eMBALENHLE – eMba Squad Art and Entertainment, a youth organisation based at eMbalenhle, uses drama and live performance to educate, entertain and groom young people in the entertainment industry.
According to its chairman, Mr Musawenkosi Hlatshwayo, they recruit children from eMbalenhle through live performances at different businesses, in malls and at events.
He also said their main purpose is to bring awareness of social ills within community and to promote a culture of tolerance.
“We are living in a society where strange things are happening every day, children are being raped, we experience criminal activities in our area every day and people have lost their morals.”
Mr Hlatshwayo said children have forgotten about respect towards their elders because parents are doing things that are not supposed to be seen by their kids, such as fighting, and sending their children to buy them alcohol and cigarettes.
“That makes them think it is the right way to treat your children and take it as a normal way of life.
“Our main objective is to make them experience real childhood life. Some of them need spiritual healing and support because of the situations in their homes,” said Mr Hlatshwayo.
He believes by giving these children a chance to preform, they can find healing.
“Some have even produced plays about their home-life experience and got healed afterwards.”
Mr Hlatshwayo said their only challenge now is that the place which they are using is becoming too small, because children are joining in numbers.
Anyone who wants to join or contribute can contact Mr Mxolisi Mtungwa at 082 431 4445.
