HIV/AIDS
MLA Forum

KMC

 
Tobacco

Tribal Health

Sanitation

SHG

IEC Campaigns

Drama

IEC Campaigns

MANT is a State level NGO using drama as one of the mediums of IEC to address Social, Health, Livelihood and Environment related issues in West Bengal, India. The cultural troupe of MANT relies centrally on simple props and tools to pass on information to, and foster communication among the people living in even the remote villages.

The troupe consists of 10 unemployed rural youths having first hand knowledge about rural sociology. In addition to offering live theatre and participatory drama workshops, MANT works for preparation of small films, video etc. It can also act as a consultant, designing plays or materials at the request of the organizations that have message for people living in West Bengal or any other parts of Indian Sub –continent. MANT is covering various focused areas pertaining to promotion of Democratic Governance at the local level, Reproductive Health, Water and Sanitation, Tobacco, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB & Environmental Sanitation

Approach

MANT helps people visualize solving problems together by empowering marginalized people, enthusing communities for self aggrandizement and encapsulating the messages in the form of a dramatic presentation punctuated with folk songs

Key Strategies

Disseminating Information
MANT uses theatre to pass on facts on various focused issues. Residents of remotest villages need information (some of it with life and death importance) but many are illiterate and do not have access to correct information

Understanding communication as a multi – directional, multi – dimensional process
MANT does not tell or show communities the problems they face, and then provide solutions but, rather, instills in them a sense that “We all know this is a problem, let’s look at it together” Dialogue is created through participation, material for scripts comes from interviews and local stories, and audience feedback. For MANT’S Secretary “the process of people feeling that they are being consulted and are asked to take part in deliberations and that their opinions count will lead to a change that is enduring because people genuinely are convinced and believe in them.” Both vertical and horizontal communication strategies are being stressed

Tailoring messages to suit differing needs and perspectives
To support this strategy, approximately 20% of MANT actor works is devoted to improvisation so that they can adjust quickly to the circumstances of a particular village/ area they visit

Conceiving of theatre as a possible source for spin- off projects
MANT gets intimately involved with the communities and their challenges while touring and gets inspired too, to work with the villages after the formalities of the plays are over

Evaluating its work
The Executive Director along with Director (Planning & Programme) conduct Survey s/ KAP studies/ Endline surveys to find out whether and how, and why MANT’s work is or is not impacting behaviour change

Facets

Live theatre performing in remote village gives the troupe the opportunity to spend the required time and discuss issues in detail after the play

This site best viewed at a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 pixels Site developed and maintained by ProSoft