Important New Drama on Child Rights Created and Staged

This new Drama is now being field tested and is currently
being funded by Kiawah Trust and World Education, Boston.

On October 25, 2007 Nalamdana staged a newly created
Drama on Child Rights, with a special scene on child sexual
abuse, in Avvai Home (one of the sites we work on under
the South India Girl Child Initiative) We were fortunate to
have in attendance some of our funders from World Education,
Aseema Trust and other NGO partners and supporters.

The main audience watching this one hour program was
approximately 500 girl students from 6 - 11th grade, about
30 teacher trainees and their management from the Avvai
Home (School campus) and 14 mothers from Nalamdana's
"recipe group" from the nearby slum community, Urur alcot
Kuppam (Some of these mothers' daughters were in the
audience)

The drama was watched very attentively and afterward,
several girls came on stage to share their views and feelings:

- Physical abuse of the girls, trauma caused by fighting
parents and clear indications of child sexual abuse emerged.
There was emotional sharing and we felt the need to link
these students with the expert counseling needed.

- The school management is ready for linking with services
already available. Childline information (Toll Free help line,
dial 1098) has been distributed but we do not know how
effective this is in this area or elsewhere in Chennai. The
need to make this available with a cell phone is urgent,
as most children do not want to talk on public phones or
from booths.

- One girl wanted to know if such sexual abusers can be
apprehended and punished. Several talked about how they
would fight back and learn to protect themselves! (offer
Martial Arts lessons along with life skills?)

- One girl broke down and spoke directly to her headmistress,
stating she was a victim of abuse from an uncle at home.

We are actively seeking financial support to:
1. increase the number of programs to cover more schools
2. create a pilot project with identified NGOs working
on CSA in Chennai
3. convert this drama or modified scenes into a training
tool (video) to be shared with such NGOs and others