Creative Arts Hub Zimbabwe concert
27 September 2017 at the German Society, Zimbabwe
The concert was in collaboration with the lead artist Tariro neGitare and was a display of the activities that the team had put together during the sessions.
The project film features testimonies from project participants, collaborators and leads.
I have had my horizons broadened to ways that young people with psychological and physical difficulties can benefit from participation in group creative arts, and the way that a film can really show the impact. The Creative Arts Hub provided a safe space where the young people living with HIV felt accepted and could try out new activities, giving them experiences of mastery, compassion and companionship. It was astonishing to see the benefits for their physical as well as mental health. I now wish to conduct more research in mind-body therapies.
Dr Melanie Abas, academic lead
I’m really grateful for the Creative Arts Hub because I’ve seen it giving the adolescents a new lease of life. It has given them a family and hope where there was no hope. I’ve seen them grow from strength to strength and it’s gratifying for me as a clinician to see them so strong. I would like to thank all the partners for the hard work!
Tarisai Bere, Creative Arts Hub Zimbabwe clinical psychologist
This group, it may not change one person but it will change the whole world. ’Cos there are people out there that need this group, need us, need to experience what I experience, to learn what I learned, ’cos I learned a lot and now I’m someone else.
Project participant
Dr Melanie Abas is Reader in Global Mental Health at King’s College London. Her research interests include interventions for depression and anxiety in low-income and cross-cultural settings, in particular at the interface between depression and HIV in Zimbabwe.
Follow Melanie on Twitter here.
Tariro neGitare is a Zimbabwean creative entrepreneur, musician and philanthropist. She has a passion for the arts and its development in Africa as evidenced by her initiatives. She designed and led creative arts activities for groups of severely disadvantaged pupils in Harare.
Jodie Clark is the Director of dance at the BRIT School for the Performing Arts, London, where she teaches a range of techniques and writes, choreographs and directs performance work. She has a breadth of knowledge and experience within Dance from technical teaching, artistic development, performance projects and developing and nurturing Industry links.
Follow the BRIT School on Twitter here
Tarisai Bere is a psychologist based in Harare who has been working in Mental Health providing psychological counseling for the past 7 years. She has also been involved in mental health research at University of Zimbabwe. She is currently completing an MSc in Global Health at the Kings College and London of Hygiene Tropical Medicine.
Emily Saruchera is a Psychology graduate experienced in working with depressed people living with HIV with poor antiretroviral therapy adherence. She has been involved in several mental health research projects at the University of Zimbabwe.
Nyasha Abdala an Africaid DREAMS ambassador and a Zvandiri intern/peer counselor who facilitates the ARTS (drawing) group. She is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in Psychological counseling at University of South Africa.
Leo Broadheadis a recent graduate from the BRIT school and he is a filmmaker. He has returned to the BRIT school for a Foundation year in Theatre prior to taking up a place at Ravensbourne University to study Digital Film Production.
Clint Frift is a graduate from the BRIT school and a filmmaker.
Dr Sara Lowe is the Medical director at the HIV clinic at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Zimbabwe and she works for Aids Healthcare foundation (AHF). She is particularly interested in supporting adolescents living with HIV in Zimbabwe.
Amanda Madyadi has a Masters in Biomedical Science and is a trained counsellor who also advocates for young vulnerable people living in Zimbabwe. She has attended several conferences representing young people including those living with HIV.
Camay Maslona studies dance at the BRIT School.
Isabelle Kalindamar studies dance at the BRIT School.