In 2000, the Banglanatak Social Enterprise was founded on an important principle—community education and participation is the key to sustainable development. Since then, Banglanatak has stayed true to its roots, working to promote growth and community-based leadership in India by educating people in more than 2,500 individual villages in 23 states across the country.
Through interactive theater – or “edu-tainment” as they call it – Banglanatak trains actors and actresses to use storytelling and role play to capture audiences’ attention and engage them in relatable stories of hardship and struggle. (Photo credit: Banglanatak)
Not only are these plays and skits attention-grabbing and entertaining, they are also memorable, which helps Banglanatak make sure its message sticks. When covering important issues such as HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, environmental conservation, and consumers’ rights, street theatre and folk media are some of the most important tools used to confront common myths and misconceptions. Creating an open dialog about these problems provides an opportunity for people to ask questions and build community knowledge.
With this creative technique for spreading information about all kinds of issues, Banglanatak has been able to design custom campaigns for clients with interests throughout India. Banglanatak, for example, has worked with UNESCO, UNICEF, CARE International, the U.S. State Department, and state government programs to produce plays with specialized messages to address problems in specific communities.
The use of theater and other traditional art in Banglanatak’s campaigns has also helped preserve local culture and rebuild connections amongst community members. By making art an important part of the education process, Banglanatak’s method provides group empowerment and a greater sense of ownership for the villages involved in the projects. People are excited to be a part of the performances and are proud to contribute to solving community problems.
Because Banglanatak’s productions help revitalize cultural traditions, many villagers are able to develop full-time careers in traditional art forms. This helps create sustainable job opportunities for people who may lack a formal education or employable skills but are rich in traditional knowledge.
Banglanatak is also dedicated to establishing leaders in each village so that communities can create new performances and lead their own advocacy campaigns in the future. In addition to training grass roots workers how to use storytelling and role play to make education interesting and effective, Banglanatak organizes neighborhood volunteers to form community-based leadership groups. These leaders work with health experts, literacy workers, and economic advisors to identify what kind of education their villages need and make sure they receive the right help.
For more information please visit the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet