REPORT ON SPEAKER/SPECIALIST NTARE MWINE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000663

SIPDIS

FOR IIP/AF; IIP/P; AF/PD; AF/S


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KPAO OEXC SCUL KHIV BC
SUBJECT: REPORT ON SPEAKER/SPECIALIST NTARE MWINE


1. SUMMARY: Mr. Ntare Mwine, an Ugandan-born American playwright,
film-maker and actor, worked with PAS Gaborone on a program on
HIV/AIDS advocacy from June 15-20. Mwine reviewed the theatre
pieces that directors from the local NGO Youth Health Organization
(YOHO) had produced since a previous workshop he conducted with them
in June 2007. The revised pieces were used to introduce a total of
thirty participants to film production. END SUMMARY.


2. PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM: Ntare Mwine conducted a week-long
workshop in Botswana from June 15-20. This was a follow-up to a
June 2007 program he conducted in Botswana on the same topic. The
purpose of Mwine's second visit to Botswana was 1) to review the
progress made by Youth Health Organization (YOHO) theatre directors
in creativity and performances of their HIV/AIDS related messages
since the previous workshop; 2) to advise the directors on how best
to target messages to their audiences; and 3) to reach out to both
out-of-school and in-school youth during the commemorations of the
"Day of the African Child," June 16th.


3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The program began with 20 participants from
the previous workshop showing their solo theater pieces to recap the
styles and skills they had learned from Mwine in June 2007.
Participants shared feedback on the performances, discussed ways the
pieces could be improved, and also talked about visualizing the
messages targeted to the audience. Discussions were held about how
to balance HIV/AIDS messages with dramatization: creativity balanced
with conflict, setting and hope. During the first afternoon, the
performances were taken to the streets and shopping malls of
Letlhakane to test how a live audience would respond to the
presentations. The performances attracted adults and kids alike.


For the next three days, the workshop began with a summary of the
previous day, and making improvements on the pieces. Improved
performance pieces were then developed into scenes for film
production. Participants took turns to take different
responsibilities in the production, ranging from recording audio and
pictures and setting scenes. Participants had to look for suitable
settings in the street, shopping area, school grounds and forest to
shoot different parts of their scenes. Shooting of scenes took two
days, with reviews in between resulting in adding missing links of
the creativity.

In addition to the workshop activities, participants were invited to
perform at local schools for the commemoration of "The Day of the
African Child" and the launch of a film that YOHO had independently
produced on DVD called "The Flower." Each time the workshop
participants performed for various audiences, their works always
displayed polished creativity.


4. TIME FRAME: The program took place from June 15-20 overlapping
with commemorations for "The Day of an African Child," June 16th.
It was on June 16, 1976 when South-African black children were
killed in large numbers in protest of the apartheid regime. Since
then, this day has been celebrated both in South Africa and
neighboring countries, including Botswana.


5. PROGRAM IMPACT AND RESULTS: During this program, Mwine reached
out to at least 1000 students aged between 12 and 18 years of age
that participated in the commemorations of "The Day of the African
Child." Over 500 spectators also observed the performances during
road shows conducted in the malls and road sides of Letlhakane.
Both youth in-school and out-of-school ranging from 8-35 years of
age were reached, together with adults. Twenty theater directors
from the 2007 workshop participated again, and were joined by ten
new directors for this workshop. The capacity of YOHO's theatre
production has therefore been increased, and participants came from
across six regions of Botswana. Immediate outcomes of the program
include a film produced during the workshop and the skills gained by
those who had roles in casting characters, creating sets, and
capturing audio and video for the recording of the dramatization.
Moreover, lead YOHO directors were in the process of publishing a
theatre manual that will guide them in the creation of their works.
Mwine's presence was an opportune time for them to have him review
the manual and provide a professional blessing to publish the manual
during 2009.


6. MEDIA COVERAGE: Since the proram with Mwine was not in Gaborone
but took plac in the city of Letlhakane, four hours away from te
capital, media coverage was only possible at te end of the program.
Mwine was interviewed liv on government-owned television station
"Btv" and he also appeared in "Mmegi", an independent daily
newspaper.


7. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SPEAKER: Mwine is a great facilitator in
theatre and film. He is well experienced in the field and
passionate about the subject matter. However, a written workshop
plan would assist a passionate and energetic facilitator like Mwine
in ensuring that he maintains interest of his participants
throughout, and keep them at the same level of comprehension.

GABORONE 00000663 002 OF 002




8. IIP SUPPORT: Post appreciates and thanks IIP/S/V through Stacey
Rose-Blass for being very supportive from start to finish of this
program. We look forward to future collaborations in an effort to
reach Botswana youth through the arts.

HAMILTON