The 2nd WAAO Festival starts

Early today the 2nd WAAO Children's Arts and Culture festival kicked off. It took of with a lot of smiles and happiness from the children, their teachers and the few parents that attended. The Festival was opened up with a poem done by Ms. Mariam Ismail (Mama Mipango) from UKUTA.

Mariam Ismail (Mama Mipango) Opening up 2nd WAAO Festival

The poems (Shairi) are composed by Mchamba A. Mchamba from Swahili poets' association UKUTA.

Mariam Ismail (Mama Mipango) reciting a poem in the 2nd WAAO Festival

And with lots of importance the director Theresia Gratta  picked up from there by welcoming the children, parents and all the people who attended.

Theresia Gratta (The WAAO Director) Opening the festivals

Students who came included student from Buguruni School for children who can not hear or see. This kids where a great blessing to the festival. Below are some of the students from Buguruni who came up with various handicrafts productions which where done by them and their fellow students.

Buguruni School for children who can not see or hear at the festival exhibitions

Not only exhibition but the day was decorated with workshops on Music and Mime which all where highly attended by the students and with much interest

Students and their facilitator Didas at the WAAO festival music workshop

Students and their facilitator Edgar at the WAAO festival Mime workshop

After the workshops student took there own time to rehearse so as to have a good performance later in the afternoon. Below students rehearsing.

Students rehearsing the song taught at the WAAO festival workshop

Students rehearsing the mime taught at the WAAO festival

After, the students had a chance to perform what they did in the workshop. It was much interesting as they where all mixed up and working not in school but as one which helped in increasing their interaction. Most of them where happy to interact also with Miriam Thomas

Students lead by Miriam E. Thomas performing their songs trained at the workshop

Students performing a mime after the workshop they attended

This was quite an experience and a new discovery for most of the students as they where meeting the term mime for the first time, but at the end they where able to perform a good play.

The Children and the parents attentively watching the performances

Other students were much attentive to the performances and most of them confirmed of their happiness in the festival. Later in the afternoon there was a daughter and father song. Miriam called her father and did a performance with her father. See the picture below

Miriam E. Thomas and her father performing a song

Miriam E. Thomas is a standard five student from Uhuru mchanganyiko Primary School. Later it was time for presents and gifts giving

One of the sponsors from 'Azam' is giving out presents

Children showing off some of the presents given out by some of the sponsors

Some of the children showing off presents they have received from Five star and Masumin

Some of the children showing off the presents they received from the various sponsors

The festival was postponed this evening to tomorrow where most performances will be showcased. We would like to welcome you all and especially the parents to come round with their children and witness the talents of their lovely children.

Watoto ni taifa la kesho

Children are tomorrow's nation