Who am I?
My name is Charlotte. I have facilitated drama workshops
with young people and children in five educational settings. I now work
voluntarily in the village of Chintsa, coordinating Volunteer Africa 32 Degrees
South education projects.
Why Chintsa East
Drama?
I am a passionate advocate of children having access to
the creative arts, and I have seen the positive impact of these first hand. The Xhosa community of Chintsa East is an informal settlement made up of approximately 3,000 adults, young adults, and children. Community members face basic infrastructure challenges such as effective sanitation, improperly constructed sewerage, limited water sources, and lack of quality education. This is why I took the decision last year to begin a drama club, which despite
its rocky start went on to successfully perform The
Gingerbread Girl.
“I was so happy, it was my first time
performing in front of many people.”Anathi.
Drama isn't just about acting and
showing off.There is a multitude of
interconnecting benefits that children and young people can gain from having
access to the arts.
Sipho
This year we have a new project, to take 8 students to
Grahamstown National Arts Festival to perform Sipho. Having seen the
potential of what can be achieved in one term, I am enthusiastic to push the
capabilities of Chintsa East Drama. £650 will kick start our funds to take 8 students to both
perform and be exposed to the largest arts festival South Africa is a once in a
life time opportunity. The students will be able to experience and see work
from international theatre companies, comedians, street artists, and local
theatre companies.
What we need and what you get:
It will cost £225 per child to go to Grahamstown for four days and three nights. This cost covers
the logistics of the trip (transportation, accommodation and food) as well as
artistic costs which include set, costumes and props.
We will document the process, and publish regular photos and blogs.
If the funding
goal is not reached, the money raised will still go towards our Grahamstown pot
of money!
The Impact
Built into
Chintsa East Drama is a mentoring initiative, which is aimed at the older
members of the club. Throughout this year, I will mentoring two students to
become workshop leaders of the drama club. Their knowledge and experience
of the festival will feedback into the drama club. The students have already
come a long way from where they started in 2014.
This project will
help students like Unathi...
I first came to
know Unathi as a student who I taught computer literacy to. She is a naturally
quiet studious child, who has always been eager to participate in afternoon
initiatives. Like the vast majority of the children in the village, Unathi has
had a tough childhood. After discovering that his wife had been having
relations with another man, her alcoholic father beat up her mother into a
disabled state. She now lives with her mum and stepsister.
Throughout the creative process, I watched Unathi's self- esteem and confidence
grow. Despite only (initially) getting one line in the play, she had already
learnt it off by heart by the next rehearsal! I rewarded her with the
additional responsibility of another part, and more lines to learn. The
defining moment came when I asked the cast who would like to lead the warm up
game? Unathi raised her hand, and in turn, enthusiastically led her fellow 19
friends in our silly game of Ponies. I would never have imagined the shy Unathi
putting herself forward to do that.
Risks
and Challenges
We will have
three members of staff to accompany and supervise the children on our trip. We
understand that these children have not ever experienced a busy, large festival
before which is why we will be working their parents/care givers before we
embark on the trip. Every child’s guardian will be required to sign an
indemnity form prior to departure.
Students will be supervised at all
times of their trip.
