BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
LET Them Trust founder and executive director Chidochemoyo Musasiwa-Gutu was last week awarded a Nobel award at the Nasfest International Youth Arts Festival in Lilongwe, Malawi, for her exceptional contribution to the arts and culture industry.
Established in 2008, Let Them Festival is a child-oriented development organisation whose initiative is to provide platforms for cultural expression to young people and runs the annual Schools Arts Festival in Zimbabwe.
Musasiwa-Gutu told NewsDay Life & Style that she was humbled by Light of Youth Creative Organisation (Lyco)’s recognition of her work.
“It is a bittersweet feeling being honoured away from home at the National Schools Youth Arts Festival (Nasfest), also now known as Nasfest International Youth Arts Festival organised by Lyco in Malawi,” she said.
“I (am now confident) that my work and efforts are not going unnoticed locally.”
“The Nobel award was a really unexpected surprise. I was very proud hearing them read the list of my contribution at the awards ceremony held at Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe and it was something that sounded really fabulous.”
Lyco executive director, James Kitchen, hailed Musasiwa-Gutu for her contribution to the creative sector.
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Tendex, a group of local artistes raised through Let Them Trust, performed at the event that also featured some artistes from Zambia.
Meanwhile, Musasiwa Gutu said this year’s edition of Let Them Trust Schools Arts Festival will be held in the first week of July under the theme Art for Climate Change in Harare.
“Schools are requested to create thematic festival entries on the effects of climate change in our daily lives. The categories, as usual, are visual arts performance, theatre, poetry, fashion and music,” she said.
“A dedicated Let Them Trust festival newsletter for donors, participants, well-wishers, partners and all stakeholders carrying all the festival’s information is under production now.”
Musasiwa said her vision was to develop sustainable artistic career pathways for the creative youth in the country, nurture artistic talent and preserve cultural identity.
Let Them Trust is a child-oriented creative, educational and cultural initiative that aims to create a platform for young people to groom and showcase their artistic talent.
Although the organisation was originally geared to preserve traditional and cultural heritage through traditional folktale plays in schools, it has since evolved into a multifaceted cultural and arts promotion establishment.
Musasiwa said the festival incorporated workshops and discussion platforms to give participants a voice and lend an ear as well as provide an opportunity to discuss how they can deal with issues affecting them.
