Browsing by Author "Bamuturaki, Keneth"

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Experimenting with child empowerment through Theatre for Development (TfD) in Uganda: my experience with a child rights TfD project in Gganda-Wakiso
(Consciousness, Literature and the Arts., 2018-04-01) Bamuturaki, Keneth
The Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees the child’s freedom of expression, thought and association. It upholds child’s freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kind, regardless of frontier, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art or through any media of the child’s choice. These freedoms also uphold the child’s right to express an opinion and be heard and relates closely to children working and sharing ideas in groups. In Uganda, there have been attempts by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Raising Voices, Acting for Africa and Restless Development to involve children in child rights issues but their model has largely focused on having children to participate in the NGOs’ projects rather than empowering them to design and participate in their own projects. Furthermore, as Paul Moclair would put it, ‘while Ugandan NGOs have convincing reasons for promoting children’s participation, their goals of participation are primarily designed for the consumption of the donors whose perceptions of development remain dominated by products rather than processes’(Moclair 2009). The school environment in Uganda could offer opportunities to foster child empowerment since children spend most of their time at school. However, this is hampered by authoritarian power relations between the teachers and the learners and a learning model where children are treated as empty pinchers waiting to be filled with knowledge. In this article I analyse using my practical experience with a Child Rights TfD project in a school community in Gganda Wakiso, Central Uganda how TfD can be used to empower children in analysing issues affecting their lives. The article argues that if children are facilitated to participate in making theatre focusing about their needs, they are given opportunity to learn, reflect and express their voice on issues which affect their lives. In short, they engage in an empowering and transformative process.
Thinking about sustainability in Theatre for Development projects: my experience of how the politics of funding shapes TfD practice
(Taylor & Francis, Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 2021-12-07) Bamuturaki, Keneth
This article examines the complexity of embedding the element of sustainability to foster successful TfD practice. I recount my own experience as a TfD practitioner in western Uganda, where, in spite of my effort to execute a sustainable TfD project, I was let down by insufficiency of funds resulting from the high handedness of the funders of my project. I argue that in order to implement a successful TfD project, there should be shared action and understanding between the practitioner and the development funders on issues pertaining to the ethics of practice and the extent of the resources needed.