NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 17 – A 48 year-old play , globally known for powerfully describing racism, sexism, violence and rape experienced by black women in the US, is set to be performed in Kenya, as a way to create awareness against Gender Based Violence (GBV).
The ‘For Colored Girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf’ play will be part of a campaign dubbed, ‘Silenced No More’, that aims to address GBV in Kenya through a series of theater performances, debates and discussions.
The Danish based and Kenyan theater/Artistic director, Michael Omoke together with the Danish Embassy in Kenya have started the campaign, in partnership with the European Union and Kenyan stakeholders.
This will be part of activities around the global 16 Days of Activism against GBV- a key international moment to call for an end to violence against women and girls.
The play runs from November 25, which shall be the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women until December 10, the Human Rights Day.
While it exposed vices happening to black women in the US in the 1970s, the play director Cheryl Williams said it was still “relevant” to GBV related incidents happening to women and girls.
“The issues highlighted in the Play deals with Sexual Gender Based Violence. Kenya has been addressing these issues and it’s now time to take action,“ the Director said.
“The performances will be in Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa,” Williams revealed.
She said the play is geared towards creating awareness against GBV, as well as giving hope to victims and survivors.
“Survivors of Sexual Gender Based Violence should know that they are no longer victims but victors. They overcame what they went through and it is important to tell those stories through film plays to spread hope and encouragement,” she said.
The play will premiere on November 25, ahead of multiple other performances in selected Counties across Kenya.
Organisers say “Silenced No More – Confronting Violence against Women and Young Girls” project tackles taboos head-on and speaks inconvenient truths, by giving a voice to victims who have experienced SGBV and FGM.
The play was written by Playwright, poet and author, the late Ntozake Shange.
In its rallying call this year, the World Health Organization said, “In every country and culture, more action is needed to ensure women in all their diversity live free of violence and coercion. Health impacts of violence can last a lifetime, affecting physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health.”
Melissa Kiplagat will be among the actresses participating in the play.
“The power of this play is very universal. The woman experience is a woman experience everywhere…,” she said.
“It is such an empowering and positive play.”
She is an internationally trained professional actress working primarily in Kenya and most known for her lead role, Akisa, in the first Netflix licensed show in East Africa, Country Queen.
Main Cast members of the play have been drawn from Kenya and Denmark.
