The Tuseme process has adopted theatre for development as its principal methodology. Theatre for development is used as a tool for research, empowerment, and participatory planning. The methodology calls for maximum participation of all the people involved in the process. It empowers each individual to take an active role in identifying problems hindering his or her academic and social development. The problems are clustered, prioritised and analysed. The analysis process includes identification of root causes, effects, solutions, and the responsible person. Then the participants integrate the ideas that emerged from the analysis into a theatrical performance and stage the performance, which is immediately followed by a post-performance discussion. Finally, an action plan is drawn to ensure effective implementation of the decisions made by the community.
Tuseme is a school-based project that is participatory: the entire school community (teachers, workers, and students) gets involved in its activities at different stages. However, form two students are the focus group, and the monitors follow the progress of this group until they finish form four.
One of the major features of the Tuseme process in a school is the Girls Support Club, which works to monitor empowerment activities at the school and act as a mobilising agent. Led by students who are elected by club members, the clubs are a functioning student-based management system. The patrons of each clubs are 2 art teachers who have been nominated by the head of the school and have received special training on theatre for development and facilitation skills. The purpose of the clubs is to encourage students to speak out as a way of empowering them. They aim to provide a forum for students to discuss their academic and social problems critically. To that end, club activities include: group discussions, debates, the sharing of learning materials and individual consultations, opportunities to speak out about day-to-day problems arising in the schools, peer support, sharing experiences with other schools, production of materials for the Tuseme Newsletter and other youth magazines, and use of theatre as a tool for research and participatory planning.
An annual newsletter is distributed to all Tuseme schools. Each club appoints an editorial board whose tasks include mobilising other members to write articles for the newsletter. Articles both in English and Swahili on various art forms and themes are sent to the Tuseme headquarters for publication. The newsletter is seen as another forum for speaking out.
To support the project, sensitisation workshops are carried out twice a year by a team of theatre facilitators who visit all Tuseme schools and work with the clubs using theatre for development processes. Using theatre, students research issues affecting their academic performance, creating theatre from the identified problems and performing before entire school communities to spur discussions that, it is hoped, will lead to concrete solutions. Performances created during the workshops are refined and brought to the national festival.
The Tuseme festival is an annual event. During the festival all schools perform; have academic tours of university faculties; meet role models who are picked from different areas (e.g., women who are in higher academic roles, like professors); and meet fellow Tuseme students, sharing their experiences. Workshops are held on various areas and topics such as life skills; tutorials are offered for English, mathematics, and science subjects. Prizes are awarded to students and schools on various areas of achievement, such as best academic performer, best disciplined school during the festival, and best actress.
