The Department of Social Work at the Amritapuri campus joined hands with Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) to commemorate the International Day for Disaster Reduction on October 13, 2012.
The theme this year, was Women and Girls – The Invisible Force for Resilience.
Also participating were four other colleges of social work in Kerala. Each of these five institutions, including Amrita, was given the responsibility for outreach in different districts in the state of Kerala.
Outreach consisted mainly of a state-wide road show, wherein students from the selected institutions performed street plays in at least twelve venues in three districts each. The street plays aimed at creating awareness among people about disaster risks.
The play performed by Amrita students threw light on how to manage natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides as well as man-made disasters such as accidents caused by drunk driving.
A reference was made to the recent LPG tanker lorry explosion in Kannur, causing the death of many. The play mocked those who filmed the accidents in their mobiles, instead of acting to rescue the victims.
Amrita students performed the play in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Alappuzha districts.
Hundreds of people at all the venues in all these districts gathered to watch the play, which evoked a massive response from the audience.
“To become a part of a government initiative to spread awareness, to perform at eleven different venues in three days, in three different districts, was altogether very exciting as well as very challenging,” stated Vishnu K. Santhosh, second-year student of MSW (Master of Social Work), who acted in the play.
From Cotton Hill Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram to Palayam Rakthasakshi Mandapam, Thiruvananthapuram to Kottiyam College Juction, Kollam to Government Model Girls High School, Kollam to Civil Station, Kollam to KSRTC Bus Stand, Karunagapally to Town Hall Junction, Harippad to Ambalapuzha High School, Alappuzha to Aravukadu High School, Alappuzha and finally to Alappuzha Beach, the Amrita student team marched on.
But first they had the honor of performing at Kanakakunnu Palace, Thiruvananthapuram, where the program was inaugurated on October 9 by Sri. Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala and presided over by Sri. Adoor Prakash, Minister for Revenue.
Here Members of the Legislative Assembly, Government Secretaries from different departments, the Thiruvananthapuram District Collector Shri. K.N. Satheesh, Officials from the Revenue / Disaster Management Departments, media and the public watched and greatly appreciated the play’s message.
Also appreciating the efforts of the Amrita students was Mr. P.G. Thomas, District Collector, Kollam.
Amrita’s participation in this government initiative was coordinated by Mr. V.S. Kochukrishna Kurup, Lecturer, Department of Social Work. The student team received the certificate of appreciation and a cash prize from the KSDMA.
October 17, 2012
Department of Social Work, Amritapuri
