Troupe uses drama for awareness

DESPITE having a major nickel processing plant at Basamuk, four local council areas in Raicoast district, Madang, does not have a  sexually transmitted and infections disease centre for testing and voluntary counselling.
That is why a village-based troupe using song, dance and drama to carry HIV/AIDS awareness is winning praise.
Provincial HIV/AIDS technical adviser John Tokam said it was the first of its kind for the Buged Educational Troupe (BET) in Lalok Village to take ownership at the village level to establish a resource centre.
The centre was built to encourage and involve community members to educate villagers of the impact of HIV/AIDS, logging, corruption, health and developmental issues through songs and dances.
“For a community to take ownership in addressing cross-cutting issues aligns with the Madang provincial AIDS council’s vision.
“We are determined to help them in any way possible,” he said.
“When the benefits pour in, people will incur unnecessary spending; that is when HIV will be invited into our lives, infecting families and BET has paved the right step for the people’s benefit,” Tokam said.