Jamie Lachman and
Elisa Lane are both graduates
of DAI
School of Physical Theatre.
Used with permission.
Dear Friends of Clowns Without Borders South Africa,
We begin our show by playing our musical instruments, and the prisoners’ immediate response was laughter. Throughout the show eyes were wide and grins were huge. They supported our performance with punctuations of applause and laughter. We were a hit!
All the inmates we brought onstage for the audience participation sections were respectful, cooperative, and funny. The section they liked the most is when our South African clown partner, Gavin, juggles three toilet bowl cleaners. They were also impressed by his ability to ride a unicycle!It’s probably the only unicycle that has ever been to Sudan.
After the show, the prisoners surrounded us, wanting mostly to try out the unicycle, but also to say thank you and to ask us many questions. I probably should have felt nervous about being surrounded by murderers, criminals, and lunatics, but these men and boys made us all feel very much at ease.
When I looked into their eyes smiling back at me all I could see were humans. Warm, kind, welcoming, humans.
PS Also at the prison, I broke my personal record for most terrifying
outhouse used. But that is another story entirely that I’ll save for
only the bravest souls.
- Elisa Lane
Please Support Us!
Clowns Without Borders depends on the generosity of individuals like you to continue bringing emotional relief and laughter to children and their caregivers affected by crisis.
85% of every contribution goes directly to project costs in the field.
We maintain a strong commitment to making your donation go straight to the communities where laughter and emotional relief are needed most by keeping our administrative expenses as low as possible.
http://www.cwbsa.org/
Elisa Lane are both graduates
of DAI
School of Physical Theatre.
Used with permission.
Dear Friends of Clowns Without Borders South Africa,
I hope this email finds you well. CWBSA thrilled to announce that we have been extremely busy sending clowns here, there, and almost everywhere!
While Lulu Ngcobo, our Programmes Administrator, and I were representing South Africa at the annual CWB International Meeting in Brussels last week, we had a team (Sibongile Tsoanyane and Kim Paul) in Lesotho working with children and guardians affected by HIV/AIDS and one in Sudan (Gavin Stockden joining Elisa Lane and Gwen Rooker from CWB-USA) performing for orphans, refugees, and even prisoners.
Next week, we begin a 3-month training of Ingwavuma Orphan Care in our intervention methods with the Njabulo Residency Programme. All in all, we are thrilled to be working in so many different areas awakening joy and laughter in the hearts and minds of children and their caregivers.
Below is a brief update from Elisa Lane about their first week on Project Sudan. They have been working with the International Rescue Committee and Confident Children Out of Conflict to bring emotional relief to children affected by the war in Sudan. Hope you enjoy!
Peace and laughter,
Jamie
May 21, 2009 - Juba, Southern Sudan
Visiting Youth in Prison
Today we performed in Juba, Sudan, for the very first time, for an audience of youth prisoners. Beforehand, our minds raced with the possible challenges we would be met with once we were inside. We heard that young men had remained shackled together during a cholera outbreak. We imagined hardened criminals. What actually happened there has changed us.
As we entered the courtyard we saw the prisoners roaming around. Wewere informed that all the prisoners were invited to attend the show,not just the youth. Some men were shackled, others had intense tribal scarring on their foreheads, and some had what appeared to be staph infections. The youth were all sitting on the ground in the only spot of shade in the whole courtyard, and the youngest of them looked to be about 10 years old. They had been waiting for us. We sat in front of them while our partner organizations, Confident Children Out of Conflict and International Rescue Committee introduced us and gave an informational talk on Aids.
Visiting Youth in Prison
Today we performed in Juba, Sudan, for the very first time, for an audience of youth prisoners. Beforehand, our minds raced with the possible challenges we would be met with once we were inside. We heard that young men had remained shackled together during a cholera outbreak. We imagined hardened criminals. What actually happened there has changed us.
As we entered the courtyard we saw the prisoners roaming around. Wewere informed that all the prisoners were invited to attend the show,not just the youth. Some men were shackled, others had intense tribal scarring on their foreheads, and some had what appeared to be staph infections. The youth were all sitting on the ground in the only spot of shade in the whole courtyard, and the youngest of them looked to be about 10 years old. They had been waiting for us. We sat in front of them while our partner organizations, Confident Children Out of Conflict and International Rescue Committee introduced us and gave an informational talk on Aids.
We begin our show by playing our musical instruments, and the prisoners’ immediate response was laughter. Throughout the show eyes were wide and grins were huge. They supported our performance with punctuations of applause and laughter. We were a hit!
All the inmates we brought onstage for the audience participation sections were respectful, cooperative, and funny. The section they liked the most is when our South African clown partner, Gavin, juggles three toilet bowl cleaners. They were also impressed by his ability to ride a unicycle!It’s probably the only unicycle that has ever been to Sudan.
After the show, the prisoners surrounded us, wanting mostly to try out the unicycle, but also to say thank you and to ask us many questions. I probably should have felt nervous about being surrounded by murderers, criminals, and lunatics, but these men and boys made us all feel very much at ease.
When I looked into their eyes smiling back at me all I could see were humans. Warm, kind, welcoming, humans.
PS Also at the prison, I broke my personal record for most terrifying
outhouse used. But that is another story entirely that I’ll save for
only the bravest souls.
- Elisa Lane
Please Support Us!
Clowns Without Borders depends on the generosity of individuals like you to continue bringing emotional relief and laughter to children and their caregivers affected by crisis.
85% of every contribution goes directly to project costs in the field.
We maintain a strong commitment to making your donation go straight to the communities where laughter and emotional relief are needed most by keeping our administrative expenses as low as possible.
http://www.cwbsa.org/
Jamie McLaren Lachman
Founder and Director
Clowns Without Borders South Africa
"no child without a smile"
CWBSA is sponsored by Imperial Car Rental-Europcar for ground transportation in Southern Africa.
