The move comes following an in-depth study on the human rights situation, particularly of children in The Gambia, after a good twelve months of rigorous training of some selected teachers from twelve different schools on a project called Theatre Arts – An Effective Tool for Human Right Education.
Now, the centre is set to present ‘One Act Play’ written by the University of The Gambia students. Among the play selected for the presentation is ‘A Bright Light Turned Off written by Raki Jallow, a play about early marriage, and another one titled ‘Deception’ by Mariama Sarr, which takes female genital mutilation.
The two plays are slated for display at 5:00 pm on November 20th at the Ebunjan Theatre opposite American International University West Africa, Kanifing at 5:00 pm for free of charge
Both plays are written by the UTG students – Raki Jallow and Mariama Sarr and the actors in these performances are students from Zenith International, West African International, Interior Academy and Banjuliding Upper Secondary Schools respectively.
The Theatre Arts – An Effective Tool for Human Right Education is a project used to train selected twelve teachers who are graduates from the Department of English in the School of Arts and Sciences of the University of The Gambia that is currently teaching at the upper and lower basic schools in the Greater Banjul Area.
The objective of the project is to use theatre; plays; music; dance; poetry - a combination of the arts to educate the public, and the children on the plight of unfortunate Gambian children and “equally important is what can be done to improve the lives of these.”
Commenting on this upcoming informative cum educative play, Madam Janet Badjan-Young, artistic director and chairperson of Ebunjan Performing Arts Association, reiterated that the project is funded by the Netherlands Embassy in Senegal, adding that it was used to examine Human Rights issues with the focus on children. And more importantly what can be done to address those issues to bring positive change to the lives of children.
Key participants in the program, she added, are the University of The Gambia (UTG) students selected from Dramatic Literature classes taught by Ms. Grace Chapman, a Lecturer and Director of UTG’s Theatre in Education Programme.
“Several plays were read and analyzed, among them is ‘the Hand of Fate’ based on a true Gambian story about early marriage. Playwriting, directing and theatre production were also part of the project and some plays written by the UTG students are in progress.”
The artistic director applauded the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Emmanuel Joof for providing remarkable support and encouragement to the project, and also Aminata L.B. Ceesay, investigating officer and focal person for women and children at NHRC for her valuable information.
She also commended Dr Cherno Barry, former executive secretary at the NHRC, who had provided them with in-depth information on the human rights situation, particularly of children in The Gambia.
Ms Grace Chapman, the instructor of the project, urged everyone to come out in their numbers to attend the two-day performances meant to inform and educate everyone, and “it is free entry.”
