“Taura” spotlights young people’s views on health and wellbeing

The Art of Health, by The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe (THRU ZIM) a Zimbabwean based organization that uses creative means to champion well-being in societies is pleased to present a theatrical production titled ‘Taura’ which shall be showcased from the 2^nd to the 4^th of June at Reps Theatre in Harare and the 18^th of June at Bulawayo Theatre.

The production ‘Taura’ which is a Shona word meaning ‘Speak Out’ details the lives of Zimbabwe’s young people, their views on health, and their journey toward finding their voice and reclaiming their well-being.

Through the eyes of 12 young performers drawn from different communities around Zimbabwe, we get to follow the heartfelt stories of what it means to stand alone fighting depression and trauma and how mental health and well-being are being threatened by the different foes of drug abuse and deferred dreams, especially among the young people. In all these twists it’s not all gloom, the production Taura also sets to the fore that there is hope to dream again and have a restored sense of belonging irrespective of the inner demons that might have threatened our well-being.

Taura is directed by Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi, a Zimbabwean firebrand physical theatre practitioner who has combined song, dance, dialogue, and poetry in this latest stage production which is a cocktail of critical issues and a fair dose of entertainment.

According to The Art of Health spokesperson Mandi Tembo “Theatre goes beyond recreating experiences onstage but it is also an effective agent through which the young people in Zimbabwe can amplify and narrate their lived experiences and shed light on key health-related issues faced by fellow young people and in turn generate discussions and solutions on how best to maneuver around given predicaments.”

The Art of Health initiative pitched off in 2020 and so far it has afforded thousands of young people across Zimbabwe with an opportunity to express themselves within the sphere of health-related themes through various mediums of art ranging from music, film, and visual arts. Some of the promising youths who have been part of the venture have received mentorship from Zimbabwe’s greats like veteran filmmaker Joe Njagu and songbird Gemma Griffiths.