Malawi, the warm heart of Africa, is home to a unique and vibrant art event, the Tumaini Festival. Tumaini (Swahili word meaning ‘hope’) is a free festival that showcases local music, traditional dance and poetry, organized by Dzaleka Cultural Association, located less than 40 miles from Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, at Dzaleka refugee camp.

(TRAVPR.COM) MALAWI - November 27th, 2015 - Malawi, the warm heart of Africa, is home to a unique and vibrant art event, the Tumaini Festival. Tumaini (Swahili word meaning ‘hope’) is a free festival that showcases local music, traditional dance and poetry, organized by Dzaleka Cultural Association, located less than 40 miles from Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, at Dzaleka refugee camp.

Fast gaining a reputation for its growing number of music and arts events, this particular festival also cements Malawi's standing as the most welcoming country on the continent. The organisers and performers at this particular festival may be a mainly refugees in Malawi, but it's been fully supported by Malawian's and by the country's leading Music & Arts festival, the Lake of Stars.

The Dzaleka Cultural Association was established by  Menes La Plume, a native of Democratic Republic of Congo, poet, hip-hop artist and writer, who due to conflict was forced to move to Malawi and now lives at Dzaleka refugee at the camp.  He set up the Dzaleka Cultural Association for various iniciatives in the camp such as creative writing classes and the Tumaini Festival, which was first held in 2014, thanks in part to an ambitious crowdfunding campaign that helps bring this project to life. In 2015 (its second year) Tumaini repeated its success, drawing over 3000 visitors with music and art from over seven countries in the region.

 Menes la Plume explained: “Tumaini Festival is an idea that came to mind after observing that refugees can be misunderstood in Malawi - they are called ‘Maburundi’ (a term used to refer to refugees here that are considered Burundian.) To promote better understanding, I created this festival as a platform for everyone to visit the camp and meet refugees, appreciate their creativity and interact.”

“We have a main stage, a second stage, and a space for children. The festival brings together artists from all corners of Malawi. This will really be a Malawi celebration in the United Nations of Dzaleka,” added the poet.

The festival has the support of Lake of Stars, the biggest annual music festival in Malawi that has generated more than $4.7m for the local economy in the 10 years since it launched.

Malawi, has a fascinating variety of sights and experiences on offer and an excellent tourist infrastructure, completes its offer with a wide range of  musical talents at the  well known Lake of Stars and Tumaini Festival, a unique initiative that promotes collaboration and hope through the music.

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