The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe
BESIDES art forms such as music and film — theatre productions are playing a critical role in helping trigger behaviour change in communities.
Organisations such as Edzai Isu Trust, Bambelela Arts Ensemble and Hurungwe Arts Festival have been using theatre to tackle various issues in their communities.
This has proven to be an effective trigger of change based on the levels of transformation that happen in communities after watching certain theatrical pieces. In the same vein, the Swedish Workplace HIV/AIDS Programme (SWHAP) has also harnessed the power of theatre to tackle HIV/AIDS issues in workplaces and the community at large.
“We have realised that edutainment is a critical vehicle in driving the message home when we engage with people in communities and workplaces,” said Regional Coordinator Southern Africa, Edith Maziofa-Tapfuma.
“So every time there is an issue we want to be flushed out, we start by staging a play and dramatising the matter and thereafter we have dialogue with the audience. This approach creates openness, and whilst the audiences will be joking about what they would have seen, they will be learning a lot in the process.”
Maziofa stated that since 2007 when the Zimbabwean chapter of SWHAP was opened and started going into communities and workplaces to tackle HIV/AIDS matters, there has been a reduction in the prevalence rate.
“Ever since we started engaging with people over the years through theatre, we have noticed that there is a reduction in HIV prevalence and incidence. In the early ’90s, the HIV prevalence rate in Zimbabwe was around 25 percent but right now it has dropped to around 14 percent.
“This shows the impact of the programme combined with the efforts of our other development partners as well as the Government. However, to maintain this, these efforts need to be sustained and theatre plays a critical role in enforcing the behavioural change,” she said.
On Valentine’s Day, SWHAP hosted a play titled “Aleta Finds her Blesser”, at the Holiday Inn Hotel and the debate that ensued showed the impact of using theatre to raise awareness.
The exciting play was about Aleta, an undergraduate intern who gets into a material but abusive relationship with her boss.
She meets true love in another young employee and against all odds, they make it in life. The play promotes responsible love relationships. It encourages abstinence before marriage, engaging in protected sex as well as couples getting tested, among other HIV prevention ways.
“Though HIV/AIDS issues are our major concern, as SWHAP we also tackle various issues that include gender parity in the workplace. We have realised that among many causes of HIV/AIDS, poverty is a key driver but another factor is failure of the community to empower the girl child.
“So we try to ensure that in most of the plays we stage, the issue of empowering the girl child is highlighted as we believe that if she can voice her opinion in society, she will contribute immensely on the issue of safe sex and hence reduce the prevalence rate,” said Maziofa.
The play, which was produced by Nigel Pfunde of Loud Voice Consultancy, was directed by Tafadzwa Muzondo and written by Tsungayi Hatitye. lt features Brezhnev Guvheya, Rumbidzai Musarurwa and Irvin Chitehwe.
