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Sophia Chese-Msowa : Arts Correspondent
Jibilika Dance Trust in partnership with US Embassy’s PEPFAR recently held the third edition of Annual Step 2 HIV Festival at St Peters High School in Highfield. More than 10 schools participated in the Festival that engages young people through popular youth music and dance in HIV prevention, sexual reproductive health, gender, drug abuse and advocacy campaigns.The event brought together several schools and young people from five communities that were part of the recent phase of campaign.
They showcased their response to HIV through dance, poetry, music, theatre and beat-box.
A workshop on HIV, Gender and entrepreneurship was conducted by Stimulus Africa and people also took the opportunity to commemorate the International Menstrual Hygiene Day with MyAge organisation distributing free sanitary pads.
Festival director Plot Mhako said they were happy with the success of the festival.
“We are pleased with the success of the program given the overwhelming response from both artistes and young people. It reaffirms the power of arts in educating and empowering people,” he said.
The programme started in 2013 following the successful hosting of the Jibilika Dance Festival the previous year under the theme Step Up 2 HIV.
The initiative went on to impact on thousands of youths in four provincial towns of Harare, Mutare, Bulawayo and Masvingo.
In 2013 the project won an award at the Zim Hip Hop Awards for the Best Social Impact.
The Step Up 2 HIV program empowers young people with the knowledge, tools and opportunity to use their own art, media and ideas as a way to empower their voices for an AIDS-free generation.
This year’s Festival followed the completion of an eight months outreach and life skills development programme in 10 schools and five communities of Harare namely Mbare, Glen-View, Highfield, Mufakose, Budiriro and also part of Mutare.
Each week Jibilika was holding free dance classes at community halls in these areas then actively engage with participants on sexual reproductive health issues.
Once a month participants and other young people would converge for cypher where they showcased their talents and disseminated vital HIV information to an audience.
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