Tobacco down to ashes! By Wangshikokla Jamir (Nagaland, India)

A three days’ Workshop was held on Grassroots comics at Enterprising Youth Centre, 4th Mile, Diphupar, Dimapur, Nagaland from 18th-20th May’09 with 15 participants from across Dimapur. The participants were members of EYC Centre and a few were freelancer journalists. The participants were also invited to participate in the observance of anti-tobacco day on 24.05.09 and a session was facilitated by Ms. Wangshikokla in the workshop while the participants of the grassroots comics produced anti-tobacco posters which were posted in the streets and other public places. There were nearly hundred youth engaged in the programme.

A plan has been drawn up to organise another workshop as second phase during the summer holidays in mid-july with college students. Out of 15th participants 6 artists have been nominated to work with us on comic development.The participants have grouped together and formed into a “Nagaland Grassroots Comics” and they have planned to start a regular publication of comic strips every month from June onwards. They group will target social reform themes which are relevant to the present social millieu...

High spirit in lower Assam...by Amrith Basumatary and Hima Baishya, India

A Grassroots Comics workshop concluded in Baksha district of Assam. The workshop was jointly organized by World Comics India and Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Guwahati. The workshop was held from 9th to 12th May 2009 at Tamulpur Anchalik Gram Sahyog (TAGS) Kumarikata , known as the largest NGO to the Northeastern states. The trainers of the workshop were Amrith Basumatary (Chirang Comics Circles) Bongaigaon and Hima Rani Baishya (New Ways, Guwahati).

A total of 55 students of a local chain of school run by Asha Darshan Samiti (Tamulpur) had participated in the workshop. Apart from them teachers and staff, too participated in the workshop. The sessions were so interesting that the founder of Asha Darshan Samiti Ms. Biju Borboruah couldn’t stop herself to draw her own story!

The main objective of the workshop was to sensitize participants on social issues and develop reading habit. A wide range of issues were addressed by the participants in their comics from alcoholism to witch-hunting. It was a unique experience for the students to develop their own comics, most of whom have never got a chance to read any mainstream comics before…

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Innocently powerful...By Rabin Raj Niraula (Kathmandu, Nepal)

A Grassroots Comics Workshop was conducted from 29th-31st May 2009 by Rabin Raj Niraula representing World Comics Network in association with CHILD Nepal a local NGO working on child issues. Two More Trainers Tika Dahal and Mohan Dangal actively facilitated the 3 days Program. Sanjib Adhikari from Child Development Society participated as a volunteer. Kiran Thapa from Child Development Society conducted a guest session on Wall Comics.

Students were keenly interested with the name Wall Comics, and were actively participating in each lessons. They highlighted on different issues mostly related with Child like Child Abuse, Child Rights, Equality, School access and many more.

On The Third Day, Children performed their presentation by displaying their work in Chabahil Ganesthan (Ganesh Mandir Area). They collected feedback from the pedestrians and visitors. Some were really interested to publish wall comics in their school notice board and were searching for ways to expose their own work on comics. Their interaction had energized their will to draw more comics and were eager to conduct similar workshop among their friends.

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