Meet the Bloggers: Kwa Mashu, South Africa
Kwa Mashu, the largest of Durban's three townships, is known for its high levels of crime, HIV infection, and poverty. But Kwa Mashu is also well known throughout the region for its thriving cultural scene and the many renowned actors, musicians, and football players who were born and raised there.
Playing a large part in encouraging and institutionalizing Kwa Mashu's artistic talent has been K-CAP, the Kwa Mashu Community Advancement Project, which in 2004 opened the Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre thanks to funding and support from the Peace and Reconstruction Foundation, the National Lottery Foundation, the British Consulate, and more. Here is a brief tour of the Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre by two of its newest bloggers, Sam and Gugu:
In June K-CAP received a micro-grant from Rising Voices to train a group of young performing art students how to blog, with a specific focus on health-related topics in Kwa Mashu. Health Editor Juhie Bhatia introduced the project last month. Here are some of the artists describing their blogs in their own words:
After a two-day workshop which taught the fundamentals of blogging and digital photo-sharing, we decided to make a small documentary about Kwa Mashu through the eyes of its young residents. The hosts of the documentary are Gugu and Sam. Ncebo is the cameraman. All music is written, composed, and produced by the extraordinarily talented Sibonelo.
The young artists at K-CAP will continue writing about themselves, their community, and the health-related issues it faces. You can learn more about Kwa Mashu from the trailer of Still My Home, a documentary film produced in partnership with K-CAP.
7 comments
Tremendous videos. Bravo to K-CAP and especially to Sibonelo.
hey this stuff is great, I am optimistic that this initiative will assist the learners that were on this program. Ya sbonelo is a hard worker big ups to him. I think he is about to be one of our geniouses in South Africa regarding the digital media. Hope your stay was well there @ JHB Dave!
Wonderful to be introduced to these amazing bloggers via video. Great smiling faces, and great energy! Can’t wait to read their stories.
thanks 4 all the comments it always great 2 know that somebody care and to my brotherlegs(davirude) a job well done you are amazing hey.’uyisikhokho’