Company Portfolio
Conservation
and the Environment
Seka was born out of the
Community Outreach Programme (November 1999 –
November 2000); a project initiated by Africa Resources Trust and Theatre
for Africa. This programme spanned seven Southern African countries (Botswana,
Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe) and used a
unique combination of theatre and facilitation to address grassroots
environmental issues with the focus on Community Based Natural Resource
Management. The programme then took the voice of the common people from these
countries and created and presented a play to policy makers and stakeholders
throughout southern Africa. Since then Seka has conducted various environmental
projects:
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Article,
‘Using Theatre in Participatory Environmental Policy Making’ (2006)
This article was published in the PLA 55: practical tools for community
conservation in southern Africa edition of the iied (International Institute
for Environment & Development) journal in December 2006
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Anti Litter Campaign (February, March
2006)
In late 2005 Seka was approached by Chief Kakumbi to create a play to tackle the
increasing litter problem in Malambo. Finding sponsorship from National
Breweries, Seka researched and created a play on this topic and performed ten
shows to over 3,600 people. Various solutions, from litter bins to clean up
campaigns are now being implemented.
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Mid Zambezi Elephant Project (June
2002 to December 2005)
Commissioned by the Mid Zambezi Elephant Project (MZEP) and funded by World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) Seka created a play to introduce the concept of using chilli
peppers to deter elephants from people’s villages and crops. In addition to Seka
created the play and trained groups from Zambia, the Democratic Republic of
Congo and Gabon to put this play into practice.
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Land Use Planning (2001 – 2003)
Funded by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Seka, in conjunction with The Zambia
Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) created plays to tackle the sensitive and highly
politicised issue of land use in the Game Management Areas of the South Luangwa
National Park. They used theatre as a means to promote a message as well as find
out people’s views on this issue. Contributed to people’s change in awareness on
Land Use Planning issues. Also created a play and performed to the annual key
stakeholder meeting.
HIV/AIDS
This play was originally created for
the Zambia Wildlife Authority to sensitise the Wildlife Police Officers on
HIV/AIDS. Once this programme was successfully completed, the play was then
adapted to perform to the staff at various safari lodges and local businesses as
part of their “HIV in the Workplace” programme. The huge success of the play has
encouraged us to seek further funding and to continue performing it in villages
throughout Mfuwe.
The play deals with the importance of knowing one’s status,
positive living and de-stigmatisation. It also advertises the new VCT centre at
the nearby hospital which we provide transport to when possible. To date more
than 40 people have attended VCT after our performances. We rely on donations
from the tourist trade to carry out these activities.
Child Labour
and Education
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RECLAIM (Combatting Child Labour through Education in Mozambique) (September,
December 2006)
Seka was contracted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to train a
local theatre company in Mozambique on action research and awareness performance
methodology in relation to child labour and education issues.
This included training in action research, in participatory drama, three
participatory awareness raising performances based on action research in three
target communities as well as creation of codes of conduct for actors,
guidelines for how to conduct performances, action research and script
framework.
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Kawaza School Project (July, August 2006)
Produced an Educational Needs Assessment of Nsefu Chiefdom and an Evaluation of
the Kawaza School Project, to assess the degree to which objectives of the
Kawaza School Project have been achieved and to help identify areas of good
performance and areas where project implementation can be improved. It also
serves as an assessment of the educational needs of Nsefu Chiefdom for future
development. To view this document, go to the Kawaza website by clicking
here.
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BEST CHOICE Campaign (August 2002 –
August 2005)
Funded by the US Department of Labour, Seka was a subcontractor to American
Institutes for Research (AIR) on this successful child labour and education
project. Seka conducted the awareness campaign for the project using action
research, participatory theatre, special groups training and radio.
Activities included conducting baseline, mid term and final surveys to gauge
community awareness on the benefits of education and the negative consequences
of child labour and knowledge levels of government policies and laws pertaining
to education and child labour; conducting action research to surface all of the
factors contributing to child labour and constraining children’s school
attendance; creating and performing participatory awareness raising dramas;
participating in field worker trainings; conducting special groups training;
developing a two year radio programme; and supervising community and school
awareness raising activities.
Through this campaign Seka has successfully increased awareness, in targeted
areas of Chipata District, on the difference between Child Labour and Child
Work; the negative effects of Child Labour on the child, their family and the
community as a whole; age limits for children working; education and labour
policies and the benefits of education.
