Who has a story to tell?

EVERYONE has a story to tell. But some just do not know how to make their stories heard.

Which is why the 2018 Harare International Festival of the Arts has come with a new concept to address that very problem.

It’s called the Hifa Youth and Adult Storytelling Programme, which organiser Kate Rudder says is all about empowering people to tell their stories.

It is open to everyone, though space is limited.

“We are calling on all people who would like to tell their stories. We can only take 12 adults and 12 young people who must be between the ages of 13-18 years. We will have training workshops over two days for each group, then performances on the last day of Hifa,” said Rudder.

She said storytelling went beyond training people to amplify their voices and build self-confidence. The programme, she said, included marketing and public relations skills.

“The training for adults will be on May 1 and 3. For youth, it will be on May 2 and 4 with joint performances scheduled for May 5,” Rudder said.

Monica Cheru-Mpambawashe and Chamunorwa Mashola – who are Zimbabwean alumni of The Moth, a global body specialising in the art and craft of story telling – will facilitate the workshop.

“The stories of the facilitators are available as podcasts at TheMoth.org website,” Rudder added.

The performances will be judged by the audience to find the best storytellers. There is no participation fee and registration closes on April 20.