By HARRISON JEREMIAH
In a contemporary society where the communities are described with social ills such as drug and substance abuse, teenage pregnancies among others, Amplifying Girls' Voices strives hard to bring a change in Pumula.
On the 6th of April Saturday, Amplifying Girls' Voices Through Digital Arts took two of their production films to Old Pumula as a way of fulfilling their mandate to educate and entertain the communities, specifically the youth.
The film screening was held at the famous Isilwane Youth Centre under the theme "Giving Girls A voice".
The two films portrayed various themes mainly affecting today's youth which include peer pressure, drug and substance abuse, unemployment, gender based violence, child marriages among other issues affecting the contemporary society.
Amplifying Girls' Voices Through Digital Arts is an initiative established in June 2021 implemented by Intwasa Arts Festival in partnership with Plan International Zimbabwe supported by Plan International Finland Office.
The project seeks to increase the quantity and reach of independent reliable and data driven information in the public sphere, focusing mainly on content production and consumption by young women, youth and communities on SRHR eradicating Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and child marriages.
The project is a girl driven initiative consisting of girls between the ages of 14 and 21 from the city of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and uses digital media in the form of podcasts, short films, and an online magazine to address issues affecting young women and girls.
Film screening did not begin only in Pumula, Amplifying Girls' Voices Through Digital Arts has also explored other communities such as Matopo, Makokoba, Cowdray Park, Matshobana and St Peters addressing different issues affecting the community.
On the sidelines of the film screening Runyararo Mutandi, Intwasa Arts Festival administrator spoke to this publication about the event.
She said;
"We have even gone to schools Founders High School, Sizalendaba, Northlea High School and we are not stopping here.
We are moving around Bulawayo doing film screening to areas where people have no access to data to watch our content online."
These films are a conversation starter as they bring out some issues that are not normally talked about within the communities hence they play a role in enlightening, educating and informing the spectators.
In as much as this project is for girls by girls the initiative does not turn a blind eye on the boys it also touches issues that affect even men within the society.
"The project is for girls by girls but we understand that girls do not live in a vacuum, they come from the communities where there are men, fathers and boys our films also encompass issues affecting the community as whole.
"Even though our films are girls driven we have boys there who are participating, everyone in the community is invited to watch these, film screening is not only open to the girls but to everyone in the community."
jeremiahharrison290@gmail.com
©️ BANO NEWS 2024
