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Uis youth group performing |
The Uis youth group worked with OYO from April to July 2010. They created a drama addressing the issue of alcohol and drug abuse. This is a pressing issue in that community. Uis used to derive its income from mining activities. However, the mine closed some years ago, leaving many jobless people. There are nowadays very few job opportunities in the area and young people are left on their own. As a result, alcohol and marijuana consumption seem to be high in the area.
The story they developed is centred around a school girl who goes to a party at her friend’s place. She is very surprised to see later her own dad arriving, and realises that her dad is a sugar daddy and dates young girls. Meanwhile, a school boy is too shy to approach a girl. His friends encourage him to smoke marijuana to become more confident. Once stoned, he goes to the girl. However, the girl is more interested by the father, because he has money, than by the school boy. Because he is under the influence of drugs, the young boy starts fighting. The fight gets ugly. The boy smashes a bottle and kills the father.
While dramatic, the story aims at showing that we are responsible for our actions. One time is enough to spoil our lives. One wrong decision can affect us for the rest of our lives.
The Uis group was very gender unbalanced, with many girls but only two boys. We therefore invited four talented boys from the Khorixas youth group to join and help the Uis group. Together, they finalised the performance and went on tour to the Caprivi region. It was a long trip away from home. They performed in schools and communities, in deep sandy areas. Most schools in that area don’t have proper halls, hence many performances took place outside. Despite those harsh conditions, the shows were well received. The message was loud and clear. 3645 people were reached.
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| Learners in Caprivi |
The highlight of the show was the songs. Some members of the Uis and Khorixas youth groups had fantastic voices. ‘Imagine’ and ‘peer pressure’ in particular were particularly moving. Well done Uis! We look forward to work with you again.
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