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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Reporter
ARTS organisation Victory Siyanqoba on quest to promote talent in schoolsis set to launch a programme named Eziko Inschool Talent Acceleration (Eita) which aims to promote creative brilliance and champion behavioural change in schools.
Eita is set to be launched on September 21 at Nkulumane Hall koSokusile where eight schools drawn from around Bulawayo are set to showcase their talents in different creative sector disciplines.
The schools are Nkulumane High School, Nketa High School, Emganwini Secondary School, Mncumbatha Secondary School, Mandwandwe High School, Maranatha High School, Ihlathi High School and Premier High School.
Said Victory Siyanqoba founder and director Desire Moyoxide: “Eita means hello. So we’re reaching out to local high schools to say ‘Hi, we are here, let’s celebrate 21 September annually as the International Day of Peace through arts’.”
He said Eita is an extension of their Eziko Theatre Laboratory, another project aimed at promoting up-and-coming artistes.
“This is a high school’s performing arts championship with six categories – music, poetry, dance, drama, public speaking and modelling. Our aim is to accelerate creative brilliance and champion behavioural change in schools,” he said.
Moyoxide said their organisation has always been passionate about identifying and nurturing talent from grassroots level.
“Victory Siyanqoba has always been an innovative institution driven by youthfulness within. Between 2005 and 2007, we had such an initiative for rural high schools in Matabeleland that we conducted at Selonga High School. Now, we’re waking up the sleeping giant and saying, now is the time.
“Eita has been inspired by the natural events (Covid-19) that closed down schools and crippled the lives of children and youths in schools,” he said.
Through Eita, Moyoxide said they also intend to complement Government efforts to bring back normalcy and shape the lives of youths in schools.
“We’re working with an array of talented souls from our region who’ve made a mark in the Creative Cultural Industries. All our awards are named after celebrated and unsung artists from our region as a way to honour, appreciate and acknowledge their immense contribution to the development of the arts in the Matabeleland region.” From Eita, Moyoxide said they will work on a Matabeleland Provinces Regional Schools Performing Arts Championship.
“This championship will unleash, explore and celebrate our identity and feed into various like-minded initiatives in other provinces, as well as national platforms and schools arts festivities beyond our Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. For this year, we’re targeting eight local schools.” – @mthabisi_mthire
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