LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-One of the country’s non governmental organisations ‘Lilongwe Music and Arts Festival’, also known as LiFest LiFest is geared up to address Gender Based Violence (GBV) and mental health in Malawi through music .
The initiative comes amid rising cases of suicide and GBV in the country.
This is the reason the grouping has scheduled Music Festival slated for the capital Lilongwe on October 29 and 30 October, 2021 at Lilongwe Golf Club where notable international artists like Joeboy from Nigeria and Jamaican reggae artist Christopher Martin will perform.
LiFest Project Cordinator Maya Kalumo told cocktail networking session on Friday, September 3, 2021 in Lilongwe that the campaign is motivated by a personal experience in mental problems and felt it was high time to help others who are facing the same through a different approach.
“Government and other non governmental organisations have been on this fight for sometime and we know the fight is still on that’s why we are trying to give it a different approach that puts everyone together and help those that are affected to open up to professional therapy to get healing.
“Until today we see and hear people committing suicide after failing to find courage and someone to open up to. This has to end,” Kalumo said.
He added, “We feel through music, which is a common language, we can address gender based violence that in the end brings out mental health issues. Malawians should feel free to approach us as we are eager to help them by keeping them anonymous”.
Deputy minister for the ministry of labor Vera Kamtukule who graced the cocktail session said government appreciates the efforts by LiFest and other organizations in addressing issues of mental health and gender based violence in the country.
“Arts especially Music brings people together. People can have differences but music can bind them, so using this platform for a good cause is recommendable. It is also pleasing to note that young people are in the forefront trying to help in addressing these issues which giving alot of hope as these issues are getting worse by each day.
‘Someone somewhere is looking for somebody to help therefore this is something that one can rely on. There are a lot of issues affecting Malawians at the moment, you talk of the loss of jobs and financial muscle due to Covid-19, family problems and what have you, therefore this campaign is a step in the right direction”, she said.
