More than 600 Nepali students in grades 3 through 10 have now heard the tobacco-free message of Tar Wars, due mainly to the volunteer efforts of AAFP Fellow Lani Ackerman, MD, and the first-year medical students she teaches at the Kathmandu University Medical School in Nepal. The pictures below were taken during presentations at a government school, where classroom size ranges from 50 to 90 students per teacher.
Smoking is a major public health issue in Nepal, and more than half of the students have parents who smoke. Although they knew smoking was unhealthy, students were surprised to learn during the presentation that people who chose to smoke would possibly not have enough money to eat, send their children to school, or purchase school supplies.
Dr. Ackerman believes Tar Wars, with appropriate adaptations and translations, is an ideal program for spreading the tobacco-free message to students worldwide and encourages others who are working in developing countries to use the program. Because her presentations were such a success, and everyone involved – the principal, teachers, students, and presenters – had a great time, Dr. Ackerman hopes to find funding to reach even more Nepali schools and students in the future.
To contact Dr. Ackerman, please send an email to helpus@wlink.com.np.
International Efforts - Tar Wars in Nepal
