Home Past Projects Simunye Inclusive Arts Initiative

Simunye Inclusive Arts Initiative

Project Period: Oct 2024 – Jun 2025

For many young artists with disabilities in Zimbabwe, talent alone has never been enough. Exclusion, stigma, and inaccessible creative spaces have kept their voices unheard and their potential unrealized. With the funding support from Culture Fund Zimbabwe (USD $10 000.00) and the European Union Delegation in Zimbabwe, The Noble Hands Zimbabwe Trust set out to change that story through the Simunye Inclusive Arts Initiative.

The Why

Artists with disabilities remain significantly underrepresented in Zimbabwe’s creative industries. Beyond limited access to training and platforms, many face deep-rooted social attitudes that frame disability as limitation rather than strength. Opportunities to collaborate, earn income, and perform professionally are rare. Without deliberate investment, these barriers continue to silence creative voices that have the power to influence culture and social change.

The Intervention

Between October 2024 and June 2025, Simunye brought together 15 emerging artists with and without disabilities from across Zimbabwe in a bold, youth-led experiment in inclusive creativity.

Thanks to the timely support, the project delivered:

Professional training in music, choreography, creative entrepreneurship, and intellectual property rights
Mentorship from experienced producers, trainers, and arts practitioners
Safe, accessible rehearsal and recording spaces
Collaborative creation of original music, poetry, and performances
Platforms for public performance and national visibility

Artists were not only trained to perform, but also to understand their rights, monetize their work, and use art as a tool for social advocacy.

The Impact

Your investment translated into real and lasting change:

15 young creatives were empowered with professional skills, confidence, and industry exposure
Artists with disabilities performed on professional stages, some for the first time in their lives
A 12-track album, “Bambelela” was produced, addressing stigma, inequality, gender-based violence, child marriage, and disability rights
5 music videos and 12 high-quality audio productions amplified inclusive narratives nationally
Over 100,000 people were reached through radio, live performances, and digital platforms

One participant reflected:

“This project taught me that my disability does not limit my creativity, it strengthens my message right now l now own my voice through the music l created.”

Why It Matters

Simunye proved that inclusive arts are not charity but an instrument for empowerment, social justice and change. When artists with disabilities are given equal access to skills, resources, and platforms, they do more than perform. They challenge attitudes, influence policy conversations, and inspire communities. The timeous support from Culture Fund Zimbabwe helped transform exclusion into collaboration and talent into opportunity.

Looking Ahead

Building on the success of Simunye, The Noble Hands Zimbabwe Trust is committed to expanding inclusive arts programming across Zimbabwe, strengthening accessibility in cultural spaces, and supporting marginalized creatives to earn sustainable livelihoods.