Theatre Tour by People with Disabilities

THEATRE TOUR BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES - 

the Arts as a Means of Social Inclusion for the Underprivileged

Country: Senegal

Project initiated in: 2007

Presented by: the European Commission

Partners: Local associations

Project budget: EUR 5 000

- Back to the Projects Overview page -

// Context

Louga, located in the north of Senegal, is an impoverished city with a lack of resources in ensuring its own development. In this perspective, the city’s Association of Disabled People suffers from a clear lack of resources: members of this association live in extreme poverty. Moreover, the cultural context and the lack of resources contribute to the economic and social marginalisation of disabled people.

This micro-project is one of 33 private artistic initiatives developed within the framework of the Cultural Industry Support Programme in Senegal, funded by the European Commission.

// Project objectives

The objective of the project was to produce and direct a theatrical production dealing with the issue of exclusion and which would be performed by disabled people who are also members of the association. They then went on to undertake a national theatre tour.

The objective was to:

•  coordinate a cultural activity and encourage the integration of disabled people through their involvement in an artistic project;
•  raise awareness of the Senegalese population as to the issues of marginalising disabled people;
•  increase the visibility of the association and disabled people in general;
•  draw the attention of authorities to this issue so as to receive increased levels of funding for disabled people.

// Action and impact

Having access to very modest financial resources, the Association of Disabled People in Louga has succeeded in staging a theatrical production on the theme of disabled people in an underprivileged setting. The play, performed by 15 disabled members of the association, was video recorded which enabled wide promotion of the tour, notably thanks to television broadcasting. Local and national media communicated information about the play which was a great success. The tour took the group of disabled actors, who had never left their native region, to seven or eight regions in the country. The advertising undertaken through the media prior to the arrival of the group in each region allowed the disabled actors to be welcomed by the highest regional authorities and all of the shows – which were free – were performed for a full house. The Senegalese public was led to ask deep-rooted questions about the issue being performed, which led to much debate and many articles in the country’s media.

Thanks to the increased visibility during the tour, the association:

• has succeeded in developing a partnership with a European association and has received donations of orthopaedic equipment;
• has received, from authorities and private donors, funding and equipment to support the creation of income-generating activities; several private companies have been established in this regard by association members following the project (hairdressing salon, arts and crafts, etc.);
• has succeeded, at least temporarily, in becoming less isolated;
• has allowed the association president, himself motor disabled, to appear on national television where he pleaded for the National Social Support Fund (FCFA 1 Billion) to be paid out, as promised by the government to disabled people. At the end of 2007, he met with the Senegalese prime minister where his plea was granted: the particular needs of disabled people have been officially acknowledged by the government and the Fund has been paid out.

The dynamic created thanks to this modest artistic project has contributed towards giving new hope and increased dignity to disabled people in Senegal.

- Back to the Projects Overview page -