The Sunday Mail
Andrew Moyo
Leisure Reporter
CHILDREN’S Performing Arts Workshop (Chipawo) continues to break barriers by engaging in programmes that promote cultural exchange.
In this global world, where international integration is of paramount importance, there is need for people of different nationalities to share ideas and cultural aspects.
Thus, Chipawo has been on the forefront in promoting cultural exchange programmes at grassroots level and they recently hosted a Danish theatre group, B and U Svendborg.
The exchange programme, which was held under the theme “Dream Chasers”, kicked off on October 9 and ended last Monday, October 19.
The participating kids engaged in various cultural workshops and performances in Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls.
Children perfoming arts workshop
In an interview, Chipawo manager Chipo Basopo said their organisation has been working with the Danish for many years.
“Our relationship span back to 1995 when Chipawo participated in the Children’s theatre festival in Copenhagen. This resulted in a fruitful relationship being created between the children and young people from both countries through the Danish Youth Council and DATS -Danish Amateur theatre Association,” she said.
“Denmark has become our second home and a dream come true. We have had numerous projects and educational scholarships for the children and young people in Chipawo.”
Chipawo representatives in the exchange programme included Harare Junior Theatre, Girl Power, SOS Waterfalls and a few other schools.The Denmark contingent presented a play titled “Everybody Has a Dream, What’s Your Dream?”, which is about four children on a journey to find their dreams as well as growing as human beings by facing their fears.
Danish theatre group, B and U Svendborg in Victoria Falls
This journey is dangerous and winds through the Danish landscape on which they meet old Nordic creatures, some good and some evil.
Chipawo children also presented a play, “Living Dream” on which they looked at how they have been living their dreams at a tender age.
In the play, they were telling a story about how they have explored the world through arts and culture and the beautiful things they have seen, the exposure and memories of some the experiences.
Besides performing at Inyanda High School, Tynwald Primary School, Alfred Beit Primary and Blakinstone, among other venues, they also recorded a song in Shona, Danish and English on which Alexio Kawara and Gary Tight featured.
Over the years, Chipawo has been using arts and culture as a tool that allows children and young people to have opportunities and platforms that promote free expression through the exchange programme.
The intended value of the programme is to allow children to raise awareness on their own in areas of child labour, early child marriages and sexual reproductive health.
The children were showcasing expressions about society as well as speaking about the socio-economic, educational and cultural rights while exposing their talents to diverse audiences.
Established in 1989, Chipawo is an Arts Education for Development and Employment Trust, which works with children and young people in child development.
The organisation has been working with children and young people for over 25 years and has been involved in many international festivals and exchanges, learning from its own experiences the importance of arts and culture initiatives.
Some prominent names who are products of this initiative include Rute Mbangwa, the late Chiwoniso Maraire, Danai Gurira, Eve Kawadza and David Chifunyise, just to mention a few.
