Toshiba You Magazine Article

Back in February I posted some photos I had taken and then sent to computer company Toshiba.  I sent a short story about what one of their laptops gets used for after watching the girls at the Precious Life farm enjoying cartoons on my laptop.  It made me think how everyday, ordinary things can be used to be part of something larger and positive and that there's a story in it.  

They asked if they could run something on it in their magazine.  Various email and Skype communications later, this article is in the May edition of Toshiba's YOU magazine.  In exchange they have agreed to donate a laptop which is great news.

Sewing At PLF

In February the ladies at the Precious Life Farm started on a longer-term sewing project in partnership with Sibo, a lovely lady who lives on the neighbouring farm.  Sibo's a skilled seamstress and is happy to hold sewing sessions with the PL ladies twice a week round her dining table.  

Sibo leading the first lesson

She's put together a lesson plan with the aim that within a few months everyone will have built up a range of sewing skills and will have made two garments - one by hand and one by machine - using what they've learned.  

A demo on the embroidery machine

I was there for the first few weeks where we started with some basics and made pin-cushions and bags.  I'm excited to see where the group will be up to by the time I get back from Harare in a few weeks time - I imagine they will have long overtaken me! 

One Thursday some friends, Amy and Bella, were visiting Bulawayo and joined our session.  Amy had brought some lovely fabrics with her which everyone enjoyed using.    

Thanks also to Femina Garments in Bulawayo and to the fabric shops in Bulawayo who have donated offcuts and fabric to PLF for this project.  We appreciate it!

Theatre in the Park Harare: The Gospel of Othello

Last night The Gospel of Othello previewed at The Theatre in the Park, Harare Gardens, in front of an audience of theatre critics, Zimbabwean press and other invited guests.  Tonight the run opens to the general public.  The article below is reproduced from the Zimbabwe Independent's article about the show (follow link for the original article).  Similar articles also appeared in The Zimbabwean and The Herald newspapers.  Click these links to view those articles.

The Gospel of Gospel of Othello, a new version of Shakespeare's classic play Othello, premières at Theatre in the Park next Tuesday.


In Zimbabwe the play was first staged at Solusi University during the annual Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo last year, and also featured at the Harare International Festival of the Arts.  

The fast paced Afro-centric play is infused with African songs, dance and poetry in its quest to interrogate Shakespeare’s portrayal of Africa, its peoples and culture.  It also seeks to address the major themes of racism, stereotyping, deceit and hatred, juxtaposing Europe in the Elizabethan period and life in Africa today.  

The play was conceptualised by Patrice Naimbana, a theatre veteran from Sierra Leone who is currently based in the UK. The cast and production team features local and international actors.  Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi plays Othello, while Londoner Isabel Tredinnick features as Desdemona. Veteran theatre practitioner Eunice Tava co-directed the play.  

The Gospel of Othello has been staged in the UK, South Africa, Canada and Zimbabwe by professional and emerging artists. It is a project established as community theatre for development with an African perspective.  It is a story about African women that bear the pain of the absence of sons and daugh­ters that leave for far­away lands in search of greener pastures. The love between the ‘Black Oth­ello’ and the beau­ti­ful Ital­ian Des­de­mona tran­scends all bar­ri­ers but this is not enough to avert a tragic train of events.  

The play high­lights the predica­ment of exile in Shakespeare’s story of love and betrayal.  Per­formed in a mix­ture of Shona, Nde­bele, and Shake­spear­ian verse, The Gospel of Oth­ello offers a fresh portrayal Othello.  Besides Mutumbi and Tredin­nick other actors in the play are Mhondiwa Mhepo who plays Iago, Zanele Maseko (Emilia), Shelton Mpofu (Cassio), Brenda Jeranje (Bianca), Pamela Gonye (Modiba), Rejoice Simango (Kiara) and Josphat Ndlovu who features in two roles as as Brabantio and Griot.  Meanwhile the Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa), to be held from May 1 - 6, is set to offer a diverse theatre programme.

In Pictures: The Gospel of Othello

Pictures taken during the September 2011 run in Bulawayo.  

