V-Day Lusaka Brings The Vagina Monologues to Zambia for the First Time

On June 2 and 3, 2006, V-Day Lusaka Organizer Sampa Kangwa-Wilkie staged the first V-Day production of The Vagina Monologues ever to reach a Zambian audience. The production, which raised over $4,700 for local groups working to end violence against women and girls received unprecedented support from the media and the community. Billboards, radio stations, newspapers and television stations freely and for the first time used the word vagina in promoting the benefit production. Women and men attended in numbers, selling old out both nights in advance sales, unheard of in Zambian theatre. The audience, including men, women, students as well as known members of parliament and prominent individuals within the community, participated in a post show discussion, bringing to light issues of Violence Against Women that have gone unspoken for generations.

V-Day wishes to congratulate Sampa Kangwa-Wilkie and the V-Day Lusaka team for organizing this incredible V-Day event, as well as the hundreds of people who made it a success by attending.

Audience responses:
"OUTSTANDING performance, I'm so glad I went to The Vagina Monologues last
night - and my husband, too. Well done congratulations. This was a very
VERY hard play to stage, and you pulled it off super-well..." Lucy Steintz FHI

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"Thank- you for bringing the monologues to the Windhoek stage. They are so
well written, witty & wise and you did total justice to it, showing true
insight and capturing the essence at all times. Thanks for a much
appreciated evening's entertainment and stimulation (intellectual and
otherwise!) " Retha Louise - Cultural Director – MEC
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This is Moses of the Sakala brothers. The performance was incredible.
Hey, the VAGINA! I was a bit uncomfortable at first, asking myself what’s this??
But after attending your show, you helped me understand women and life in general.
I am now a better African man.

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"I thought you were TRULY FABULOUS. I thought it was important that it was
done as an African production and in a key which Namibians could relate to
(not only the local references, but also the tone was truly not European,
which was important). CONGRATULATIONS" - Jane Shityuwete -IBIS

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"I thought Vagina Monologues (VM) was fantastic. Well done for taking on
what is a challenging play.