Online Reporter
Trust Khosa-Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
Malawi-bound visually impaired actress Edith Masango’s trip to Lilongwe is gaining momentum as the producers have outlined their vision.
With attention mainly on the one-woman play “Muchazondida”, co-written by Fungai Chinogaramo and Special Matarirano and directed by Eunice Tava, it has been established that preparations are well on course. Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub has also been established as a platform for the initiative.
The play will be performed at the Theatre Renaissance Cabaret Festival 2026 in Lilongwe, Malawi, from July 30 to August 2.
As part of the preparations, Matarirano said that four professional cyclists from Gutu, Masvingo — Maxwell Mafuta, Lloyd Garisa, and the twin brothers Taurai and Tonderai Mushininga — have pledged to embark on a massive fundraising tour to help make Masango’s dream a reality.
The quartet will travel from Harare to Lilongwe, drumming up support for Masango, from July 14 until the day of the festival in Malawi. The gruelling initiative — covering an estimated 800–1 000 km journey culminating in the festival—will run under the banner “Cycling for Edith — A Pan-African Journey of Endurance Advocacy and Theatre.”
All these efforts are aimed at mobilising support for Masango.
Her one-hander advocated that people living with disabilities should be treated fairly.
According to Matarirano’s concept paper, Masango’s play was a game-changer and has also been endorsed by the four cyclists, who share the actress’s vision.
“Across Africa, persons with disabilities continue to face systemic exclusion from cultural, political, economic, and leadership spaces. Despite growing conversations around inclusion and human rights, many lived experiences remain invisible, unheard, and underrepresented within mainstream African narratives.
“In the arts sector, transformative stories that challenge stigma and advocate for social change often struggle to secure visibility, mobility, and institutional support. Theatre productions addressing disability, inclusion, and social justice rarely reach continental platforms where meaningful policy dialogue and public consciousness can be influenced,” Matarirano said. “It is within this context that ‘Muchazondida’— a powerful solo theatre production— emerges as both an artistic work and social intervention.
“The production confronts disability stigma, exclusion, and prejudice while presenting a deeply human story of resilience, dignity, hope, and transformation.
“To amplify this message beyond traditional theatre spaces, Narratives Media is launching Cycling for Edith — a cross-border endurance fundraising and advocacy campaign that combines sport, storytelling, media, and social impact into one Pan-African movement.”
The two-week fundraising concept begins in Harare, heading to Lusaka, Zambia, before the team connects to Lilongwe, Malawi, in July as they campaign for disability inclusion and representation in African cultural and policy spaces.
“The journey transforms African highways into platforms for storytelling, advocacy, visibility, and continental solidarity.”
