Bringing the Constitution to Communities Through Music
As the event concluded, participants expressed their readiness to embark on a mission to foster constitutional awareness and literacy in Zimbabwe through the evocative power of music.
HARARE, Zimbabwe - In a harmonious blend of culture and constitutional awareness, the WELEAD Trust, in collaboration with the Culture Fund in Zimbabwe, orchestrated a two-day workshop from October 26 to 27, 2023, uniting young talents from across Zimbabwe to discover the profound impact music can have on society, writes Oppressor Yeukai Chogurwei.
The workshop aimed to impart young artists with the tools to employ music as a potent vehicle for social awareness, aligning with Sections 16 (Culture), 7 (Public awareness or promotion of the Constitution of Zimbabwe), and 20 (Rights of the Youth) of the Zimbabwean Constitution.
The ultimate goal was to invigorate youth participation in governance and developmental processes.
The event featured a packed schedule of educational and informative sessions delivered by various speakers. The modules covered during this transformative bootcamp included:
Constitutionalism 101
SERVED Leadership
Arts for Social Change
Self-awareness and Discovering Your Purpose
The Money-Making Musician
Personal and Professional Branding
Mental Health 101
Financial Management and Literacy
Feminism and Gender Equality
Participants, eager to harness the potential of music as a tool for change, shared their key takeaways from the first day of the workshop, which reflected their newfound understanding of the power music holds in shaping society.
Sonia Sabwe from Mashonaland East shared, "As you work towards your success as a young artist, you need to be honest and authentic with yourself. I learned that in every piece of art one can produce, one should strive to leave a legacy so that people will remember you."
Tsepo Maseko from Matabeleland South emphasized the importance of self-awareness, saying, "After the self-awareness session, I learned that it is important to first discover your purpose as a young person before doing anything in life. Sometimes we do not take our talents seriously because we lack an understanding of our purpose."
Godknows Maopesa from the Midlands highlighted the notion of legacy, saying, "What hit me the most was the issue of legacy as young musicians. From the session, I kept on thinking about what I needed to leave when I died. I also learned to appreciate the importance of collaboration as young emerging artists for growth."
Mathembe Thebe from Matabeleland North conveyed the essence of servant leadership, remarking, "As young leaders, we should put our team members first, and as team leaders, we should always have empathy towards our team players and practice servant leadership styles."
Fortunate Tumbwi-Masvingo underscored the importance of the qualities expected in their communities, saying, "From the SERVED leadership model, I realized that these are the qualities that are expected in our communities. From the Dr. Energy session, I learned that we don’t gate-keep others from reaching our level as we hit the target of being successful artists."
As the event concluded, participants expressed their readiness to embark on a mission to foster constitutional awareness and literacy in Zimbabwe through the evocative power of music.
United by culture and a deeper understanding of their nation's constitution, they pledged to disseminate the knowledge they gained during this transformative boot camp to the broader community, igniting a symphony of change across Zimbabwe.