VANESSA CHISAKULA

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ZAMBIA, 28

Project: Word Smash
Focus Area: Civic Engagement/ Voter Education/Education

Vanessa is the Co-founder and National Coordinator of Word Smash Poetry – a movement that encourages creative free expression among Southern African youth “artivists” and promotes social Pan Africanism.

Since August 2017, Word Smash Poetry has provided a platform for young creative activists and “artivists” from marginalized communities to speak their truth through spoken word. The platform boasts a community of 50+ brave poets across Zambia and the Southern African Development Community, half of which are female, who receive an average of 1,000+ views per each post. Their audience includes students in universities, rural youth and national decision makers – influencing the Zambian government in 2019 to fund artists’ participation in the decision making process. Word Smash Poetry was also invited to present at National Arts Council’s 2019 Arts Business Indaba.

Along with her leadership role for Word Smash Poetry, Vanessa is a talented poet herself, a MiLead Fellow and a YALI Regional Alumni. She uses her range of skills to lead and stir the movement to action.  

More: Facebook: @globalplatformzambia

“Our biggest tool is creativity.”