Community members of the impoverished Sowetan suburb of Kliptown — the site of the signing of the Freedom Charter — have teamed up with French theatre heavyweights to highlight issues gripping the youth in South Africa’s townships.
Founder of SKY NGO Bob Nameng said he started the NGO in 1986 after he saw a need to guide the youthful energy that was being dissipated by poverty and hopelessness.
The Mama Africa Theatre Company is one proof that his ambitions have paid off.
After collaborating with director of the French Champagnie des Contraires Neusa Thomas and actor Eric de Sarria from French theatre company Philippe Genty, they produced `The Story of Awya’, a street theatre performance that had audiences captivated at the 2003 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.
De Sarria described the show as an educational venture, designed to talk to both adults and youth about some of the social problems experienced by South African youth.
Safe sex, HIV/AIDS and child abuse were the main themes of the story.
He said it was specially created to be performed in the street and at schools.
Nameng said Kliptown had been neglected in the post-Apartheid years with most of the 20 000 residents living in squatter-like conditions.
He said SKY facilitated projects dealing with life skills, education, sports and recreation.
He said they aimed to give the youth tools to take charge of their lives and steer them away from crime and destructive behaviour.
“As long as I live SKY will grow. The sky is the limit.”
Performer Sipho Dlamini (22), said SKY had enabled him to do things for himself that were previously not possible.
“It has changed my life and made me realise I have to do things for myself.” –ECN Cuewire