By Frederick Philander WINDHOEK Assitej-Namibia (Organization of Theatre for children and Young People) has just received an annual grant of more than N$300 000 to continue promoting youth theatre at school and community level in the country. The money was made available for the third year running by the Finnish embassy in Windhoek. “We are happy that the Finnish embassy has once again agreed to finance our projects, which we consider of the utmost importance for the development of theatre, specifically in rural areas. This time we have identified six centres in the South, an area very much neglected culturally,” said the chairman of Assitej-Namibia, David Ndjavera, in accepting the money on behalf of his organization this week. The six selected Southern towns to be visited with basic theatre training skills are: Karasburg, Keetmanshoop, LÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚¼deritz, Mariental, Gibeon and Rehoboth. “Once again two experienced Namibian community theatre activists have been selected to continue on the same basis as last year with the work in play acting, play writing, directing and the establishment of a community-based Assitej centre in each of the towns. A solid theatre foundation has already been laid last year in selected towns in the north-central and the east of the country,” said Ndjavera. Other projects to be covered under the agreement include: the publication of a youth theatre anthology, financial support for play performances at this year’s Grahamstown Arts Festival and to bring rural groups to this year’s annual Youth Theatre Festival in June in the capital. The ChargÃÆ’Æ‘Æ‘ÃÆ”šÃ‚© d’affaires, Seija Kinni in handing over the money to Assitej-Namibia said that her embassy finds the continuous theatre work done valuable for development in the country. “The Finnish embassy is delighted about the long cooperation between Assitej-Namibia and Assitej-Finland, which will continue this year on various theatre fronts. We are proud to support Assitej-Namibia and hope to continue our good cooperation,” Seija Kinni said. The facilitators this week started with the remounting of self-written plays done by them with young people last year in some north central and eastern towns. These plays will form part of next month’s annual Youth Theatre Festival in the capital.