Overview...

CWB-South Africa uses laughter, performance, theatre arts education, and professional empowerment to address the psychosocial needs of communities in areas of crisis around the world. We partner with both community-based organizations and larger national and international NGOs to complement existing programs for children and caregivers.  Our focus is on strengthening child-caregiver relationships within existing family structures.  We hope to empower communities with the means to develop a sense of wellbeing in the present and hope for the future.

CWB-South Africa also collaborates with researchers and psychologists to assess our impact on the lives of the children while developing a sustainable model for wider implementation throughout the region.

Where We Work

CWB-South Africa works predominantly in rural and township communities in South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland.  We are also committed to inspiring laughter and emotional relief throughout Southern Africa and the greater continent as well as other areas of crisis around the world. It is our long term intention to empower, train, and provide support to artists from other developing countries so that they can develop local  responses to emotional trauma.

Our Programs

Performance Based Expeditions

Send in the clowns!  We help transform places of grief into joy by creating an atmosphere of celebration where it is needed most.  Using nonverbal physical comedy, music, storytelling, and dance, our performances provide momentary relief to large numbers of children and adults throughout the world. While humor and play is the primary focus, we also raise awareness of important issues affecting the community.

Project Njabulo HIV/AIDS

As one of the major issues facing children and communities in Southern Africa, HIV/AIDS is CWB-South Africa's main focus. Project Njabulo, the Zulu for "joy and happiness" (pronounced iN-Jabooloh),uses laughter and play to provide psychosocial support to orphans, vulnerable children and their caregivers. Our 5-10 day residencies consist of performances and workshops on emotional wellbeing for specific children and their caregivers affected by HIV/AIDS. Emphasis is on developing tools for resiliency through drama, play, storytelling, creative movement, circus arts and mindfulness-based stress relief techniques.

Professional Development

CWB-South Africa provides professional development to artists and community volunteers through organizational and artistic skills capacity training. We empower artists to enhance their own careers with the skills necessary to create sustainable social circus and theatre programs in their community.

Raising Awareness

CWB-South Africa works to raise the social awareness of our society both domestically and internationally through educational tours consisting of publicity campaigns, performances, and presentations.  These are offered at schools, community centers, corporate events, and house parties.  We also aim to connect communities together in a network of support and solidarity.