BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO
Mugariro Community Winter Arts Festival (Mucowafest) has bounced back after a two-year hiatus with the organisers — Together as One — inviting performing artistes to express their interest to participate in the fiesta penciled for July 22 to 27.
Mucowafest founder Washington Masenda told NewsDay Life & Style that the festival, running under the theme Bridging the Gap through Community Participation, would serve to mainly campaign against the abuse of children.
“The festival will be held as a campaign against the abuse of children. So for the opening ceremony we are going to mobilise at least 1 000 girls between 10 and 17 years to march in the campaign against child marriages alongside a signals band and drum majorettes along Mangwende Drive (in Highfield). We will engage uniformed forces to be part of this event,” he said.
“On the closing day we will also campaign against child labour and other forms of abuse. We will march along Jabavu Drive. We seek to provoke the community and its leadership to take action against women and children maltreatment.”
Masenda said the festival would attract strategic partners and free healthcare services will be provided to the people who attend the event.
“Business expo stands will be available for those who would want to market their products and services. Various stakeholders in the health sector, civil service organisations and community-based organisations, government departments and City of Harare health services will be offering services such as blood pressure checks, tuberculosis screening and cancer screening free of charge,” he said.
“We are also inviting all institutions to exhibit and do career guidance seminars with A’ Level students.”
