[Recap] 1000 Agents of Change
Last week, we were in Lucknow to hold our final workshop as part of the 1000 Agents of Change campaign in partnership with LifeOk TV. Over the past four months, we've worked together to hold a series of workshops and create a thousand agents of change acting against domestic violence! These trainings promote sensitivity towards domestic violence through popular culture, games and activities, and a concluding pledge – this particular training was attended by 59 participants along with Ajit Thakur, head of LifeOK, and Harshad Chopra, who plays the role of Raghav on LifeOK's popular Saubhagyawati Bhava – a serial that takes on the issue of domestic violence.
Rights Advocates Sunil and Ashish launched Thursday's training workshop and used Saubhagyawati Bhava as the base from which to launch the activities. They also discussed the role and voice a girl has (or doesn't have) in society, and how this does not even pose much benefit for the men in a society!
One of our memorable activities from the workshop had Sunil using a volunteer from among the participants to pose as his (fictional) sister, 'Savita'. He then narrated a story about Savita, and how she was constantly being shuttled between her in-laws – who she wanted to escape because they were torturing her – and her own parents' home – who kept convincing her to go back. The participants were asked to provide reasons as to why Savita kept leaving her in-laws and what her parents' reasons must have been for sending her back. The participants wrote the answers on Post-It notes that they then stuck on the model Savita:
The second half of the day marked the arrival of the LifeOK team. Channel head Ajit Thakur and actor Harshad Chopra (who plays Raghav on Saubhagyawati Bhava) spent some time with the participants at the workshop. Harshad led the participants in their pledge against domestic violence. Many thanks to our participants for attending as well as Harshad Chopra and Ajit Thakur for their support!
Harshad Chopra talking about Bell Bajao
Debate Mansion
Book Talk
Cricket
