Together with the Mozambican association Reformar, Alessandro and Sebastian, two of the boys from the Universal Civil Service program of the past year, have carried out weekly, for 3 months, at the Boane Juvenile Prison Institution, some theater therapy activities together with guests of the facility.

This job was not easy: the young people in prison have very complicated stories behind them and often feel branded by society as irredeemable even before they have had a chance to express themselves. During the meetings, the young people had the opportunity to evolve as art dramatic: the initiative was based on offering a more inclusive and empathetic approach to recovery, but also to reflect on these social issues and create narratives that could bring out the shared experiences and challenges of the participants. The young people were encouraged to explore themes relevant to their lives and communities, such as marginalization, inequality, and personal overcoming. Improvisation exercises, interpretation and creation of original scenes allowed them to share their perspectives and express themselves creatively.

The culmination of the learning phase was marked by the receipt of the certificate’s participation, which encouraged young people to bring to life the stories and messages explored during the lessons.

The prison representatives demonstrate satisfaction with the impact of the Social Theater lessons, emphasizing how this approach allowed the young people to express their capabilities, creative and communicative skills, but also reflect on their journeys and challenges. As the chapter of the theater courses comes to a close, the hope is that young people can carry with them not only the skills acquired but also a sense of empathy and self-expression that can be applied to their recovery and social reintegration trajectories.

The social theater project reiterates the idea that art can overcome barriers and create a space for mutual understanding, even in the most difficult circumstances and, given its the great success, the project will continue this year thanks to the project of the Civil Peace Corps of PASSI Società Cooperativa, a historical partner of AGAPE in Mozambique.