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...