The friends of Kabo Matlho fundraising event at Maitisong kicked off to a somewhat enthusiastic start last Thursday.
The Fundraising event, which was supposed to last for three consecutive days, began with jubilant theatrical performances from three different primary schools from the children’s theatre, all depicting a clear message of how the HIV/AIDS pandemic affects the youth of Botswana.
The event, which was sponsored by the Youth Health Organization (YOHO), was an initiative by the organization to raise enough money to acquire an electric wheelchair for singing sensation, Kabo Matlho.
Despite the plays from the three primary schools, there was an energetic performance of poetry and song by the perfoming artists who form part of YOHO.
The night’s outstanding performance, however, was when local artist, Zeus, took to the stage, live.
His back-up comprised of a beat boxer as well as a guitarist, a mix which blended very well to the audience’s surprise.
The splendid trio had the audience singing along to Zeus’ old and recent tracks, the highlight of which must have been when Matlho joined Zeus on stage to perform the latter’s song, ‘back in the days’.
The star of the night himself, Matlho, belted out heartbreaking songs that left the audience touched when he talked about the struggles faced by perfoming artists in Botswana.
Matlho gave this performance during a creative theatre production, which they termed “His Excellency”, in which the performers pretended to be airing their concerns to the president of Botswana.
The schools’ performances were also surprisingly well co-ordinated. The children all knew their lines and only minor mishaps occurred.
The first school to take to the stage was Riverside of Serowe, which will, most likely than not, produce a talented lot judging by their performance. Their message was that street kids are often ignored in the fight against HIV/AIDS even though it also affects them.
Riverside Primary school was ranked position 3 in children’s theatre groups in different YOHO sites countrywide.
The second school to perform was Monarch from Francistown, ranked number 2 by YOHO, whose main message was how the youth stigmatize against their HIV/AIDS infected peers as well as the disabled.
The last school was Pandamatenga from Chobe whose main message was abstinence.
The school, which is ranked number 1, warned against children who take bribes from sugar daddies/mummies in exchange for sexual favours because that is one of the ways the disease gets passed around.
The school used a lot of visual presentation as they dressed up students to look like the HIV virus, STIs, pregnancy as well as diarrhea.
