‘Practice rather than preach’ was the motto of the students of Psychology Department, Osmania University, and St. Francis College, Begumpet, who reached out to the slum-dwellers in Rasoolpura through street plays and talks on the dangers of HIV AIDS, on Sunday.
The students and faculty of Psychology Department attracted a large number of men, women, children and people from the houses and shops in the area with the plays that highlighted the dangers of AIDS and how safe sex can prevent the dangerous disease.
At the end of every play students went to the people and persuaded them to get tested in the van they brought with them.
The programme was organised as a part of project “Saksham” granted to Osmania University by Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculoses and Malaria: Round 7 (GFATM) and to build counselling capacity through various activities, said C. Beena, Psychology Professor and incharge for “Saksham”.
Prof. Beena said that more than a thousand people viewed the plays with interest, 400 received counselling, 60 received counselling in the ICTC mobile van, 24 people in the age group of 27-35 years got tested. She said the plays will be performed in other slum areas with the same team in subsequent weekends.
