BY SHARON SIBINDI
YOUTH for Innovation Trust (YIT) in partnership with Umahlekisa Comedy Club, has embarked on a comedy project dubbed Humour for Social Change, which seeks to promote the use of spoken word and humour to address socio-economic problems faced by young people.
The event will be held on Saturday at the Small City Hall in Bulawayo.
YIT communications officer Brighton Ncube said jokes have often been used to spread stereotypes and cushion people against apathy.
“These have been used to engage citizens against harmful social practices such as alcohol and substance abuse, gender-based violence, economic apathy, cyberbullying and violation of sexual reproduction rights,” he said.
“Activities to be held under this project are comedy shows. We have had one at the Bulawayo Polytechnic, focusing on sexual reproduction and health rights. We will also be focusing on gender-based violence. Next month, we will be going to the National University of Science and Technology and we will be looking at cyber-bullying.”
Ncube said they decided on comedy as it has often been used to perpetuate stereotypes.
“We want to use it again to address social ills and break those stereotypes, be it under gender-based violence, alcohol abuse, cyber bullying, economic apathy, sexual reproduction and health rights,” he said.
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Ncube said their aim was to deepen understanding and appreciation of underserved arts such as comedy and poetry in combating social ills.
The main acts in the comedy show project include Ntando Van Moyo, Zwe, Miss Dee, Ckanyiso dat Guy, Sage M1 and Sound Voko.
