•BAREFEET is about changing lives with many of its youth having a street and refugee background.
By GETHSEMANE MWIZABI –
TAKING inspiration from Zambian traditional myth and folklore, Baretfeet has taken youths by storm.
It is a creative arts and performance project staged, rehearsed and presented mainly, though not exclusively, by children on, or formerly on, the streets of Zambia. Having participated in a number of festivals all across the world, the project uses theatre, art, dance, music and creative writing as a tool to engage with and support the development of children most of who are at risk of dis-engaging from their communities.
Founded in 2006, the whole idea has been to offer opportunities for the young to have their voices heard.
Through drama, film, song and dance, the concept enables children to discuss topics or issues they feel important and ultimately allows them to showcase their talents while providing them with dignity and worth, issues like child abuse, gender-based violence and general child protection issues.
According to statistics released two years ago, 13,500 children were on Zambian streets.
The overall goal of Barefeet is to prevent children from living on the streets, and the organisation works with its partners to assist in the shared goal of moving children on the street to a safer environment.
“We are about changing lives. Most of our youths have a street and refugee background,” says Adam McGuigan, artistic director.
From issue-based drama to political satire, from popular musical theatre to acrobatics, Barefeet Theatre thrives on its versatility in creating relevant and vibrant new work.
Together the workshop facilitators and children produce several performances during the year, culminating the annual ‘Barefeet Festival’ every August, where each of the centres performs for their peers and the general public. This year’s theme is ‘One Drum Many Beats’.
“It doesn’t matter whether one is black or white, we are one people. That is what we are trying to promote,” says McGuigan.
Mixing rhythm, voice, crump influenced movement and acrobatics in a fusion of fun, skills development and cultural orientation all to the sound of African drums. In recent memory, Barefeet participated in the Zambia Children’s Climate Conference, staging a colourful dance and acrobatic opening ceremony and a fashion show that showcased ‘clothes’ and costumes made from recycled materials.
The team concluded the conference with a children’s arts festival, leading delegates across the city in a carnival.
Beyond the local acts, Barefeet facilitated the participation of a 15-member group in a six-week theatre festival in the UK as well as tours in South Africa, America and Finland.
Through their performances the theatre group aims to communicate, engage with and support children who are most at risk of breaking away from their supporting communities. The organisation gives vulnerable children encouragement, hope and a voice, offering them an alternative to street life. Since it began in 2006, Barefeet Theatre has impacted the lives of 2,000 children and young people. Through their activities they reach out to some 60,000 youths.
Further, the theatre project partnered with UNICEF Zambia to carry out various projects.
UNICEF Zambia since 2010 has been a close partner and supporter of Barefeet Theatre.
The two organisations entered into a formal agreement in 2011 and since then UNICEF Zambia has provided more than US$150,000 to Barefeet to support the Youth Arts Festivals in 2011 and 2012 (which exposes thousands of disadvantaged children to the arts), as well as for the NGO to conduct theatre for development workshops and trainings for UNICEF Netherlands-supported child ambassadors and other students at secondary and basic schools in all of Zambia’s 10 provinces, reaching thousands of Zambian children with life-saving and changing messages on life-skills, HIV and AIDS, and climate change awareness.
