In their shoes

OUR VOICES, OUR FUTURE / IZWI LETHU, IKUSASA LETHU

Be it drama, poetry, music, art-making or diverse traditional craft methods, the importance of the cultural arts in successful HIV/AIDS training, awareness and intervention programmes has been proven.? We also know that, because all human beings use many different artistic ways of expressing their experiences, knowledge, love, memories, hopes and fears, the cultural arts serve as excellent channels for all social communications.

In April 2006, the National Development Agency (NDA) awarded funds to take this practice a step further: by supporting a partnership of creative programmes ? HIVAN?s Highly Effective Art (HEART) and DramAidE (from the University of Zululand) ? and using culture as a means for the broader purposes of social and economic upliftment through cultural tourism.?

This project, which is called Our Voices, Our Future / iZwi lethu, iKusasa lethu, focuses on the use of the local environment to develop sustainable income-generating projects with young people.? Located in the uThungulu district of KwaZulu-Natal, the project gathers learners from schools in KwaDlangezwa to participate in cultural arts training workshops that will inspire their rich talents and awaken a deep sense of their traditional and contemporary community heritage.?

The learners will be encouraged to see the wonder in themselves, and in elements of their physical and cultural surroundings, so that they can imagine ways of showing and sharing these with visitors to the area and from these, generate business concepts.? The programme will train them in research methods, so that they and their communities can collect and preserve their historical, spiritual and environmental resources.

The participants will then record and store their ideas and material on the uThungulu district as a cultural heritage site in KwaZulu.???

These skills, and the expertise they indicate, are highly valued in the world of work. Young people find it very difficult to get jobs, even with a Matric certificate or a higher qualification, because employers look for candidates with experience and creativity ? so, with the guidance and mentoring the project participants will receive, they will not only have an opportunity to set up their own business projects, but will be better equipped to offer their knowledge and talents to employers both within and beyond their community.

Once the research is complete, a co-operative will be formed with various community representatives across the district to assist and monitor the progress of the young entrepreneurs. ?Partnerships with the existing tourism operations will be nurtured, so that through these business structures, the young people can launch and run exciting new ventures based on the beauty and power of their ancestral heritage.?

The project runs for two years, after which time fellow citizens and international visitors will be able to share in the spirit of these unique voices, and watch them unfold their own future, full of hope and meaning.

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