Zaafi Arts Production Creates Awareness Of Environmental Degradation Through Dance At Tsito.

There has been a spike in the call to protect our environment – particularly our water bodies – quite recently. Although some extreme measures have been taken by authorities, and the media have been loud about how to curb the canker of environmental degradation, the problem has continued to exist. Perhaps this clarion call has not heeded any change because the people who are supposed to be part of the change are usually sidelined from plans and decisions about the process, hence the need for such events as Global Water Dances – TSITO.
Using the Theatre for Development (TFD) module, ZAAFI ARTS, a theatre company based in Accra and its collaborator based in Germany, DANCERS WITHOUT BORDERS organized the Global Water Dances event in Tsito, in the Volta Region on 10th June 2023 to involve the community in the creation of awareness about the need to protect our environment, especially water bodies.
The event which saw the participation of the elderly, young adults, the youth, and even children in dance performances from around the globe, to tell stories about the importance of water bodies in the ecosystem and our general survival was very effective in getting the community involved. According to the artistic director and founder of Zaafi Arts, Rita Ekua Richardson, Tsito was chosen for this maiden event “because of its beautiful geographical features of various water bodies with rich green vegetation”.


Prior to the headline event on the 10th of June, Ekua Richardson and Anja Schäplitz of Dancers Without Borders hosted a series of workshops from April 3rd at Tsito to sensitize the people about the environment. Togbe Gobo Dake (xii), the traditional ruler of Tsito and his subjects, especially the Dunenyoza planning youth community/development association helped in getting the members of the community and some local schools to participate. In the end, the people pledged to start planting trees to tackle deforestation, which is also a major environmental concern in the community.


The main dance event would not even be stopped by nature as the performers defied the downpour to perform in the rain. A second show was done in the entertainment Hall of the Awudome Senior high school, Tsito with the support of the school authorities especially the senior master Mr. Godsway Afeawo.