New arts centre for Bulawayo

Standard People
THE Pumula Arts and Craft Centre to be situated on the western side of Pumula South high-density suburb in Bulawayo is set to improve the livelihoods of the residents through artworks.

BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE

THE Pumula Arts and Craft Centre to be situated on the western side of Pumula South high-density suburb in Bulawayo is set to improve the livelihoods of the residents through artworks.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style on the sidelines of the centre’s ground-breaking ceremony on Wednesday, Pumula residents leader and member of the Centre, Mandla Khanye said the centre would also act as a culture and heritage site.

“Pumula Arts and Craft Centre promises to be a culture and heritage site that would transform lives and be a tourist attraction, once it is in full throttle.

“Not only youths in Pumula and Bulawayo at large stand to benefit from the House of Skhu,” he said.

“Sikhulekile Dube is the founder of Pumula Arts and Craft Center, whose site is on a council stand, situated on the western side of Pumula South suburb in Bulawayo. Currently, the stand is vacant, but they are set to develop it very soon.”

Khanye said the centre, that was registered as a company, would provide training to youths in visual and performing arts and also in manufacturing of a wide range of products.

“It is a place for everyone to work in, a family home, to eradicate poverty through income-generating projects. It turns youths into professionals in their own style.

“They identify talent in youths and nurture them to become professionals,” he said.

“The centre is also into the application of information communication technology as they have really adapted to the new world information and communication order since the world has evolved more through the COVID-19 wave.”

He said the centre offered online training as it has refused to be limited by the pandemic in its endeavour to progress in whatever it has set out to do.

“Apart from visual and performing arts, they craft a wide range of products, out of recycled materials, and by so doing, clean the environment,” he said.

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