Misaje Subdivision: Ndansi Elvis respects tradition, makes available 2.5 million FCFA for Shaa Festival.

This Shaa Festival which is in its 6^th edition is aimed at promoting hygiene and sanitation in the brewing and sale of Shaa, a local liqour made from fermented corn.

Through the annual festival, Ndansi Elvis who is also founder of Unite for Health Foundation International, has been encouraging vendors of the local liquor to apply good hygienic conditions in the brewing and sale of shaa.

The aim is to eradicate contagious diseases such as cough, tuberculosis or typhoid. Vendors are thus through the festival, sensitised on the need to wash cups using running water from stand bucket taps.

The 6^th edition of the Shaa Festival which was flagged Thursday August 17 will end September 2. The first stage of the competition is taking place in all 12 villages that make up Misaje Subdivision. 

Each village will produce one winner to participate at the grand finale to be staged in the town of Misaje on September 2. This year, the cash prizes will be awarded only at the grand finale.

The grand finale will 12 village winners vying for the top three spots. The vision bearer of the festival, Ndansi Elvis, has made available 2.5 million FCFA for the jamboree. 

It was revealed at the launch last week that the winner of the 1st Prize will bag home FCFA 300,000 plus an aluminum pot and 20 cups.

The 1^st runner up will pocket FCFA150,000 plus an  aluminum pot and 20 cups meanwhile the 3rd winner will get a prize of FCFA 100,000 plus an aluminum pot  and 20 cups.

All contestants of the Shaa competition will return home with a participation prize of FCFA 30,000 each plus a bucket with faucet and 20 cups.

It was gathered that compared to last year, the prizes this year have tripled. 

Last year, the winner of the 1^st prize took home FCFA 100,000, a bucket with running tap, and 20 cups meanwhile  the second winner grabbed FCFA 75,000, bucket with a running tap and 20 cups.

The third took had bagged home FCFA 50,000, a bucket with running tap and 20 cups. The goal of the Shaa Festival which began in 2012 and sponsored by Unite for Health Foundation, is to promote hygiene and healthy consumption of Shaa. 

According the president of the organising committee, Ignatius Nji, the timing also helps the women in participate in the contest, to send their children to school without stress. 

Besides the contest the best cooked shaa, this year’s festival will comprise other activities including a dance competition among the three clans of the Misaje Subdivision, a tug of war between park boys and butchers and 100% scholarship offered to underprivileged children in the area.

The beneficiary learners will be selected from the four primary schools in the town of Misaje. The organisation of the festival including cash prizes and material prizes alongside three other activities, is estimated at over FCFA 2,500,000.

This year’s festival was launched in the farming community of Dumbu, near Misaje. It was flagged off on August 17 with 10 contestants participating. One Evelyn Kinyuy Sama was rated best contestant by the jury.

She will thus represent Dumbu village at the finals in Misaje on September 2. The grand finale in Misaje will be presided at by the Divisional Delegate of Arts and Culture for Donga Mantung.