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Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Youth Interactive Writer
On June 9, five unheralded multi-talented students with visual impairments put up a scintillating performance at the launch of the National Disability Policy by President Mnangagwa at the Harare International Conference Centre.
The policy which is expected to enhance the safe and legal movement of labour and promotion of disability rights as enshrined in the Constitution and international conventions the country is signatory to.
Those who attended the function can testify that the five, Japhet Wirirai (15), Tanyaradzwa Gondo (17), Beauty Ngwende (20), Florence Makuyana (16) and Rumbidzai Ndoro (18) are ready to conquer the showbiz, given the platform.
Beauty and Japhet are winners of the Mbira Prize at the Eisteddfods Vocal and Instrumental Competitions.
Beauty is currently in the Star Brite competitions.
However, they performed two songs, “Chinoraswa Marara” and the late Andy Brown “Mawere Kongonya” renditions.
Some might say who are these future stars who call themselves “Stitches” but the crew is not new on the music scene as they have participated at the World Children’s Festival in 2015.
In an interview with St Giles teacher Ticha Muzavazi, who works with the group, he said the group is ready for stardom.
“They performed the song “Chinoraswa Marara” which has mbira lines composed by Trish Nhatarikwa, one of the first members of the group, now in the final year for a Law programme at University of Zimbabwe. I wrote the lyrics in 2010 for the album produced by the first group,” he said.
“They like working with mbira, drums and hosho.
All of them are high school students but I still work with them in Music and ICT Skills development for learners with visual impairments.”
Muzavazi said of the five students, only two of them are learning at a special school with specialist teachers in the area of visual impairments.
“Computer skills have enabled the rest to learn in regular secondary schools of their choice in Harare. Tanyaradzwa and Japhet are already producing music with their computers- playing a wide range of musical instruments.
“Tanyaradzwa already gets pocket money from fixing computer problems for his school mates. I introduced computer skills to him but I am proud and impressed to have him advising and fixing computer problems each time we are together,” he said.
He said Stitches was working on releasing an album despite facing some challenges which also include the Covid-19 pandemic that has affected a lot in the musical sector.
“Challenges for children with disabilities were mostly about access to education in schools of their choices. They usually have boarding school life from year one because of chasing special schools. An average child or any family would not enjoy that experience.
Those who are not in boarding school travel across town every day on hired transport or on their parents’ backs or with a family member who adopts a lifestyle of looking after one child- accompanying him or her to school and back every day.”
“As for this particular group, we still have to engage a sighted guide to accompany them to their rehearsals and to their performances.
“That is transport and food for two people when we need to work with our star musician on a particular day.
Those guides still have other things to do in life. So, we keep disrupting their programmes as we ask them to fit in our own when we do our music,” cited Muzavazi.
Surprisingly, the teacher said the Stitches would wish to work with Victor Kunonga, Mbeu and Jah Prayzah.
“We would like to collaborate with Jah Prayzah, Mbeu and Victor Kunonga. From the onset, the arts sector has been supporting our art at St. Giles and in the Special Schools Arts drive.
Artists and organisations have been present at St.Giles and in other schools with support in grooming our children artists, giving support with instruments or with their time- sharing skills. For instance, our success at Giles and the Special Schools Arts Festival has been from the support we got from organisations, musicians and poets like the Culture Fund of Zimbabwe Trust, Sam Mataure, Victor Kunonga, Hope Masike, Mbeu, Tariro Negitare, Tinashe Muchuri, Felix Mutasa, Batsirai Chigama, Blackheat, Anesu Katerere, Jefinias Warara,Lindsay Mudhaya and foreign based groups like Ruzivo,” he said.
Online Reporter