Civic Education classes and Forum Theatre Palpa

3rd June 2008, Tansen. I arrived in Tansen with a lot of anticipation and excitement. I am going to observe the campaign activities of the democracy bus that I have taken part in of starting up over the last couple of months.

Preparing for the campaign activities in Tundikhel.

It was nice to hear the various stories and experiences that Prakash ji, who has been coordinating the campaign from MS side, the campaigners and the volunteers had to share with me regarding the bus campaign in Madanpokhara, Rampur and Darchha.  

My first experience with the campaign in Palpa took place in Tundikhel on June 3^rd. Posters (Flex) with various illustrations imparting civic education were displayed around Tundikhel. The programme started a bit late than planned and at first it was a little difficult to summon people for the campaign activities, but as the program was about to start a lot of people of all ages and groups had gathered around. It was particularly good to see the MS partners coming to participate in the activities.

The program started with an informal civic education class. The campaigners initiated the active participation of the audience in the discussions, problem identification of the Tansen people was carried out and followed by solutions. The campaigners shed light on the right and peaceful way of addressing various problems: The general practice of blame game needs to be stopped and change is only possible through self-change.  

In addition, the importance of discussions and communication in a democracy - especially in a nation like Nepal which has just been declared a federal republic - was presented to the mass through a small exercise where two campaigners displayed conflict between each other and made the audience generate the solution to this conflict.

The audience putting in suggestions.

Forum Theatre of burning issues                                                       

After the informal civic education program, the mass was entertained through a skit by the forum theater of SRDC which covered various burning issues that are prevalent in the society that we live in, such as the importance of girls education, the practice of untouchability towards the lower castes, corruption, civic responsibility and peaceful way of asking for one’s rights.

The forum theater with its good acting and punching lines was able to grab the attention of the crowd who were equally active in supporting the forum theater with their suggestions in identifying the solutions to the problems displayed in the skit. The day finally ended with the theater group performing a democracy song and distribution of pocket calendars which everybody wanted. I had expected more activities to be conducted but as it was already late and as the campaign was going to be held in Sitalpati (just above Tundikhel) the following day, it was planned to save other activities for tomorrow.

What did people think?

As the people were slowly dispersing after the program I interacted with some of them and tried to get a feedback on the campaign. Some had more to say yet some had nil. However, it was nice to learn that some did feel the informal civic education class and the forum theater were effective. On my interaction with some teachers who were in Tansen for a teachers training program I came across differences in opinions when it came to corruption.

One of the teachers believed that sometimes there is no other way out than to get one’s work done through bribe and that it is very difficult to live an ideal life. However, one of the female teachers told of her experience of confronting the personnel tactfully and getting her work done, interesting!  

I too believe practicing an ideal life is difficult sometimes or maybe most of the time and changing the entire system needs a lot of time and effort yet I also believe in perseverance and keeping the faith that change is possible and that it should start from “ME”. 

Paramita Yonzon