MBIZO CHIRASHA AND TEAM LAUNCH GIRL CHILD CREATIVITY

By Lawrence Hoba

Renowned poet and author Mbizo Chirasha and his team brought journalists from both the public and private media, and a group of other passionate people under one roof at the New Ambassador Hotel on 9 June 2011 for the launch of Girl Child Creativity, a project that aims to “mitigate under-representation and unbalanced participation of young female writers/ poets in areas of creative writing, literacy and poetry performances development.” The project enhances the ability of the girl child to develop herself mentally.

Mbizo, who is the Producer / Coordinator of Girl Child Creativity, has always been a passionate speaker and he couldn’t have found a better platform to share the objectives of the project. I believe at the end he had convinced everyone that Girl Child Creativity is one project that is worth everyone investing their time and resources in. At least the project has already managed to rope in The US Public Affairs Section and Ambassador Hotel. Supported by Sharon Hudson-Dean (head of the US Public Affairs Section) as the guest speaker, and veteran broadcaster and journalist Agnes Gudza as the moderator, the launch programme was handled well and the free flow of beer and drinks maybe topped it all up on this cool evening. Other front table presenters were Gary Webbstock (GM New Ambassador Hotel) and Marko Ndlovu (Director, Chiedza Child Care Centre).

The question and answer segment was exciting with issues raised around the spread of the project to other areas, linking the project with other initiatives in Southern Africa and ensuring that the girl child survives from their art. The project owners seemed to have done their homework and had ready answers. The major point driven home was that Girl Child Creativity is not going to give girls fish but train them to take their own futures in their hands. The project will have provincial clusters to ensure all areas, rural and urban, are reached and linkages with external organisations will be done once there has been activity in the country. “What we want is to teach them resilience, hard work and determination,” reiterated Mbizo many a time that one hopes this same determination will cascade to the implementation level.

Some of the people who are involved in the project in their various capacities include Poets Barbara “Breezy” Anderson, Cynthia “Flowchild” Marangwanda, Black Heat deShanti, Thando Sibanda, Rutendo Chigudu and Primrose Dzenga. Girl Child Creativity also works with Girl Child Network, US Embassy, New Ambassador Hotel, the Media and various individuals who dedicate their time and resources to enable the work to move on.   

         Poet Barbara"Breezy"Anderson who will workshop young girls-    (Pic from Girl Child Creativity blog.)

Lined up on the calendar is

1.      The All Female Motivational Poetry/ Writing Workshop to be held on 15 and 16 June 2011 at Chiedza Child Care Centre.

2.       Food For Thought Seminar to be held on 21 June at the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, Eastgate, Harare  

For more details you can visit Girl Child Creativity on their blog http://www.girlchildcreativity.blogspot.com/