By Grethe Koen, Jess Levy and Roza Carvalho

A PSA produced for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group.

A 4 minute doccie on Akhtar Abbas, a Pakistani spaza shop owner in Extension 6, Grahamstown.

The Doccie with Xhosa subtitles:

 

 

The doccie without Xhosa subtitles

 

ART FOR DEVELOPMENT

This blog takes a look at some of the initiatives in Grahamstown which aim to use art to develop the youth. Such projects use art, dance, drama, poetry and play as a means to keep youngsters out of trouble.

Egazini Arts and Crafts Outreach Project

This blog takes a look at some of the initiatives in Grahamstown which aim to use art to develop the youth. Such projects use art, dance, drama, poetry and play as a means to keep youngsters out of trouble.
We visited the Egazini Arts and Crafts Outreach Project, run by Bongani Diko. This group uses drama to stimulate some of the youth in the townships. This group has been so successful that they are performing at this years National Arts Festival. Their show is entitled ” My Xhosa”. Simply click on the link below to find out more about their performance…

“My Xhosa”

We went to watch one of their rehearsals, and spoke to Diko about the impact that this initiative has on these youngsters’ lives. For this exclusive preview watch the short video clip below…

Hope you enjoyed that?

Let us know if you are planning on attending the show by commenting below…

We also compiled a slideshow of some of the artwork that is created at Egazini. There are many artists who work on commission to produce linocuts, paintings, etchings and wood cuts.

Photo Slideshow

To watch and learn more about Egazini’s projects click on the link below…

Egazini Projects

Janet Buckland: Amaphiko Township Dance Project

We also spoke to Janet Buckland who is this years Shoprite/Checkers Woman of the Year. We spoke to her about the Amaphiko Dance Project she runs.

This project uses dance to help the under-privileged youth of Grahamstown become excited about their talents.

To hear what Buckland had to say about this project listen to this audio clip…

Keep Kids Off the Streets

We also uncovered a new inititaive called Keep Kids Off the Streets (KKOTS). This intitive is run by local community members who are trying to keep the youth out of mischief. This project runs every Saturday at the Recreation Hall in Tantyi township. It is the collaborative project of the Centre for Social Development (CSD) and volunteers from Rhodes University and around Grahamstown.

Carol Johnson, from the CSD, spoke to us about this new initiative. Listen to the audio clip that we compiled below…

Carol Johnson Interview

We interviewed a community member who is actively involved in the KKOTS program.  Watch this short video clip to find out more…

Makana Municipality is in the process of restricting entry to the Grahamstown landfill site. Anyone who is not employed by the Masihlule recycling project will be seen as a trespasser. This leaves the other people who survive off the site, cut off.

Take a quick look at this simple video on how to recycle.  By making a few easy changes to your daily refuse removal routine you can make the work of the rubbish sorters much easier.

Isn’t it just great when you have friends partaking in controversial activities?  This is what i thought at first…A group of boys who i know, were scheduled to have their digs formal.  We negotiated at length until they agreed to let me film the beginning of their formal.  In true Rhodes style (and may i reiterate that this is a male digs!) they called me about half an hour before i was set to shoot, to cancel!  Their excuse was that their dates (who had been procured at the last minute) felt uncomfortable being filmed. 

 

So rushed phonecalls were made and i managed to secure another digs formal shoot on the same night!  And it turned out to be a success-we got great footage.  Everything happens for a reason…

 

Check out this short description from an anonymous source about the theme of a digs formal:

Watch this short video, from the same source, which talks about the games played:

Here is some footage on the actual digs formal.  Our camera was on while the ladies were setting up.  This snippet shows them blowing up condoms and putting in little cards which detail a game to be played (by the person who pops the balloon).  We had to step in to help them…taking journalism to a new level…

 

And last, but not least, a look at how they prepared their punch.  It seems even though it didn’t taste that great, it was consumed!