Our Programmes

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.

Community-based Parenting Programmes

Clowns Without Borders South Africa works closely with community organisations to provide ongoing support to vulnerable children and families. Our arts based programmes incorporate the best-available evidence within local socio-cultural context so that caregivers may develop effective ways of coping with stress and improving their relationships with their children.

We have 3 specific programmes that are targeted to different stages of child development:

1. Sinovuyo Caring Families Programme for children ages 3-8

2. Njabulo Parenting Programme for children ages 8-12

3. Njabulo Teen HIV Prevention Programme for children ages 13-18

Youth Theatre Empowerment

We use forum theatre, theatre for the development, and circus arts to empower vulnerable youth with the means for addressing important issues such as gender, crime, poverty, HIV/AIDS, and cultural identity.

Local Capacity Development

We provide skill capacity training to community based organisations and local arts groups in order to create ongoing psychosocial support to children and guardians. It is our long term intention to empower, train, and provide support to organizations so that they may develop the capacity to respond to crisis situations on a sustainable basis.

Raising Awareness

We work to raise the social awareness of our society both domestically and internationally through educational tours consisting of publicity campaigns, performances, and presentations. We also aim to connect communities together in a network of support and solidarity.