Learners convey powerful social messages through Bakwena’s drama for change youth initiative

Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire (Pty) Ltd (Bakwena), highly successful Drama for Change Initiative culminated in two final events which were held on the 1st and 8th September. Learners from 17 schools from communities close to the N1N4 route use this platform to convey powerful social messages through dramatic enactments which is performed at their schools and in their communities.

This initiative is now in its 6th year and the first event saw schools from Dinokana, Zeerust and Groot Marico showcase their plays at Klein Marico Poort, Zeerust. At the second event schools from Madibeng and Kgetlengrivier Local Municipalities gathered at Kingdom Citizens Ministries, Majakaneng to conduct their performances.

Charmaine van Wyk, Public Relations manager at Bakwena says “the main objective of the campaign is to engage with the youth in discussions around the risks related to social challenges and encourage the youth to make responsible decisions while they are still young”.

Bakwena collaborated with Monde Mayephu from Rare Arts Productions, CapaSIty (Pty) Ltd as well as the Drama Pioneers from Dinokana and Bapong. The Drama Pioneers assisted with drama training and peer education which enabled the learners to identify the critical social issues affecting the youth of today in their respective communities.

All the learners did exceptionally well and some of the major themes included road safety, sexual abuse, children abuse, HIV, Xenophobia, substance abuse and human trafficking.

The adjudicators, Bongiwe Lunga (affiliated to the Market Theatre and actress on SABC), and Dumisana Dladla (motivational speaker and writer) attended both the events and selected the best performances of the day. At the Zeerust event, Zeerust Hoërskool won best Overall Performance and Thuto ke Maatla was the runner-up. In Majakaneng, Johane Mokolobetsi walked off with the winning performance and Michael Modisakeng was the runner-up.

The best individual performances were also recognized. Nyanto Kgaugelo, Tsatsela Kopano, Kgomotso Molatlhegi and Omphemetse Motsos, Mthagazi Nxokwane, Siphesihle Khumalo, Realeboga Mogapi and Paulos Maboi received trophies for their outstanding performance.

Participating schools included Reebone, Swartruggens Intermediate, Moedwil, Machadam, Johane Mokolobetsi, Mogale, St Teresa, Michael Modisakeng, Ramatu, Ntebogang, Ramotshere, NR Mandela, Ngotwane, Zeerust Hoërskool, Zeerust Combined, Ikageleng and Thuto Ke Maatla.

Van Wyk says that all performances from the learners conveyed very powerful social messages. The Drama for Change initiative encourages young people to explore the issues that affect them most in a deeply personal way. Through this project we hope to encourage young people to make affirming decisions in their lives rather than self-destructive ones.

We thank each and every young actor and actress that participated as well as their teachers and especially the Drama Pioneers who each contributed to the success of the project.