Street Theater

Eastern Nepal -- On a dusty public square in a small town in Terai area of Nepal, several hundred people are gathered in a tight circle around a small band of street actors as they lead the audience through a roller coaster ride of emotions -- laughter, pathos, sadness, redemption, and finally happiness. The subject of their animated and riveting play is as old as human society itself -- leprosy.

Leprosy is still a strong source of stigma in many countries, in spite of the fact that like other illnesses it can be easily cured with multi-drug therapy. However, people affected by leprosy find that their on-going struggle for social acceptance is probably more difficult than the illness itself.

The street theater actors treat their audience to all facets of a person's encounter with the leprosy -- the discovery of discolored, unfeeling patches of skin on the body, diagnosis at a local clinic, multi-drug treatment, the cure, then reuniting with family members. And, like a classic Hollywood film, a happy ending in which the person formerly stricken by the disease finds acceptance in the community again. But unlike the theater, this positive ending is still a distant hope that the actors are hoping to create in the minds of their audience.

Seated in the circle surrounding the actors and avidly watching the unfolding drama with the rest of the audience is Mr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, whose organization has vigorously worked for the elimination of leprosy not only in Nepal, but also around the world. His recent visit to this small town in eastern Nepal is part of a visit to encourage local health officials to continue their fight to eliminate leprosy in this area.

Performing before an eager audience

At the end of the play on this small town's main square, Mr Sasakawa joins in the enthusiastic applause the audience gives to the actors, who travel the countryside repeating the same message to as many people they can reach -- the message is that leprosy can be cured, and people affected by leprosy should be accepted by society again just like anyone who has suffered from any other illness.

"Street theater is a good way to reach people," said Sasakawa, "but we cannot stop there. The same lessons need to be taken into schools and taught to children, and we must reach more people with the facts about leprosy so that the stigma around the illness can be eliminated too.

Soon, to illustrate this point, after congratulating the actors and local officials, he visits a real leprosy treatment center to meet actual patients who are undergoing multi-drug therapy for leprosy. He greets each man, women and child with a warm handshake or hug, and asks them how their treatment is progressing.

Sasakawa is aware that street theater is educational and effective, but it doesn't replace face to face acceptance and personal contact with the people who have been actually affected by the disease. "I have been doing this for years without contracted leprosy," he says, "this shows society that the most difficult thing to overcome about leprosy is in the mind."

This is not street theater but the real thing -- not just talking the talk, but it is walking the walk.