Project Njabulo involves collaboration between professional artists from the United States and Europe with local artists and CBOs in Southern Africa to raise awareness and provide support through edutainment strategies. ("Njabulo" is the Zulu word for "joy and happiness"). This organisation is motivated by the belief that laughter and play have the capacity to improve the psychosocial conditions of those in areas of crisis, and so has developed an approach that uses laughter, performance, theatre arts education, and professional empowerment to address the
psychosocial needs of children and their
caregivers. Organisers explain, "We are really looking at strengthening the relationship between children and their caregivers at home on a daily basis by awakening a sense of play and joy in their lives." This strategy involves the following components:

• Partner with CBOs to complement existing services provided to children and their caregivers;
• Reach out to all vulnerable children and caregivers, not only children orphaned by HIV/AIDS but all those affected;
• Educate children and community members on HIV/AIDS prevention, non-violent conflict resolution, diversity, and compassion for those suffering from the disease;
• Foster emotional recovery from abandonment and loss through caring and nurturing interaction and positive reinforcement of social values that promote peace, diversity, and community;
• Facilitate social integration of children and reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease;
• Establish relationships that can enhance recovery over a period of time by connecting the children with local performers and artists, schools, and home-based care centres; and
• Contribute to learning on the part of community volunteers and organisation staff workers who are interested in learning how to use theatre as psychological therapy. The focus is on developing long-term capacity for local community involvement and empowerment.

Project Njabulo "interventions" range from 5-10-day residencies; the latter involve:

• circus performances based on a theme of concern (e.g., HIV/AIDS, and compassion for those people living with the disease);
• workshops for children and caregivers that aim to develop tools for resilience through drama, play, and mindfulness-based techniques that work to strengthen existing nurturing relationships within the family structure, to develop a peer-support network for both children and caregivers, and to provide a sense of joy, safety, community, and emotional well-being;
• training for adults and community volunteers on using theatre and performing arts in their ongoing psychosocial work;
• performances by the affected children for the local community and caregivers, which use nonverbal physical comedy, music, storytelling, and dance in an effort to help transform places of grief into joy by creating an atmosphere of celebration; and
• a reflection and assessment meeting with the children, staff members, and CWB team.

Children, HIV/AIDS.

Between 2004 and 2007, CWB sent teams of clowns, teachers and performers to Southern Africa to visit urban and rural communities. As of August 2007, they have performed for more than 110,000 children and adults in community centres, schools, fields, hospitals, and children’s villages. Reflecting on these experiences, CWB suggests that “Children between the ages of 6 to 16 and their caregivers receive the most benefit from our interactions and can improve their psycho-social condition over the long term."

CWB is an international humanitarian organisation that provides laughter and emotional relief to children in communities of crisis around the world. Since 1993 they have sent hundreds of expeditions to areas including Sudan, Nepal, Haiti, and Southern Africa. CWB also works to raise awareness of conditions encountered in the field and to promote solidarity between people and cultures.