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Nyazura’s St Peter’s Tokoyo Primary School traditional dance group

Arts Correspondent

Nyazura’s St Peters Tokoyo Primary School traditional dance group’s intended trip to Turkey in August for the Antalia Expo hangs in balance. This follows revelations that most of the children in the group do not have passports and birth certificates. The school through its teacher Mrs FelistasManyonga, who teaches the Jikinya traditional dance, is appealing for help to raise US$650 needed to process the documents before June.The group came out tops at last year’s Jikinya Dance competion held in Norton beating nine other schools from the country’s 10 provinces.

“Last week we received an invitation letter to be part of a showcase in Turkey for Antalia Expo,” Mrs Manyonga said.

She said the dance troupe would accompany President Mugabe to the Expo.

“We have 13 pupils, seven girls and six boys who make up the group but 11 of them have birth certificates while two are still to acquire them.

“Another challenge is out of the whole group only a single child has a passport. We are looking for donations from people willing to help so that our pupils get the documents.”

Mrs Manyonga said the competitions will start in June.

“It is heart-warming that Government will foot the travelling expenses and only asked us to get the children some passports.

“However, another challenge is that some of the children are orphans. We will be camping in Harare for the first week of August and spend two weeks before taking off on the third week to Europe,” she said.

Mrs Manyongasaid the school was not yet sure of the exact travel dates.