Terms of Reference for Street Drama

Terms of Reference

for Street Drama

1. Background

KOSHISH, a national non-governmental organization established in 2008, has been working to promote mental health and psychosocial well-being in Nepal through rights-based advocacy, community engagement, and systems strengthening approaches. In partnership with CBM Global, KOSHISH is implementing the Promoting Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Nepal project in Kaski, Lamjung, and Gorkha districts. The project seeks to contribute to an inclusive environment in which persons with psychosocial disabilities and other underrepresented or disadvantaged groups can meaningfully participate in their communities and enjoy their rights.

Mental health and psychosocial well-being remain important yet often overlooked public health concerns in Nepal. Despite increasing recognition at the policy level, stigma, misconceptions, limited mental health literacy, and fear of discrimination can prevent individuals from seeking timely support and services. These challenges are particularly relevant in rural and underserved communities, where access to appropriate and accessible community-level support may be limited. Persons experiencing mental health conditions and persons with psychosocial disabilities may consequently face exclusion from community participation, social protection, and essential services.

In this context, street drama provides a culturally appropriate and accessible communication approach for engaging communities on mental health, psychosocial disability, stigma reduction, and suicide prevention. Through locally relevant stories, characters, and everyday situations, street drama can present complex issues in an understandable and engaging way, challenge misconceptions and stereotypes, and encourage supportive attitudes and appropriate help-seeking.

The proposed street drama performances will therefore complement KOSHISH's ongoing community engagement and advocacy efforts under the Promoting Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Nepal project. The performances will provide opportunities to engage community members, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, families, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders, and to promote key messages on mental health, psychosocial disability, suicide prevention, available support mechanisms, and inclusion. Where appropriate, brief post-performance interactions will further encourage community reflection, dialogue, and linkage with available support services.

2. Objective

2.1 Main Objective

• The main objective of this assignment is to increase community awareness and understanding of mental health, psychosocial disability, stigma reduction, and suicide prevention through culturally appropriate and accessible street drama performances in selected municipalities of Kaski, Lamjung, and Gorkha.

2.2 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of the assignment are to:

• Increase community understanding of mental health, psychosocial disability, suicide prevention, and available support mechanisms.
• Challenge stigma, misconceptions, and discriminatory attitudes toward persons experiencing mental health conditions and persons with psychosocial disabilities.
• Promote supportive community attitudes and appropriate help-seeking by communicating clear, practical, and locally relevant messages.
• Raise awareness of suicide prevention, including the importance of early recognition, supportive responses, and timely linkage to available services and support.
• Facilitate community dialogue and reflection on mental health, psychosocial disability, inclusion, and suicide prevention through post-performance interaction with audiences.
• Complement KOSHISH’s ongoing community engagement and advocacy efforts under the Promoting Mental Health and Suicide Prevention in Nepal project by strengthening community-level awareness and participation.

3. Scope of Work and Responsibilities of the Consultant/Firm

The selected consultant/Firm will be responsible for developing, producing, performing, and documenting culturally appropriate street drama that communicates key messages on mental health, psychosocial disability, stigma reduction, help-seeking, and suicide prevention. The assignment will be implemented in close coordination with KOSHISH and in accordance with the approved script, technical guidance, and safeguarding requirements.

3.1 Content Development

The consultant/Firm shall:

• Review relevant national laws, policies, strategies, and other reference materials provided by KOSHISH related to mental health, psychosocial disability, suicide prevention, and human rights, and reflect relevant provisions in the drama content where appropriate.
• Consult with KOSHISH's technical team to ensure that all messages are technically accurate, culturally appropriate, rights-based, non-stigmatizing, and sensitive to the context of persons with psychosocial disabilities.
• Develop an engaging and locally relevant street drama script and dialogues addressing:
  • mental health and psychosocial well-being;
  • psychosocial disability and inclusion;
  • stigma, misconceptions, and discrimination;
  • supportive community responses and appropriate help-seeking;
  • suicide prevention and responsible communication; and
  • available support and referral mechanisms, as provided by KOSHISH.
• Submit the draft script to KOSHISH for technical review and incorporate agreed feedback before rehearsal and performance.
• Ensure that suicide-related content does not include graphic or sensationalized portrayals, descriptions of suicide methods, or messages that may unintentionally increase stigma or risk.

