Street Play on Substance Use Prevention

An important aspect of drug use prevention is raising awareness, and when it comes to raising awareness among young people, the peer led approach has been found to be very effective.

Towards this end, UNODC, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Bureau of India (NCB) and PVR Nest, the social arm of PVR Cinemas, organised a two day street play festival at PVR Cinema complexes in Delhi. The play, entitled Dr Hatodiwala, was performed by street children who are under the care of Butterflies, an NGO working with street children.

The play was located in the office of Dr. Hathodiwala, who follows some unconventional modes of treatment. His compounder, Gadbadwala, played a key role. The central act of the play showed a patient coming in with a stomach ache to the doctor's office, who required an operation. During the procedure, the doctor took out samples of various 'substances' from the patient's stomach, and the conversation between the doctor and compounder played on these substances and their ill-effects. The play ended with the patient agreeing not to ever partake of any of the substances or drugs in future. Messages related to various harmful substances and drugs which are commonly used, particularly by street children and their harmful effects, was thus effectively communicated in a humorous manner. The actors in the play, also came forward with their testimonies of how they had struggled with substance and drug use on the streets, and how they were able to overcome it through the intervention of the NGO.

The play reached out to a number of people over the two days and was especially successful in drawing the attention of other street children, who were viewing the play. This event was exemplary of UNODC's belief that robust partnerships and strong determination of individuals and communities, is the key to effectively address the problem of drugs from the society.