Music, Poetry and Theatre Bring Schools Together to Prevent Gender-Based Violence

The importance of involving schools, families and the wider community in building safer, more inclusive and violence-free educational environments.

On Saturday, 24 October 2026, Zedequias Manganhela Secondary School hosted an artistic performance competition dedicated to the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). The event brought together students from three educational institutions: the host school and Infulene-Benfica and Mubukwane secondary schools.

Through music, poetry and theatre performances, the students showcased their talent and creativity while conveying messages rejecting all forms of violence, promoting positive masculinities and encouraging respect and peaceful coexistence. The artistic performances thus served as a means of raising awareness within the school community.

The event was attended by parents and guardians, teachers, students and representatives of the management teams of the participating schools, providing a space for exchange, learning and collective mobilisation. In addition to showcasing the students’ artistic expression, the event reinforced the importance of involving schools, families and the wider community in building safer, more inclusive and violence-free educational environments.

One of the highlights of the activity was the involvement of the jury, made up of Ivandro Sigaval, Geca Gledsse and Danny Ripanga, recognised professionals in the fields of poetry, theatre and music, respectively. In addition to assessing the performances, the jury members supported and guided the students as they prepared their acts, sharing their knowledge and experience in their respective artistic fields. This guidance helped students refine their performances and enhanced the overall quality of the competition, while also turning it into an opportunity for learning, talent development and the promotion of artistic expression.