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Swagga T
Disability does not mean inability, so goes the saying. Did you know, “potential has a shelf life?” This means that there is nothing you can’t do if you really want to do it.
Next weekend, this story will be told when the Special Schools Arts Festival takes place at Harare Gardens.
The festival which is in its third-year running is a platform that was established mainly to allow children with disabilities to showcase their skills and talents in various art forms.
Various children from the diverse special schools, disability resource units and homes in Zimbabwe will converge at this year’s edition to celebrate their own artistic achievements, share experiences and learn.
Activities include music, poetry, traditional dance, drawing, crafts, batik, tie and dye, pottery, modelling and other art forms.
Disability centres from Bulawayo, Masvingo, Mrewa, Kadoma and Gweru will join others in the capital in showcasing their talents. Interestingly the event will be marshalled by local comedian Sabhuku Vharazipi who has proved to be the best with children.
CHIPAWO SOS children’s village and three schools from High-Glen District are also billed to perform while 10 artists from a Japanese community work will conduct craft activities and famous games like Kendama, Kite, Take-tombo, and Yoyo.
This year’s edition will run under the theme “Breaking barriers – towards inclusive practices”,and the focus will be to prove to the world that children with disabilities are ready to conquer the world.
Some children interviewed during rehearsals by CLS revealed that they are excited and are looking forward on the festival.
They said they started rehearsing for the event last month.
“We are waiting for the big day and want to prove to the world that we can. (Zvava zvinhu).
“It’s showtime and we heard we are also going to receive mbiras,” said Beauty Ngwende (12).
Festival coordinator Ticha Muzavazi said the event was conceived upon the realisation that children with disabilities are in actual fact remarkably talented.
“They possess a unique potential to develop any skills of interest and take time to perfect them to extraordinary standards.
“In spite of this background, very few pupils with disabilities have an opportunity to explore their creative capabilities in and outside their immediate environments,” he said.
Muzavazi said the disabled children also need a chance to shine in the art sector but some schools focus on academics only.
“The majority of special schools were not helping the situation either; on the contrary their learning programme remained with a bias towards academics and rarely engaged their pupils in arts or even sports initiatives,” he said.
Muzavazi said the harsh inconsistency in the learning of children with disabilities regarding arts initiatives threatened skills, talents and the creative potential of some pupils.
“It is this alarming status quo that stirred an urge in a select group of enthusiastic special needs educators and arts mentors to establish a unique platform in the festival through which these unique capabilities could be revived and nurtured,” he explained.
Online Reporter