Haba na Haba!

It has been more than two years since I first met the performing group Haba na Haba in the Eastlands area of Nairobi.  After interning with the group for four weeks by giving guitar lessons every day and leading workshops on drama and movement, I returned to film an hour-long documentary about their work.  This film became part of my senior thesis project and eventually helped inspire my advisor Rob Henke, among others at Washington University in St. Louis, to spearhead an effort to bring them to the U.S.

After all this time and hard work, they are finally coming!

During their trip to St. Louis from March 13-22, Haba na Haba has a packed schedule of events, including an impromptu performance (styled after the performances they do in their own communities), class visits at the university and local high schools, a panel discussion on theatre and social change, and the group's premier U.S. stage performance of "Co-Existence", an original play examining the political violence in Kenya's 2007 elections.  Best of all for me, I will be flying to Nairobi in just over a week to join the group on their travels and be their host during their time in St. Louis.

I truly hope that whoever is reading this will be able to attend at least one of the scheduled events (listed in detail in the previous post).  Of all my accomplishments, this is by far the one of which I am the most proud.  This is honestly the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me.