Ever wondered how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be explained, understood and worked towards in the Malawian context? How do we attain visible gender equity? How do we show deeds towards climate justice? How do we ignite progress in health and well-being? Our talented Make Art for Sustainable Action (MASA) squad members showed how all this is possible.
With the motivation from winning the UN SDG Action Award (2019) under the Creative category, the MASA squad members utilized their skills once again for the Global week to #Act4SDGs and took action to the people. People from all over the world took part in this week of action and highlights were being shown at the UN media zone in New York. The squad decided to have an Art For Action tour focusing on Climate Action, Gender Equality and Good Health and Wellbeing. They developed short interactive theatre pieces on each of the three focus SDGs, to be followed by ‘Dream Machine’ workshops to inspire young people to come up with their own creative ideas on the SDGs. Aside from the tour being aired on Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation (MBC) TV, Timveni TV, the Nation newspaper and Yoneco radio, the tour was also shown at the UN SDG Media Zone for all around the world to see. Click here to view the clips.
Starting within the hometown of Zomba, the squad met with Chinamwali youth group to kick off the tour. Over 40 members attended and all were lively and active in the activities set. When doing an activity that was targeted on SDG 5 (Gender Equality), the initial attitude showed that the males were against having female leaders. Fortunately, the squad’s interactive theatre changed that view almost immediately when the youth group had acts from both males and females.
“It would be difficult and almost impossible for us to develop if we don’t include women. Being in groups with them (female members) and coming up with these ideas excites us and helps us learn more about each other and how to do better things together.” – 16 year old male Chinamwali youth member.
The first day of the tour ended with an evening showcase of the MASA acts and an introduction by Executive Director, Helen Todd, on why ArtGlo had chosen to work on the three SDGs. The District Youth Officer, Mrs. Katie Malweni spiced up the event by speaking more on one taking responsibility to know their HIV status as a way of attaining SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing). The evening crowd was very attentive and inspired from start to end.
Touring through Bangwe and Bwaila secondary schools in Blantyre and Lilongwe respectively, the vibrant students were beyond astonishing throughout all the activities! Almost every student was interested in showing their knowledge about the various SDGs. They were each in their own right creative and passionate on bringing Malawian based solutions to the SDG’s as they teamed up to create original art pieces.
