Voices United Village Programs
Voices United Village Khanya
Voices United Village Khanya is a childcare center in Maseru that centers the arts and cultural preservation. One of the goals of The Village is to serve every age demographic giving us to begin by serving the very young. In Lesotho, mandatory school doesn't begin for youth until the age of six years. Not only is there a need for creative space for children under the age of six, but a need for childcare in a structured, educational, and nurturing environment where working mothers can trust those young children will be encouraged to grow, learn, and speak out. VUV Khanya opened this winter and is already a success.
H.E.A.R.T. Fellows
Voices United will develop regional bi-annual groups of community leaders, artists, educators, and innovators to take part in our H.E.A.R.T. (Heroes, Educators & Artists Radiating Tradition) Fellows Program. The program will bring the group together for a 4-day retreat in Miami, infused with team building activities and workshops including discussions about Lesotho’s culture and history, preparing us for our journey abroad together. Once the group has arrived at Voices United Village in Lesotho, they will meet their sister cohort of leaders, artists, educators, and innovators from southern Africa that has just completed the same retreat. The 2 groups will then engage in a series of classes, workshops, art making,
skills development and historic excursions together for 10 days. For 4 days they will explore South Africa together, visiting a game reserve, the Apartheid Museum, Soweto and Mandela Square. They will not only learn about each other, they will learn about themselves and where we all come from. They will learn about and feel ubuntu and return to their lives, doing important work in their communities, bringing all that they’ve learned with them, infusing these concepts into their work and therefore their communities. These cohorts will continue to engage with VUV via online content and regional events and will remain connected as a network of change makers who now have an indelible sense of humanity and what we all are capable of. Voices United will stay in communication with participants, documenting the cohorts’ work over time.
Voices United will also select a group of young leaders, artists and innovators, in their teens and early 20’s, from across the US to participate in a weeklong Leadership Forum in Miami that utilizes the arts and complex group activities to amplify the leadership skills of the group. The program culminates in a collection of original artistic presentations, showcasing what they have learned and experienced together. Once the forum is over the cohort will continue to engage with VU via online content and regional events. One year later, the youth cohort will participate in the H.E.A.R.T. Fellows Program
beginning in Miami, traveling to Lesotho and South Africa, connecting with a group of young leaders from Southern Africa to engage in a series of classes, workshops, art making, skills development and historic excursions together for 10 days. For 4 days they will explore South Africa together, visiting a game reserve, Sun City, Museum Africa and The Cradle of Humankind. Once the cohort returns home, Voices United will stay in communication with the participants, offering courses and events both online and in-person and document the cohorts’ development over time.
Documentary Series
This educational series will take place in Maseru, Lesotho, and feature a different documentary each session. Participants will break bread and discuss the content of the film and what changes it has inspired them to make in their personal and professional lives.
International Meetups
These virtual meetups will allow VU to gather change makers from around the world to discuss current important topics that are relevant across the globe. These meetups will offer an opportunity for artistic and activism exchange and development, ultimately producing content that can be shared worldwide.