for someone who could be the narrator. The narrator's role was to simultaneously make a presentation on the ill effects of using tobacco. I was clear that we should have as many male volunteers in the program, so that young boys will have some role models to look up to. Another aspect to selecting volunteers was that they themselves should not be a tobacco user, because then the whole thing would seem hypocritical And we didn't want any preachy lectures on tobacco which'll put the children to sleep. So our hunt began for the right candidates.
What grand demands I made - a good actor, a good narattor who doesn't use tobacco, and is willing to act in our strange skit! One week after we sent the request, all I got was silence from volunteers! I guess I was asking for too much. Luckily, somewe found Vikshut who fit the role perfectly of the main character, and he actually didn't use tobacco himself. But then, who would play the equally important role of presenter?
I looked at Anand, who guiltily admitted that he smokes. Left with no other choice, we cast Anand with the condition that at least during the duration of the practice and the skit, he wouldn't touch a cigarette. He made faces, he cribbed, he sighed, he tried to reason why its not hypocritical if he was a smoker. When nothing worked, he agreed. (Of course, I secretly hoped that being part of the skit will get him to quit)
The day arrived; we performed; the children applauded and jumped up to take an oath to never touch tobacco. I looked around for Anand during the oath, he had hidden himself in some corner so that he wouldn't have to take that oath!
As with all our programs, we hoped and wished that at least one child would have the courage to say no to tobacco when the time comes. But this is something only time will tell.
Meanwhile, Anand never quit. He told me just yesterday that he hasn't decided to quit smoking. But, he also hasn't touched a cigarette since the first skit we performed. And that was almost one and a half years ago. :-)
The details of the skit (http://www.doctorsforseva.youthforseva.org/downloads/) and some pics can be seen at http://www.doctorsforseva.youthforseva.org/gallery/
Anand (who was also teaching at the same school) and I put together this dramatic skit of a common person (played by Vikshut) who gets drawn to cigarettes in college, gets addicted, tries to quit, and then how he struggles with withdrawal symptoms. We showed two parts of the story - In one part, our struggling hero succumbs to the temptation and eventually dies. In another part, our hero finds enough reason to quit and actually changes his life around. The message was clear - the choice is yours.
Having written out the detailed script, we started looking for people who could act and for someone who could be the narrator. The narrator's role was to simultaneously make a presentation on the ill effects of using tobacco. I was clear that we should have as many male volunteers in the program, so that young boys will have some role models to look up to. Another aspect to selecting volunteers was that they themselves should not be a tobacco user, because then the whole thing would seem hypocritical And we didn't want any preachy lectures on tobacco which'll put the children to sleep. So our hunt began for the right candidates.
What grand demands I made - a good actor, a good narattor who doesn't use tobacco, and is willing to act in our strange skit! One week after we sent the request, all I got was silence from volunteers! I guess I was asking for too much. Luckily, somewe found Vikshut who fit the role perfectly of the main character, and he actually didn't use tobacco himself. But then, who would play the equally important role of presenter?
I looked at Anand, who guiltily admitted that he smokes. Left with no other choice, we cast Anand with the condition that at least during the duration of the practice and the skit, he wouldn't touch a cigarette. He made faces, he cribbed, he sighed, he tried to reason why its not hypocritical if he was a smoker. When nothing worked, he agreed. (Of course, I secretly hoped that being part of the skit will get him to quit)
The day arrived; we performed; the children applauded and jumped up to take an oath to never touch tobacco. I looked around for Anand during the oath, he had hidden himself in some corner so that he wouldn't have to take that oath!
As with all our programs, we hoped and wished that at least one child would have the courage to say no to tobacco when the time comes. But this is something only time will tell.
Meanwhile, Anand never quit. He told me just yesterday that he hasn't decided to quit smoking. But, he also hasn't touched a cigarette since the first skit we performed. And that was almost one and a half years ago. :-)
The details of the skit (http://www.doctorsforseva.youthforseva.org/downloads/) and some pics can be seen at http://www.doctorsforseva.youthforseva.org/gallery/
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