Vaidu Children Perform Plays Across Ganesh Mandals To Increase Awareness Of Alcoholism

Alcoholism has led to an increase in crimes, illiteracy, and domestic violence in the Vaidu tribal community. The basic needs of many families, like food, clothes, and education remain thus unaddressed. To overcome this, Rotary Club of Bombay in association with Rotary Club of Addiction Prevention, has started an alcohol de-addiction programme.

To increase awareness of the pitfalls of alcoholism, young tribal children put together a play and enacted it across 97 Ganesh mandaps from August 31st to September 10th, 2022. At each location, around 60 to 70 people saw the young actors performing and spreading the message.

Many mandals awarded our children’s performances by giving them coconuts, shawls and envelopes. Some people got emotional after watching the performance as they were able to relate to their own lives. There were inquiries about our Alcohol De-Addiction centres in Jogeshwari and Marol.

CASE STUDIES
Omkar Melkundi Omkar is a 13-yearold boy who studies in the 8th standard. He played the role of an alcoholic father in the play. Omkar shared that it’s pretty similar to what happens in his house. His father is abusive alcoholic. Omkar is trying to enrol his father in the deaddiction programme.

EXPERIENCE AT PMGP COLONY MANDAL
After the performance in PMGP colony, Mr. Shivaji Jadhav, the President of the PMGP colony, gave prizes to the children. He had tears in his eyes and shared that his son was addicted to alcohol and other toxic substances. He wants to help his son be free from these habits. Shivaji was very curious about RCB’s alcohol de-addiction centres
and promised that he will bring his son to them.