3.2 Performance Implementation

The consultant/Firm shall:

• Organize and conduct five (5) street drama performances, with one performance in each of the following municipalities:
  • Pokhara Metropolitan City, Kaski
  • Madhya Nepal Municipality, Lamjung
  • Sundarbazar Municipality, Lamjung,
  • Rainas Municipality, Lamjung
  • Gorkha Municipality, Gorkha
• Conduct adequate rehearsals and ensure that the performance team is appropriately prepared before each performance.
• Adapt presentation style, examples, language, and delivery to the local context and audience while maintaining the approved key messages and script.
• Facilitate a brief post-performance audience interaction/discussion, where appropriate, to reinforce key messages, respond to questions, and promote appropriate help-seeking and available support mechanisms.
• Make reasonable efforts to ensure participation of women, youth, persons with disabilities, families/caregivers, community leaders, and other relevant community members.

3.3 Documentation and Production

The consultant/Firm shall:

• Document the performances through high-quality photographs and video recordings.
• Ensure adequate audio quality and appropriate recording arrangements to produce usable documentation.
• Submit one edited compilation video documenting the street drama performances in Full HD (minimum 1920×1080 resolution), with appropriate captions/subtitles where required.
• Submit relevant raw video/photo files to KOSHISH in an agreed digital format.
• Ensure that all music, images, graphics, and other materials used in the final production are appropriately licensed or otherwise cleared for use.
• Obtain appropriate consent for identifiable photography/video recording, particularly where required for public dissemination.

3.4 Communication Materials

The consultant/Firm shall:

• Develop one concise, Nepali-language, print-ready leaflet summarizing the key messages of the street drama.
• Incorporate KOSHISH's feedback and ensure that the leaflet includes appropriate information on available support/referral mechanisms provided by KOSHISH.
• Submit the final leaflet in both PDF and editable source format.

3.5 Coordination and Logistics

The consultant/Firm shall:

• Manage all production-related logistics, including artists/performers, script development, rehearsal, travel, equipment, performance setup, and documentation within the approved budget.
• Coordinate with KOSHISH and relevant local stakeholders regarding performance schedules and logistical requirements.
• Ensure timely mobilization of the performance team and equipment to all five locations.
• Comply with applicable safeguarding, non-discrimination, confidentiality, and ethical requirements throughout the assignment.

3.6 Quality Assurance

The consultant/Firm shall:

• Incorporate reasonable feedback from KOSHISH at the script development, rehearsal, performance planning, and documentation stages.
• Ensure consistency between the approved script, performance, leaflet, and video documentation.
• Obtain KOSHISH's technical approval of the final script before public performance.
• Maintain confidentiality of documents, information, and materials shared by KOSHISH.
• Submit all agreed deliverables within the specified timeframe and in the required formats.

4. Deliverables

The consultant/firm is expected to deliver the following:

4.1 Final Street Drama Script

• One culturally appropriate and technically sound, street drama script approved by KOSHISH.

4.2 Five Street Drama Performances

• Successful completion of one performance in each of the five designated municipalities, including audience interaction and basic performance records.

4.3 Communication Material

• One final Nepali-language, print-ready leaflet, submitted in PDF and editable source format.

4.4 Video and Photo Documentation

• Video of five performances
• High-quality 

4.5 Completion Report

Submit a brief completion report summarizing:

• performance locations and dates;
• estimated number of audience members reached;
• available sex/age/disability-related disaggregation, where feasible;
• key issues and questions raised by audiences;
• observations and community feedback;
• challenges encountered and how they were addressed; and
• key lessons and recommendations.

