Health and nutrition are closely connected to the everyday wellbeing of rural families, yet important information about nutrition, hygiene and preventive healthcare does not always reach communities in an accessible way. To make these conversations easier to understand and engage with, Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra organised a street play on health and nutrition awareness at Pimplner, Manjarsumbha, under its Rural Health and Nutrition Project supported by Cummins India Foundation.

Using street theatre as a communication tool allowed the message to move beyond a conventional awareness session. Through a familiar and participatory form of storytelling, the programme created an opportunity for community members to engage with issues related to health, nutrition and everyday practices that influence family wellbeing.

Street plays can make public health messages easier to relate to because they bring the conversation into the community itself. Instead of relying only on written information or formal presentations, stories and situations presented through performance can help people recognise concerns from their own daily lives and encourage discussion around them.

The programme at Pimplner was part of BGVK’s wider work to strengthen health and nutrition awareness among rural communities. The project focuses on women, children, adolescent girls and other community members, with an emphasis on improving knowledge and access to health-related support.

Community-based awareness is an important part of preventive healthcare. When families have better information about nutrition, hygiene and health practices, they are better placed to recognise concerns and make informed decisions about their wellbeing.

Through initiatives such as the street play at Pimplner & Manjarsumbha, BGVK continues to use locally accessible communication methods to take health and nutrition messages closer to rural communities. The activity reflects the project’s broader approach of combining awareness, community engagement and health support to promote healthier rural families.