Kula Manch Team learns as it plans Youth Festival

The Kula Manch team, while planning for and designing the upcoming Youth Jumbish Festival on November 20th, is also going through a process of learning and self-development about the topic of active citizenship.

Yesterday, the team rehearsed their plays and skits on a number of social issues: domestic violence, alcohol abuse, government corruptions, police violence, blood donation, and child labor. These will be performed at the festival to educate and provoke conversation. The group then discussed how the issues related to the concept of "active citizenship"--how exactly, in these situations, they could play a role as active citizens.

The discussion moved towards the idea that active citizenship can often mean something much bigger than typically thought--it can be much more than social service or working in the NGO sector. Oftentimes, being an active citizen is about self-development and becoming more aware of one's own actions. An example was mentioned: what about a teacher who pursues extra training and research about educational methods? He is developing his own skill set, but many felt that he is also an example of active citizenship.

 
The issue of child labor was also examined from both sides. It's very common, for example, many argue that it is wrong in all cases, but very few offer practical solutions. For many children, not working means not being able to eat. Just telling them to go to school doesn't lead to an actual resolution. So what is the next step? People offered a number of creative solutions--maybe it could be some sort of vocational training, which would enable kids to move on to a better life at some point without a formal education.

Later, others spoke about how active citizenship fits into their own personal conflicts. In many places, females are under pressure to marry and have children at a young age, when they still want to pursue education. How can they, along with their families, serve as active citizens in this situation? Similarly, many are pressured to choose a career that is high-paying, instead of following their passions in life. Conflict within personal relationships can be a significant part of being an active citizen via developing one's own self.

As they are finding out, planning the Youth Jumbish Festival is as much about the process as the result. For the Kula Manch team, teaching others about active citizenship requires for them to look inside and examine how they can be active citizens themselves.