Zimbabwe: Savanna Trust Director speaks on the role of arts the society
By Alfred Tembo – Director for Savanna Trust has defined theatre as an advocating tool that can be peacefully employed to address and raise awareness, on topical issues affecting people in their communities on day to day lives. Daniel Maposa cited that theatre allows people to split up social conflict issues that hinder development for lacking knowledge.
Speaking to shout-africa.com, on the sidelines of provincial launch of International human right day that falls on 10 December annually, that was held at Gweru Civic Centre on Wednesday David Maposa said art plays the pivotal role in our society to address mammoth tasks with wit.
On the play that brought Savanna Trust to Gweru, the playwright and director said Hatidzokeri shure aimed at empowering and enlightening youths on their social rights.
“We aimed at ensuring young people are e not falling victims but to become victors.” Maposa said, while we also work towards the relevant authorities to make efforts in ensuring that everyone is allowed access to required, youths also need to make it a responsibility to obtain necessary documents that allows them to enhance development their lives.
“By reaching out to the young people, we want to make sure that they are fully responsible of their lives. Birth certificates, national registration are such necessary documents that that everyone has to make sure that they posses. ”
Written by Savanna Trust team and directed by Daniel Maoposa. Hatidzokeri shure is a forth five minutes play, that portrays on how politic is playing a leading role in the abusing of human rights in a country that in desperate need of a new progressive government that would create jobs, recognise socio and economical rights.
Commenting on the play the Dutch Royal Netherlands Ambassador to Zimbabwe said it offer the plinth for people to weight the effort less needs to have necessary document that allows one to be an official citizen of a country.
“Without anyone of the documents l would not been an existing citizen in any formal sense. Travelling and schooling can only happen if you are registered citizen, for some it is not easy in this country.” said Barbara Joziasse.
“Failure to access proper documentation may not guarantee one security.” Joziasse further highlighted.
The play is about Richard, a young man (Tafadzwa Hamanda) who faces challenges in securing a job because he does not have necessary documents and had not finished his secondary education due to lack of finances. His need for money to maintain his upkeep, leads him to resort to vending. In a quest to straighten up the in the economical rights, it came to his attention that there was need to amend the constitution. Richard’s parents (Judith Tsoka as mother and Teddy Mangawa as the father). The constraining factors in the family are that the mother is just a house wife while the father is not gainfully employed.
Hatidzokeri shure the six man cast play opens with people trading food stuff at a city’s bus terminus; suddenly the business that was running smoothly is distressed by a uniformed publican police man who arrests the vendors. On a venture that is perceived to be a national duty, the republican police man is also struggling to fend for his family. Hence the corrupt activity is borne.
However Savanna Trust is one of Zimbabwe’s leading theatrical and dynamic powerhouse that runs several educative training workshops on script writing, arts management, among other activities across the country. And are the organisers of Zimbabwe’s biggest theatre festival that attracts participants from across African under the name Protest Arts International Festival (Paif).
