CNI Youth on Anti-Trafficking Crusade

In order to raise awareness among the vulnerable communities the Church of North India organized a Human Trafficking Training Programme and Street Theatre Campaign from 13th to 19th July 2009 in the Diocese of Patna. Altogether 16 young people participated in it. Five of them were diocesan youth of Patna Diocese and other five were trainers from an NGO called Jan Jagran Sanstha. Three Law students from USA were also involved in this whole process as observers. Before venturing into the play a Street Theatre Play Training on Human Trafficking was organized for the participants from 13th to 15th July 2009 at Diocesan Centre, Bhagalpur. The Street Plays were performed from 16 July onwards at different places of Bihar. The participants performed the Street plays at GD Road, Main Chowk, SAHARSA (distt), Karpoori Chowk, MADHEPURA district, Main Bus Stand, MADHEPURA district, Vrindavan Village, MADHEPURA district, Meeragarh Village MADHEPURA District, Gauchari Village, NAWGACHIA district, Khada Village, Maheshkut, NAWGACHIA District, Christ Church Cathedral CNI, BHAGALPUR district, Khairpur village, BHAGALPUR district. Most of the street plays were performed in Madhepura district. Madhepura district is one of the most affected districts after flood and also it is in the boarder of Bangladesh, Nepal, West Bangal and North East India. Many people are displaced and migrated after flood. Many young boys and girls are moved to different places in search of employment and got trafficked.

The theme of the Street theatre was prepared in such a way that everybody got a character to play. The participants and the trainers worked really hard to make this event successful and meaningful. In the beginning of the training/process the participants/performers were not able to face even the mike, they were hesitating to do the role of a girl, women, an old man, Sethji, Munim, Naukar, Mausi (Kothe wali bai), Dalal etc. but slowly they took it as a challenge and started performing. After performing street plays in front of large gatherings of 300 to 600 people in different places/villages in Bihar the participants are confident enough to perform in other places. Impact of the street play was very good and highly appreciated by the people and villagers and got thumbing feedbacks. The performances were in the middle/centre of the roads which we call Chowk. There were lots of people gathered around to see the Nukkad Natak (Street Play). The traffic was almost jammed. In the villages, huge crowd came to see the street play, many women those who were watching the play got angry on the performances of the head of the brothel “Mausi” and “Dalal” the middle man who sold the girl in the name of employment just for the sake of money.

One of the participants Mr. Alias Kisku said that it was the first time for him to get the training and reach out to the people in Bus stands, Chowks, Villages and perform the street play. It was indeed a great challenge and a lifetime experience to be a part of this anti-trafficking training programme and street theatre campaign through which the Church has been able to do awareness building campaign on Human Trafficking for the society, which is very crucial. The youth people who performed it enjoyed being fully involved in this process and performed in front of crowd and even in the Church. In the beginning they were bit hesitated and scared but then with the support of Mr. Pradip Bansrior and other trainers they began to realize their own potentials. As the days passed by they started doing rehearsals more and more and evolved themselves completely in this campaign and it became a MISSION for all of them. By the end of the training they felt that they could do it and did it well. They were encouraged by the presence and participation of three law students from USA who were with the team throughout the campaign. Through this campaign the participants were able to convey message to the people who were displaced and trafficked due to recent flood in different districts/villages of Bihar.