Short article; Arusha poetry club
UncategorizedArusha poetry club is a poetry platform based in Tanzania, it is a non government organization which aspires to boost local poets and provide exposure to poets. Arusha poetry club also known as APC was found on 1st September, 2012 by George Kyomushula with the assistance of his mentor Charlotte Hill O’neal also known as Mama C. George started as a volunteer at Mama C’s organization called United African Alliance Community Centre (UAACC).
The ideal of APC was also supported by Seppo Hallavainio, the owner of an Italian restaurant known as Arusha Masaai cafe. Mr Seppo provided a venue as well as printings which included posters and adverts of the poetry club for poetry events on a weekly basis. Seppo provided the materials for free without any charges.
APC has made several achievements such as conducting several international poetry events; Tembo Meets Garvey, African Liberation Day, China Meets Africa, Women International Day, Our leaders Our heroes and 100 thousands poets for change. Poets from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, UK, USA, China, South Africa and Austria participated in the international poetry events organized by APC. Names of the poets who participated in the international events are as follows Richard S. Mabala, Mama C, Sitawa Wafula, Kenneth P. Soundland, Upendo Makalla, Peter Mboye, Nelson Allen Junior, Wanjiku Mwaurah, Robert Echols, Vernon Cloete, Prof. Cai Tianxin, Gregory Corbin and Linda Kaoma from Badilisha poetry just to mention a few.
In 2013, APC worked along with representatives from Jane Goodall Shoots and Roots program, a program dealing with the intensification of awareness of anti poaching of chimpanzees and other animals like elephants. The alliance between the two parties resulted into the establishment of Jane Goodall Shoots and Roots branch at the UAACC. In the same year APC was sponsored by Alliance Francaise Arusha, the sponsorship included a venue, stage, fliers, sound system and lights. The venue that was provided to APC by Alliance Francaise Arusha was used in the Women International Day which featured a Kenyan poet, Sitawa Wafula.
Furthermore APC collaborated with Badilisha poetry from South Africa, APC officially invited Linda Kaoma as a representative from Badilisha poetry purposefully in giving poets from Tanzania an opportunity for their poems to be featured in the Badilisha poetry platform The collaboration resulted in showcasing poems from poets in Tanzania, some of the poets who got featured were Peter Mboye, Mama C and Esther Mngodo.
Moreover APC managed to initiate poetry workshops in such schools like St Judes. On the other hand Arusha poetry club has worked with numerous music production companies within the music industry in Tanzania and beyond borders. Some of the music production companies are Mandugu digital under Akula Akwabi also known as Dunga, Peace Power production, Kazawaza records under Kzee, UAACC studios and Watengwa records under Umbwa Lutuno alias Chindo. The mentioned music production companies played a vital role in creating albums by APC.
A number of stakeholders of APC have put their endless efforts in creating a good foundation for APC. Some of the stakeholders are Mambo Jambo Radio, TV 1, Arusha Times Newspaper, and San Francisco Bay View newspaper, Imani I. Mani a journalist from The Daily Newspaper, Mwananchi newspaper, Maria Sarungi Tsehai, and Elishilia D. Kaaya from AICC. Other stakeholders include Gloria D. Gonsalves, Grace Aswile, JCB and Kindo Emmanuel just to mention a few.