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10 years of hope courtesy of Dzaleka’s Tumaini Festival

Tumaini Festival has clocked 10 years. To celebrate the feat, this year’s event is set to take arts enthusiasts and fans down memory lane.

The organisers, Tumaini Lethu, in a statement said the 10th edition will celebrate cultural diversity and social integration in unique fashion.

“Tumaini Festival provides a unique platform for intercultural exchange, bringing together refugees, the host community and international visitors. The festival attracts tourists and artists from around the globe, fostering an environment where ideas, cultures and experiences can be shared,” reads a statement from Tumaini Lethu.

Amahorro Drummers in action

In a separate interview, Tumaini Lethu head of programmes Bryce Chawiya said this year they look back and celebrate the 10 years of promoting togetherness through art.

“In Malawi, the general perception towards refugees is negative. We have over the years brought hope and unity through the festival. We founded this unique arts festival on the premise of building good relationships between refugees and Malawians as well as surrounding communities near the refugee camp in Dowa,” he said.

Chawiya said the festival has also helped to build economic prowess for Dzaleka Refugee Camp dwellers in Dowa District, the venue of the event.

“Approximately, over the years we have built business opportunities of close to K900 million during or around the festival period,” he said.

Chawiya added that the festival has also for the past 10 years provided a platform to up-and-coming artists to get exposure.

Tumaini is a Swahili word meaning hope. The festival was founded in 2014 by a refugee at Dzaleka Camp, Menes La Plume, real name Trésor Mpauni Nzengu. He is a poet and musician

 from Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo but currently lives at Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa.

The festival is an extraordinary example of a large-scale cultural event within a refugee camp, created and run by refugees in collaboration with the surrounding host community, for the benefit of both. It also serves as a platform for advocacy of refugee rights

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