Young people are tools for transformation — Kitchen
Light of youth Creative Organisation (LYCO), a Lilongwe based theatre group, says the youth are tools for transformation and therefore should ensure they play a big role in disseminating information in various aspects of life through theatre.
LYCO Director, James Kitchen, was speaking in an interview Saturday during National Schools Youth Arts Festival (NASFEST) for the central region held at Lilongwe Town Hall in the capital city.
Kitchen said NASFEST was introduced because LYCO wanted the young people to disseminate information to the society, to take arts as a professional career and entertain, among other objectives.
“The youth have the potential to achieve their dreams, they can bring change in the society and are tools for disseminating information for transformation, art should not just be taken for entertainment but also as a profession which can bring them butter and bread,” kitchen said.
NASFEST is an event recognized by the Culture Department and Ministry of Education among other stakeholders. It is one of the festivals which are on national cultural events calendar in the country.
The festival takes place in September to November every year for district division and regional levels, but the main festival is held in February in line with the academic and cultural events calendar since its inception in 2009.
According to Kitchen, every year the festival brings a specific theme to compete and display their art works through drama, songs poetry and traditional dances among others .This year’s theme is ‘Youth in action to eliminate harmful cultural practices’.
“That theme came because our youth in the society are being victimized and affected socially, spiritually and we believe that the society could change and fight against the harmful cultural practices in Malawi.
“Not all cultural practices are good, there are some practices which are bad and need to be eliminated such as Fisi, kulowakufa and bulangete la amfumu among others,” he said.
Among the participating schools in the festival were include SOS, Tsabango, Likuni boys and Lilongwe Girls secondary schools.
Lilongwe Girls secondary school emerged position 1 with 72.33 per cent followed by Likuni boys which scored 69.0 per cent.
Wezzie Jere, a Lilongwe Girls Secondary School student, expressed happiness after emerging as one of the best actress in male role.
“I am happy with the talent I have because taking a male role while you are a female is not something simple, this simply means that I am able to perform,” she said.
Jere advised fellow youths to be confident when performing and not to look down upon themselves.
The festivals are being organised with funding from Hivos Foundation among other sponsors.
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while i accept the importance of the youth in the country, i am of the opinion that youth should not just sit phwiii hoping that one day all the powers would be given to them just like that. they have to take interest in the fields of their passion and have the patience to learn and develop the skills required of the particular callings and the best will come to them. they have to be told that they need to work and at some point fight for their rights and positions not just sitting home and be whining like pigs.… Read more »