Traditional Ceremonies/Culture
Seka is undertaking the research,
logistics and writing for a book on traditional Zambian ceremonies.
Sponsored by Celtel
Zambia, it is a book about Zambians for Zambians, documenting in
pictures and words some of the fantastically colourful ceremonies that
Zambia boasts.
International and local
performances
The group has also taken the voice of South Luangwa to international
environmental conferences, performing tailor made plays at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg South Africa, the World Parks Congress
in Durban South Africa and the World Conservation Congress in Bangkok in
November.
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Njala
At the World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa,
Seka presented Njala. Njala told the heroic journey of a subsistence
farmer from Malambo (the area surrounding the South Luangwa National Park), who
rises to the challenge of voicing the concerns of his community at the WSSD.
Using a range of theatrical techniques, from traditional song, dance and
storytelling to puppetry, the production wowed audiences at the IUCN Environment
Centre. The message at the heart of the story reminds the audience that
sustainable use processes are inextricably linked with culture, and advocates
the use of appropriate communication systems. In addition another two short
plays were created and performed at the Summit. The three plays were performed
at the IUCN environment centre and the community kraal as well as for the IUCN
forestry programme of the congress, for over 700 people. Seka brought the voice
of Malambo to an international audience. They took part in discussions for
‘local voices global choices’ and were nominated for the prestigious Equator
Initiative Awards
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Nsendemila
Nsendemila
was created for and performed at the World Parks Congress in Durban, South
Africa. The play was researched in the area and created with grassroots input.
It explored the complex relationships between the various stakeholders in the
area and provided a hilarious and insightful look at the lives of people in the
Malambo community. The play encompassed the five principles of governance based
on UN principles: Legitimacy and voice, accountability, performance, fairness,
direction. They performed 7 times for the governance stream of the World Parks
Congress as well as for the community kraal. Performed and participated in
debate.
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The Fence; Where are we Going; Lost Paradise
Performing under the name of KampuchAfrique, Seka was involved a collaboration
with various southern African artists and Cambodian theatre company called
Sovanna Phum, for the World Conservation Congress in Bangkok. These three
productions brought together a unique blend of Asian and African artistic
traditions, telling the story of their communities and delivering a message to
the Congress on their behalf through song, dance, story telling, humour and
music.
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Kusanga
Performed for tourists visiting the beautiful South Luangwa National Park,
our latest play Kusanga is a celebration of dance, mime, song and
storytelling. It is a charming tale of family, animals and life’s
lessons. A man teaches his niece the ways of old and how to gain wisdom and
understanding by observing the animals, trees, insects and birds of the bush
that surround them. The girl learns lessons from the cunning honey badger and
honey-guide team, from the patient fish eagle, the majestic kudu, the stubborn
warthog and many many more!
Exchange
Inter-country exchange between Malawi and Zambia took place in June 2000 when
Seka hosted a festival in Malambo. Three Zambian groups and two Malawian groups
participated, and the event provided an opportunity for both cultural exchange
and a sharing of ideas, experiences and approaches around issues of natural
resource management and conservation.
In August 2000, the Seka Theatre Company travelled to Lusaka where they had the
opportunity to participate in an exchange of ideas, skills and styles with a
Lusaka based group, Kamoto Arts.
The group then participated in the Livingstone Festival, as part of the main
drama and street theatre programme where they were acclaimed as one of the best
events on at the festival.
A cultural exchange workshop with two Finnish schools; Turku Polytechnic and
Academy of Arts Theatre department; Mwananga Theatre Group from Chipata and the
Seka Theatre Company took place in September 2001. This workshop provided an
interesting insight into communication, language and barriers between different
cultures; and how to turn these barriers into openings and positive
opportunities.
In May to July 2002 the Australian puppeteer, Sandy McKendrick conducted
puppetry workshops and trained SEKA on various puppetry skills as well as
printing, drawing, painting and design.
Sandy trained not only the actors, but also made use of other local craftspeople
in the area - always using readily available local materials. This brought
together various artistic and creative people who were able to exchange ideas
and techniques. This has laid the important foundation to future work with these
craftspeople.
Seka attended the ‘April International Theatre Festival’ in Lusaka in April
2007, where the actors got a chance to see what other groups in Zambia and
neighbouring Swaziland and Zimbabwe were doing, as well as have a chance to
exchange skills and stories. Seka won “Best Production” in the Community Theatre
category.
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