Tumaini, Hangaout festivals come side by side again

Tumaini and Hangout festivals will be held simultaneously this year as was the case last year, giving fun lovers a tough choice.

This time around the clash is not entirely a planning issue, but rather the circumstances that the two events encountered during their preparatory stages.

Tumaini Festival was on the verge of being cancelled due to funding issues while the Hangout Festival organisers were forced to shift the event due to the cholera outbreak in the country with Salima, the host District, among areas severely hit by the pandemic.

After concerted fund-raising efforts, the Tumaini Festival organisers say they have raised 40 percent of their targeted budget and after making logistical adjustments, the event started yesterday at its traditional home at Dzaleka Refuge Camp, Dowa.

Event director Menes la Plume said: “It has been a challenging year where the event was almost cancelled. In the last month we have managed to secure resources to make it possible. I feel overwhelmed by the amount of support and love we have received.”

He said as a result of their budget restrictions, they have removed Sunday activities from the schedule and not brought in any international artists for the eighth edition of the festival.

“All the artists have also been generous by accepting to perform for free. We are only paying for their transport, accommodation and meals.

“Performing at Tumaini is always a different experience as artists don’t do it for money, but for a great cause. They do it for their heart and that makes it magical,” said la Plume.

As part of the event, the organisers yesterday hosted a session called Tumaini Talk held at the Community Centre. The session was conducted by curators of the festival Menes la Plume, Veronica Diaz, Ryan Shepard, Esther Sengo and Joyce Wamuyu.

In the afternoon, there was an outdoor cinema which showcased dance videos, documentaries on disability and a short film for dance for change. During the three days of the festival, the events will be taking place at Elikwa, Cultural and Kwizera Stages.

Meanwhile, Hangout Festival events manager Tamika Milimbo said the clash of the two events is not a bad thing as it serves to give people a variety and choice in terms of the kind of entertainment they should patronise.