Rose Kassa, Hawassa University
The event was set to start at 11 AM LT and neither of us had any big expectations. We arrived at 9:30 AM LT to prepare our space for our event. When we arrived we faced a major backlash concerning the venue we were going to use. Some of our team members decided to work on promoting the event as the rest of the team worked to handle the issue.
The venue we initially had in mind wasn’t available due to its small size and being a cafe for students, hosting an event there was less likely to attract student interest. Subsequently, we found an empty hall and decided to hold the event there. As it was a last-minute decision, the space was unprepared. Dust was everywhere, and water from the previous day’s rain pooled in the center of the seating area, requiring us to clean up. Tasks were assigned to everyone, including cleaning chairs, arranging seating, sweeping floors, setting up the projector, and more. We then organized the presentation order for our programs, split into two groups, with one group setting up music, PowerPoint, poems, and other programs inside while the other group went outside to invite students to attend. Banners were displayed, introducing TCU to IOT Campus students and encouraging them to join the event. After providing a clear overview of the event, students showed interest. We interacted with many students and, though not as many as anticipated, we had enough to commence the event. By 1:15 PM LT, our preparations were complete, and the event began.
Once students arrived, our host Rose welcomed them and invited Sitra to present about TCU Hawassa University chapter. This was followed by a captivating poem by Gelila on Black Panther’s significance to black people worldwide. Subsequent performances included various poems, literature pieces, and poetry as planned. Our host ensured the audience was entertained with songs, facts, and engaging interactions between programs. Sara and Dina engaged the audience with a game called “Guess the Lyrics,” showcasing a surprise singing talent from an audience member. Several attendees shared poems and monologues. Beakal and Philipose delivered a heartfelt poem and a biography about Marcus Mosiah Garvey that resonated well with the crowd. Yassmin entertained the audience with an impressive playlist. The event concluded with Rose’s well-received article.
Overall, the event exceeded our expectations. It was successful in attracting new members and raising awareness about TCU’s mission among students in IOT Campus. Through poems, literature, music, biographies, and articles, the event effectively promoted the idea of Pan-Africanism. It was indeed a productive day.
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