The Puku Afri-kids Festival took place on Saturday 26 November at the SGI-South Africa Community Centre in Parkwood, Johannesburg.
Designed to appeal to children, teenagers, parents and grandparents, caregivers and educators, writers and cultural activists, the Puku Afri-kids Festival was a great success.
Children’s entertainment included storytelling by acclaimed storyteller Gcina Mhlophe, Zanele Ndlovu and others, puppet shows by Segosametsi-A-Afrika
An exhibition/mini-market for producers of local toys, books and games to showcase their products.
Book launches and Conversations were facilitated by Lebo Mashile, Nomvuyo Mzamane, Siya Masuku and Bontle Senne.
There was a strong environmental focus creating awareness amongst children. The main themes of the children programme were ‘Are we raising our children to be creators or consumers?’ and ‘Afri-kids Content: Industry or Illusion?’
Discussions looked at the kinds of books, toys and games that we want to promote for our children, Including content for children with special needs and how to promote environmental awareness through books and toys.
“In the few years of our existence as Puku, we have come across an amazing creativity and innovation in our communities. There is no reason why we should not have a thriving publishing and toy-making industry that addresses the needs of our children and their families. We aim to make the Afri-kids festival a platform that informs, entertains and promotes networking,” says Elinor Sisulu, founder of Puku and Festival Director of the Puku Afri-kids Festival.
“As an initiative focused on understanding the value that can be derived from waste, REDISA is committed to educating the youth about the importance of recycling and reusing products and this partnership with Puku allows us to do that in a fun and engaging way,” says Stacey Davidson, Director at REDISA who was headline sponsor of the event.