5. Key Responsibilities of KOSHISH

KOSHISH will provide overall technical guidance and coordination support for the street drama activity and will facilitate coordination with relevant project and local stakeholders.

Specifically, KOSHISH will:

• Provide the consultant/Firm with relevant project information, approved key messages, project plans, result matrix, reference materials, and other necessary documents to support the assignment.
• Provide technical guidance on mental health, psychosocial disability, stigma reduction, suicide prevention, human rights, inclusion, and responsible communication.
• Coordinate and provide technical inputs during the development and review of the street drama script and related communication materials.
• Review and provide timely feedback on the draft script, performance plan, leaflet, and other key deliverables, and provide approval of the final script prior to public performance.
• Facilitate coordination with the relevant municipalities and local stakeholders, including support for identifying suitable performance locations and dates.
• Participate in or facilitate selected coordination and review meetings with the consultant/Firm and relevant stakeholders, as required.
• Provide relevant information on available mental health, psychosocial support, and referral mechanisms to ensure that appropriate and accurate help-seeking information is incorporated into the drama and communication materials.
• Provide reasonable feedback on the performance and documentation outputs and support quality assurance of the assignment.
• Process payment to the consultant/Firm in accordance with the agreed contract terms and upon satisfactory completion and acceptance of deliverables.

6. Required Qualifications and Experience

The consultant/Firm should have:

• At least 5 years of experience in street drama, community theatre, or community-based awareness campaigns.
• Demonstrated experience in script development, community engagement, and live performance.
• Strong communication, coordination, and performance management skills.
• Ability to travel to and perform in all five project locations.
• Preferred: Experience in mental health, psychosocial disability, suicide prevention, disability inclusion, or other relevant social issues.
• Preferred: Experience in video/photo documentation of community performances.
• Evidence of relevant previous work should be provided.

7. Timeframe:

The terms are expected to start from 15th September 2026 and end by 31st November 2026.

8. Ownership and Intellectual Property

All intellectual property and materials produced under this assignment, including the creative concept, narrative, script, storyboard, character designs, illustrations, animation, graphics, voice recordings, music and sound elements commissioned for the production, subtitle files, project files, source files and final outputs, shall remain the exclusive property of KOSHISH. The consultant or consultancy firm shall not reproduce, publish, distribute, commercially exploit, upload or otherwise use the materials developed under this assignment without the prior written authorization of KOSHISH.

9. Equal Opportunity and Safeguarding

KOSHISH promotes equal opportunity and encourages applications from qualified women, persons with disabilities, persons with lived experience and individuals from marginalized communities. KOSHISH is committed to ensuring the safety, dignity and well-being of all individuals and maintains zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, discrimination or any other form of harm. The selected consultant or consultancy firm will be required to comply with KOSHISH's Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and other applicable organizational policies and requirements.

10. Application Process

Interested consultants/firms are requested to submit the following documents:

a) Technical Proposal

Including understanding of the assignment, proposed concept, methodology, portfolio/previous work samples, and work plan

b) Financial Proposal

c) Details of the consultant/organization/firm/individual

For organizations/firms:

• CVs of proposed team members/artists
• Organization profile with relevant experience
• Copy of latest renewed company/firm registration certificate
• Copy of latest tax clearance certificate
• VAT registration certificate
• Any other relevant supporting documents

For individual consultants:

• Updated CV
• Copies of relevant academic certificates and work experience documents
• Copy of citizenship certificate
• Copy of PAN/VAT registration certificate
• Copy of latest tax clearance certificate

The proposal should be submitted via email to procurement@koshish.org.np no later than 7 September 2026, before the close of business (COB).

Note:

1. KOSHISH promotes equal opportunities and encourages applications from qualified women, persons with disabilities, and individuals from marginalized communities.
2. KOSHISH is committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of all individuals and maintains zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, or any other form of harm. All shortlisted candidates should be required to comply with KOSHISH’s Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct and will undergo appropriate safeguarding checks.
3. KOSHISH reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals without assigning any reason.