Case Studies

The Tikambilanie UK launch will be in Bristol between May and August. We aim to tackle current social and environmental issues head on.

The idea of participatory approaches is that the important issues for any particular community arise as the initial findings.

Prior to the UK launch we will be asking for the British public to make their voice heard, telling us what they see as their key issue.

Drum up support The idea here is to promote communal participation on a level that can be heard. Drumming is the most accessible form of music and of all musical instruments, it is the easiest to improvise, in the absence of a specifically crafted drum. Starting with existing drumming circles and drummers, the idea is to work towards a time when as many people as possible will all drum at the same time - whether in the park, on streets or out of windows. If this were allowed to happen, it would illustrate the capacity that local communities have to communicate within themselves.

Dance for freedom, be free. It is common in Zambia for almost everyone within the entire community to be seen dancing freely and openly - from the moment a child can stand until they become too old or frail While we have the pleasure of Kamoto's company and energy, Tikambilanie wants to explore the possibility of getting everyone dancing in Bristol and the Festivals that we're part of. Many people in the UK feel inhibited and are unable to freely express themselves through dance. It is exactly in this kind of situation that the collective, communal approach of Kamoto and The Green Living Movement work so well. It will obviously be a huge challenge. It will be interesting to see how well a a few workshops on a small scale can multiply to potentially make an impact on a larger scale.

Sustainability? Can we change in time? Where are we? What do we want?

It is now widely accepted at Governmental and Academic levels that if we are to move towards a sustainable lifestyle, a change in our behaviour is required. The days when it might be thought that it could all be left to technological advancement alone have long since past..

• Kamoto and The Green Living Movement have been working for nearly 20 years on issues that deal with cultural and behavioural change with communities in Zambia and are experts at involving the community in tackling serious issues.
• By understanding the behaviour, the underlying culture and the traditions of a community and by allowing participation in the development and implementation of sustainable plans, Tikambilanie partners can help ensure that there is a greater chance of a successful and sustainable uptake of the recommended solutions.

Cycling City, Potential, Problems, Solutions and Implementation.

It is of great credit to Bristol City, the Council and Cycling activist groups that Bristol has been nominated the first English Cycling City. It would appear that this is an ideal to learn how to and to adopt a unified approach to ensure maximum benefit is gained from the prestigious award and the associated capital that is to be spent. It is argued that the current knowledge of Bristol's cycling network, benefits and pitfalls, are best known only when you combine council, local users, national and international city cycling experiences.

Police Community Links

Somerset & Avon Police hold monthly Partners and Communities Together (PACT) meetings. Whilst this is definitely an excellent initiative and offers a direct line of communication for interested members of the public and representatives, some concern has been expressed regarding the depth of the community that it reaches.

Certain current issues, such as street drinking, offer an ideal basis on which to explore the potential benefits of the approaches adopted by Kamoto and The Green Living Movement. Once again it is importance to understand the situation of those who are doing the drinking, and come from a position where you want to help the problem, their problems. Not just the problem of some one drinking on your street.

Asbos, Mosquitos, Missing the Point, Bo!

High energy youngsters are certainly not uncommon in human society. The challenge is to harness the energy in positive contributions. The scale here is at that of the individual juvenile, and thus it is of the utmost importance to any self respecting society to provide support at that level. If not it is hard to then complain to backlashes and the best that can be hoped for is hard-line strict response that try and contain to within acceptable levels.

Tikambilanie believes, along with most groups that actually work with those responsible, that inclusion holds the answer. Kamoto are experts at working with communities or particular sections, that are usually difficult to work with, or those that have been marginalised in other ways. Kamoto wish to bring to these situations, in Bristol, their expertise, experience and skills so that they may also learn practices we have adopted through our own experience.

The ability for both sides to see how the other has learnt to deal with such situations and then discuss the arising similarities and differences can only provide an excellent opportunity for development of both parties with the following effect of progress where it counts, which is problem alleviation.

Hip-hop, Hip or Not?

Kamoto, under American funding, are currently working in Lusaka on issues relating to Gang Violence, youth offences and knife crime.

• Many people try to blame Hip-hop lyrics or artists for inciting youths to violence.
• They fail to see that there may be other, deep underlying issues at hand.
• Using all forms of art, Kamoto works with these youngsters – first to understand where they are coming from. Then involving other organisations so they can help resolve the elements of their behaviour that are detrimental to the community.
• Often this is by working with others to ensure that there is a positive use for the youngsters’ energies that suit their needs.

Refugees, refuse or use?

Locally, through the media and politically the issue of asylum seekers and refugees seems constantly misunderstood. Tikambilanie hopes to work with those from all sides, especially those affected, and create an expression that can be used to dispel many of the myths, instigate and explore the audiences opinions and how they've changed since seeing the performance.

Engineers without borders, students giving the orders.

EWB (UK) has grown from strength to strength over the past few years. It is now in a position where Universities themselves are happy to ask them to set the syllabus for new courses for those interested in working in the fields of development, emergency relief and sustainability.

Once again this is an ideal opportunity to gather the experiences, knowledge and desires of future, current and past engineering graduates as well as current experts in certain fields both industrially and academically.

Drug abuse or drug misuse.

Certain areas of Bristol - and arguably those involved in the UK Launch, have a history of drug related issues.

• Conflict often arises between those who consider drugs to be illegal and therefore off limits and users and dealers who accept them as part of their life.
• Tikambilanie will concentrate on working with each individual drug , assuming that each drug has its own culture.
• By working (both separately and together) with sub-cultures such as addicts, ex-addicts, users, dealers, and members of the community –– it is hoped that a realistic picture of drug usage can be built up and expressed through various media.
• By different sections of the community becoming aware of the complexities involved in drug use, it is hoped that it will encourage debate at all levels and so offer greater warnings of the pitfalls to would be users.

Depressed or Suppressed

Depression is a serious and widespread problem in the UK.

• Current treatment largely consists of various psychological therapies or prescription of drugs.
• During the launch of Tikambilanie, project partners will work with a number of organisations and volunteers to explore the issue from the patient’s point of view and from the side of those dedicated to treating them.
• A comparison of symptoms, frequency of occurrence and treatments between the UK and Zambia will be made over the course of the first Tikambilanie three year cycle.

Generational Communication

Despite ever increasing means of communications, it is arguable that the generational divide widens.

• A comparison of family unit make-up and the support available to them (casual and official) in both the UK and Zambia shall be developed throughout the 2009 & 2010 Tikambilanie programmes . By the time of the third event in each country the findings can be reviewed and it will be seen if there are lessons we can teach each other.

Celebrate Life, reduce the strife.

The biggest obvious difference between Zambia and the UK is the level of wealth: but, in the UK, are the wealthy really that much more wealthy than the poor compared with Zambia? We take a look. Is there a responsibility that comes with 'celebrity' and do we use it successfully?

All others welcome and to be introduced by example as they occur.