BY SHARON SIBINDI LOCAL arts development and theatre-based organisation Savanna Trust says it is preparing for the launch of Chronicles of Cyclone Idai documentary that raises awareness on climate change.
The trust’s director Daniel Maposa told NewsDay Life & Style that the documentary, set for launch this month, highlighted issues of climate change and how it affects communities.
“Climate change has become a global issue that needs urgent attention and people can only give it attention if they are aware of what is happening around. So, in short, Chronicles of Cyclone Idai is a documentary on raising awareness,” he said.
“The documentary is about victims of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani or rather, one can even debate to say it is about a nation that was caught off guard and unprepared …not only because they did not know about climate change, but also because they did not know that their daily activities could have triggered the cyclone.”
Maposa said the tragedy was that there were several myths that were associated with what happened in Chimanimani.
“The scientific facts or explanations were condemned, many people actually believing it was the “gods” that had cast a bad spell on us. Such ideologies are the ones that contributed to us creating something that can be used as a tool to conscientise people,” he said.
“As an instrument to advocate at a national or international level, it needs to be equipped and ready for the effects of climate change.
“What inspired us to do this documentary is what inspires us to wake up and come to work every day.”
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Maposa said there was need to see development and sustainable livelihoods within communities.
“Our passion is in the preservation of life and the natural environment or ecosystem. Climate change is here and it is here to stay. What we can only do is to try and minimise the damage and its severity,” he said.
“The documentary now provokes us to think of what we singularly can do or contribute to the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gasses.
“Even at government level, it can provoke them to start implementing policies that address climate change.”
Maposa said the documentary launch was timely as the ravaging effects of climate change are evident (the case of Cyclone Idai), adding that there was need to be prepared for more hazards (the case of Cyclone Ana).
“We all need to be prepared for tomorrow and the future. Victims of Cyclone Idai are the lead characters in the documentary, but there are also government representatives and civil society actors who are featured,” he said.
“We travelled across several towns and cities in Zimbabwe as we gathered empirical data and evidence, so there is no one location to be specific.
“Hopefully this will aid in the mapping of the way forward, from local to national, to the global levels.”
- Follow Sharon Sibindi on Twitter @SibindiSharon
