Adolescents from city’s government schools provide ‘food for thought’ to peers

Students communicate pathways to healthy living at Salaam Bombay Foundation’s city-wide inter-school zonal competition organised jointly with the Education Department and Health Department, Govt of Maharashtra

09^th January 2020, Mumbai :Pathways to Healthy Living’, a city-wide inter-school zonal competition, brought together as many as 500 adolescents from 268 government schools across Mumbai, at the Damodar Auditorium in Lower Parel on Thursday January 9, 2020. The youngsters gathered at the city-wide inter-school zonal competition organised by Mumbai-based NGO Salaam Bombay Foundation, to communicate pathways to healthy living to the country’s future generations. Using art as a medium, the youngsters conveyed messages through skits, music, and posters on the positive outcomes associated with healthy behaviours in adolescents. Thursday was the finale of the event that had earlier seen over 17,000 adolescents performing in elimination rounds.

More importantly, the initiative was supported by the Education Department and Health Department, Government of Maharashtra, that also vowed to play a seminal role in offering a healthy environment to adolescents in the city. The event was attended by eminent dignitaries including Dr. Santoshi Suryakar, Medical Officer, School Health Program, BMC, Mumbai, Mr. Dinkar Pawar – Professor, Art Department, BMC, Mrs. Suvarnagouri Ghaisas – Professor, Music and Art Department BMC. 

What made the event unique, was the fact that it was one of the biggest platforms for young students from government schools to express their views on healthy living – a topic of utmost importance in an era of changing lifestyles. The skits, posters and music performances were conceived, scripted and executed by the students themselves with help and guidance from their teachers. The programme was also entirely organised and managed by the young students of Salaam Bombay Foundation’s In-School Preventive Health team. It proved to be a classic example of a show organised by the youngsters for the youngsters.

The event provided a largescale opportunity to ‘at risk’, underprivileged community students to showcase their talent in various art forms. Students communicated and reiterated their learning about tobacco control and healthy dietary habits through drama, songs and posters.

Speaking about the event, Ms. Tshering D Bhutia, Vice President – Preventive Health and Nutrition, Salaam Bombay Foundation, said, “At this year’s zonal competition, our students focussed on communicating the importance of a healthy lifestyle for young adolescents so that they can maintain a healthy lifestyle in adulthood. The performances looked at pathways to healthy living, a theme that resonated through all art forms. The students came up with brilliant and innovative ideas to make their peers aware of the need for a healthy environment. This event is the only platform available in the city to adolescents from government schools to bring about systemic change and experience leadership. We are happy that the Education and Health Department also recognised our initiative and provided us with ample support.”