Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 20:

Former drug abusers who had faced social stigma today said the arts session conducted by the Spiny Babbler Volunteers (SBV) at the Richmond Fellowship helped them to relate their problems with others.

Sharing his past experience of drug addiction, Agni Ojha, a participant at the programme, said the art session provided therapeutic relief to him to relate his problems which was otherwise difficult due to social stigma.

In this backdrop, the Spiny Babbler today organised a talk programme on ‘Drug Abuse and Social Stigma in Nepal’.

According to a press statement issued by the Spiny Babbler here today, the interaction was organised with the aim to educating and creating awareness among the people at risk. Educational institutions, communities and Spiny Babbler’s people-at-risk volunteers were the target groups of the programme.

Spiny Babbler has been conducting regular arts-based therapeutic sessions for drug abusers, at the Richmond Fellowship, for over a year and has given the highest priority to people at risk.

Bishnu Sharma, coordinator at the Richmond Fellowship Nepal, focussed on the status of drug abuse, prevention measures and social stigma related to drug abuse in Nepal.

He also provided information regarding drug abuse in South Asia and associated social stigma in Nepal.