Photos by Oria Mambira

The Gospel of Othello is currently in Harare for upcoming shows including a Gala performance at the British Ambassador's residence on 29th March, The Alliance Francaise on 26th March and an early April run at Theatre in the Park.  Further performances to be announced. 

The Hothaus crew will be in rehearsals for new shows to be premièred at The Harare International Arts Festival 2012.

Watch this space for more info!

Will it?

I remember this ad from when I was a teenager.  I used a postcard of it as a bookmark.  I don't really like the perfume, but the slogan stuck with me.  Every so often it comes to mind and I still find the concept inspiring.  

One day tenderness will move the world.

'Tenderness' isn't a word you hear very often, it's somehow seems an old-fashioned term along with 'kindness', 'gentleness', 'goodness' etc.  But I enjoy being reminded and provoked to ponder it, sometimes I think a bit of tenderness would go a long way! 

I wonder to what extent the slogan is true?

Homelife

Just after Christmas 2011 two young women, Princess and Nomsa, came to live with us, together with their 2 year old daughters, Luba and Tanna.  We knew them from The Precious Life Foundation and previously they lived at the PLF farm.  

An image from the HOPE series of Tanna (left) & Luba (right) outside my workshop

They are with us to learn new skills and gain experience in a variety of areas including practical and domestic skills such as cooking, budgeting, time management and social skills, for example, English language learning.  Princess is also studying at night-school four nights a week to get some O-Level qualifications.  We're trying to help each think through some goals and objectives for the future and identify how to reach those.  We try and support that process and it needs each party committed and contributing to the process.  Over the last 10 weeks it's been good to get to know them and we've got into a routine of sharing lives and muddling through!  Above all it's relational.  I'm learning too in the process, whether how best to advise and mentor, or what does and doesn't work best in various scenarios.  Sometimes it can seem slightly overwhelming, being responsible in this way, but then I remember I am not on my own in this.  We just do the best we can with what we have. 

Celebrating Nomsa's Birthday in February

So tonight I picked up a prostitute...

...And I also dropped her home again.  Technically 100% accurate, if perhaps in need of some further clarification!  

Here's the thing.  Basically, a few nights ago a friend of mine was at the bus terminus waiting to collect someone from the bus when he was propositioned by a prostitute.  For some reason (perhaps caught a little off-guard?!) when asked 'are you looking for a good time tonight?' he replied something along the lines of: 'you know, I'm looking for so much more in life than just  fleeting moments of gratification!' Which I guess is possibly not your standard brush-off  and perhaps slightly more than she bargained for!  On realisation that she'd picked a non-starter, you could expect the lady might move her attention elsewhere, however she was a little  intrigued and there followed further conversation.  At the end of it he took her number, not for professional purposes, he did stress!  Soon after, I heard of this exchange and felt really struck by the story.  I knew he had mentioned that a small group of us meet regularly to explore together what it means to be loved by and special to God and to unpack this with relevance to our lives.  I know he said that if she was interested in that kind of thing, we could make a plan to collect and drop her so that she could come along.   If she ever wanted to.  And apparently, she seemed quite interested in that.  I'd been thinking about it and so yesterday I rang her and introduced myself and we made arrangements for today.  We set up a meeting place (in hindsight, rush hour at a busy bus terminus wasn't the simplest way to find each other!) but we made it and then we'd a good evening talking over dinner with some others.  We chatted and looked at the bible a bit, and then at the end as we drove home, she asked if she could join us again this coming Sunday.  We talked in the car, she asked what I do and so as well as talking about theatre and arts things, I told her about The Precious Life Foundation, how in various ways it supports girls who are vulnerable (for whatever reason) based on the conviction of their great value and worth.  I added how I really enjoy spending time with them and that they're very special.  'Come to think of it,' I said, 'you are also really special and very precious too'.  I really meant it.  I think I also told her that!  Once home, she invited me in briefly, as she'd asked me to take a copy of her CV, just in case I hear of anything that could suit her.  And it's all settled, I'll see her again on Sunday.  I have to - she's borrowed my bible!