Lyrical Pilgrimage Open Mic

Thandokazi: What Is Your Big Love?

We chose Ground Culture for our venue as it aligns with our vision to bridge the gap between segregated communities as a result of Aparthied, understanding that collaboration relies on both parties helping each other for mutual gain so that we can all succeed in the long run. It is a place for people from diverse backgrounds to connect and engage on different subjects.

They recognise that entrepreneurs in areas like Khayelitsha have very few connections in formalised markets meaning, specifically township-based entrepreneurs struggle to get their products into the hands of customers in the formal sector of South Africa. Sebastian, the Founder who built almost everything in the store himself, believes this can be solved by opening distribution networks in formal markets for township-based entrepreneurs as well as educating them on how to market their products and sell in formalised markets. “We need to create platforms for entrepreneurs to unite and use their strengths and advantages to help each other together grow… There are amazing businesses operating in townships and rural areas across South Africa. A lot of them have phenomenal entrepreneurs behind the wheel. These are the businesses we are driven to formalise.” They have 20 Township-Based Businesses from Soweto, Khayelitsha and Kayamandi as suppliers.

We agree, together, we can shift the power into the hands of passionate social impact entrepreneurs that have the potential to uplift the face of Africa. We believe if small businesses can connect and collaborate, we will create a movement that uplifts a new generation of patriotic change-makers

Our guest Artists for this event

Afeefa Omar- Poet

SOMALIA

Afeefa Omar is an East African poet and spoken word artist residing in Cape Town. Much of her writing is born from navigating the physical and metaphysical borders between people. She explores themes such as emotional censorship and ideas surrounding belonging, otherness and identity. In 2017 she began sharing her work publicly, and since then has featured on various platforms and events including the naked word festival, poetry potion magazine, the open book festival, woordfees and many other projects.

Ces’ARTS Kinsumba- Visual Artist/ Painter

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

Cesar was born on 21 August 1964 in Kinshasa, DRC. He is a former student of the Fine Plastic Arts of Academia of Beaux Arts Kinshasa and has been working in the development field ever since. The draughtsman painter is inspired by daily African life, the hidden sides and also God. He tries to merge abstract and reality which he calls "His surrealism" with pencils, black pens and timelines as his mediums. In the DRC he has had many exhibitions at College Boboto hall and Academia of Beaux arts's.

 In Feburary 2005, he traveled to Windhoek, Namibia in which he had exhibitions at Franco Namibian Culture center, for the Francophonie's events and Café des Arts. Cesar went to Osiré Refugees Camp, Namibia where he taught young refugees Art skills for one month in 2007.

In February 2010 Cesar came to South Africa and became a member of SASA (South African Society of Artists) from 2017 until today, continuing to exhibit. In 2020, he initiated and created a Refugee Art School for Children, single Mothers and Adults in the Kensington Refugees white tent (Wingfield camp) teaching them Arts skills in drawings and painting for free from April to November. Whilst there he was visited by Siyakolise, the international Rugby captain and represented by Chad Nathan; Jenni Evan's, Merci Fabrice and Di. Charlton. Media coverage of Cesar’s work has been on ETV and Eyeswitness as well as recognised by Pasters and Nelson Mandela Foundation. For his hard to continue, assistance in supporting this community project is needed