El Chay Foundation's youth performers are using Theatre for Development to educate Mzuzu residents on the dangers of dumping and plastic litter, mobilising community clean-up action across the city.
El Chay Foundation has launched its Theatre for Development (TfD) Clean Mzuzu Campaign, using the power of drama, song, and community storytelling to tackle the growing problem of littering and plastic pollution in Mzuzu city.
Youth performers trained by the Foundation are taking their performances to markets, bus depots, schools, and public spaces across the city, delivering hard-hitting messages about the environmental and health consequences of dumping and thin plastic litter.
Mzuzu, like many rapidly growing cities in Malawi, faces a serious challenge with illegal dump sites — known locally as dampers — and the widespread littering of thin plastic bags that block drainage channels, pollute streams, and create breeding grounds for mosquitoes and disease.
"Theatre is one of the most powerful tools we have to change behaviour. When people see themselves reflected in a performance, they listen differently," said the Foundation's Community Engagement Officer.
Following each performance, youth volunteers lead organised community clean-up exercises in the surrounding area. The campaign has already mobilised hundreds of residents to participate in clean-ups across several Mzuzu neighbourhoods.
El Chay Foundation calls on all Mzuzu residents, businesses, and city authorities to join the movement for a cleaner, healthier city.
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