Theatre for Development (TfD) is a powerful tool for engaging communities in dialogue and promoting social change. With support from the Scottish Government through the Trocaire fund, we have engaged communities under TA Mwambo in Zomba to understand their lived experiences of non-economic loss and damage (NELD) due to climate change.

“I have not only learned but also have been encouraged to replant after devastating floods to remain self-reliant. Stealing is not a solution to hunger as portrayed in the performance. Indeed, men abandon their families to seek greener pastures at the lake when hunger strikes.” Expressed Mary Kamwala from GVH Kathebwe.

She further said that this tendency leaves some women with no choice but to engage in promiscuous activity which leaves them vulnerable to STIs, HIV, and unwanted pregnancies. Children are not spared from this predicament as some drop out of school when their parents fail or prolong to recover from natural disasters.

One other key issue that came out clear was perennial floods that have led to the loss of livelihoods and biodiversity including land. People live with an element of fear due to these floods which affects food security. This has further increased the number of broken families, sex in exchange for money as well as rising moral decay regardless of age. All these are happening due to loss and damage caused by climate change in communities under GVH Kathebwe.

The TfD performance was also an important step in raising awareness about the community’s role in addressing issues of NELD. By engaging the local community in dialogue and learning about their lived experiences, we have also strengthened our understanding of the complex impacts of climate change as well as inspired action to address the same.

As the performance was coming to an end, we witnessed firsthand, the Phalombe River flooding the area. According to GVH Kathebwe, some community members failed to attend the performance due to prolonged rainfall that led to the swelling of the river.