YOCUPA, a youth-led nonprofit in Zambia's Eastern Province, empowers young people to combat sexual violence and child abuse through creative expression, education, and cultural advocacy. This campaign supports their latest theater production, House of War: House of Glass, which brings awareness to abuse and child exploitation. Beyond the stage, YOCUPA trains youth in civic leadership, supports a child protection hotline, and runs community sensitization efforts in rural districts.
Child sexual abuse and gender-based violence remain major threats to youth in Zambia across Lusaka, Chipata, and other districts. Cultural stigma and fear often prevent survivors from speaking out, and adults are not always equipped to recognize the warning signs. There is a critical need for engaging, culturally relevant tools to start conversations, shift community norms, and empower young people to be aware of and take a stand against community violence.
This project will support YOCUPA's original youth-led theater production, "House of War: House of Glass," tackling the realities of child sexual abuse and gender-based violence through storytelling, dance, and performance. With your help, we will: Fund stage production, materials, and outreach logistics for the upcoming performances Reach hundreds of community members through live, interactive theater Empower a cast of youth actors to use their voices creatively and publicly against abuse.
This project will reach over 1,000 people across Zambia through public performances and youth-led engagement campaigns. Theater has proven to be one of YOCUPA's most effective methods for raising awareness and shifting attitudes, especially in communities where formal education or child protection infrastructure is limited. In 2024, YOCUPA reached more than 3,000 people through similar community theater events. With your support, we can build on this success and scale our impact even further.
