From June 6 to 27, 2019, for three weeks, “Atelier Théâtre Action” (ATA) conducted a campaign to raise awareness and keep children in school in N'sele, in the Kinshasa ring road. A bet won for José BAU, coordinator of the ATA and his actors who gave the best of them for the success of this project which aims to promote education, the bedrock of the development of a nation. In an interview with La Prosperité, José BAU said he was very satisfied with the campaign, which was officially closed on June 28 in Menkao, Maluku Township.

La Prospérité: Can you remind the public of the goal of this educational campaign in N'sele that is coming to an end? 

José Bau: We have set ourselves the goal of reminding and above all to make parents aware that they have to send their children to school. The ideal is to allow them to complete even the primary cycle only. Our mission is to make aware parents to support school-aged children to study, but also to make known to the general public the efforts of the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Professional Education (EPSP) and its partners in particular, UNICEF and others in the improvement of the conditions of study in the educational area of N'sele.

What is the assessment of this Campaign that lasted for three weeks in this part of the Capital? 

We gave the numbers of performances planned and the audience was often surprised to find that people who cannot read, write and protect their environment, often fall into the hands of bandits. We played in markets, in schools, in widows' camps and in a church.

How did the inhabitants of the N'sele area welcome the educational project? 

Good reception- because, the representations were considered as fairy tales. I had the opportunity to put on stage popular actors. This played a lot in public reading. The inhabitants were attracted by the actors and by the contents in continuation. Interpreted by the message, the forum that followed the show shows that our population is ignorant in many ways. It must imperatively concern authority at the highest level. People are so unconscious that you do not understand where to turn. Changing attitudes in a manipulated society is a work of patience.

What are the difficulties encountered during the campaign? 

The most important is the lack of cultural infrastructure in peripheral areas. Shows should be longer than expected because the audience did not want to leave the place. The lack of transport is a taint in this part of the city. Imagine that N'sele is in Kinshasa, but most of the township lives in the dark. This is the place to challenge those responsible to read the Zamenga will that asked us to build our villages first, if we want to develop our country and make it more beautiful than before.

What can we still expect from the ATA after this awareness campaign? 

We started a few years ago to build the City of Culture in Mbanza Ngungu, in Kongo Central Province. It is a framework of exchanges, creations and revalorizations of our cultural heritage, because it is inconceivable that our country does not have a historical cultural reference for the exhibition and other meetings. If you want to discover the wonderful wealth of Congolese culture, you have to go to foreigners. Why we will install an open museum to preserve the riches of our power. This city will also be equipped with an Entrepreneurship Education Center "more beautiful than before to introduce young people to dominate the world".

Do you have a message to send to the various partners who contributed to the success of this campaign through the ATA? 

We have been contacted by the EPSP by a call for projects. Once selected, we were obliged to do our best to offer the chance to the other professional troops like ours with our actors who took over the project. We thank UNICEF and its partners in the field, including Caritas, Oxfam, and the local authorities. Really, thank you !!!

(CKS/Yes)