Benne Erasto Banda

Zambia

Benne is an accomplished Zambian cultural artistic practitioner with a journalism background. He is a thespian who has also been involved in arts administration for more than a decade. He belongs to local and international networks of cultural animators and mentors.

Benne is a proponent of critical thinking and creative expression works aimed at uplifting youths’ creative minds through anti-corruption, human rights, HIV and health-related campaigns and Spoken Word. He has worked on productions for radio, television, and stage and community theatre at home and abroad.

Banda has taken his theatrical, cultural and artistic work to various eastern and southern African countries, the UK, Finland and the Caribbean islands. He works with Arts Acres Afrika, in Zambia, and Theatrum Botanicum, a UK theatre company. He appeared in FOOTERS, Zambia’s debut production at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival.

Benne is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand under the Drama for Life Programme.

Bernard Bongkisheri Wirsiy

Cameroon

Bernard Bongkisheri Wirsiy was born on August 9 1975, in Kumbo, in Cameroon’s northwest region. He obtained a BA in Theatre Arts and Cinematography from the University of Yaounde 1 in the 2008/2009 academic year.

As a theatre performer, he has featured in a number of productions, including The Crusade, Back to school, Nkuma and Workshop Negative. He has also appeared in a few radio and TV dramas, and has some silver screen time in the movies, City Mask, Facing Destiny and Too Late to Repent. He has been backstage manager on a good number of dramatic plays, and has done a stint as a cameraman. Wirsiy has also had a hand in organising and facilitating The Forest Dialogue (TFD) workshops in Cameroon.

Wirsiy sees his time at Wits as contributing to building his community development skills, especially in the areas of HIV and AIDS education. He also expects to extend his acting and facilitating skills, and is looking forward to using Applied Theatre skills to better organise and run TFD workshops on HIV and AIDS sensitization. He would also like to work with trainers in Applied Theatre.

Cheraé Halley

South Africa

Cheraé Halley grew up in the town of East London, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province. 

From adolescence Cheraé was often involved in working with surrounding communities that fall within the Buffalo City Municipality. She was particularly passionate about the Rally to Read programme, a rural literacy education project that supplies remote schools in South Africa with reading material.

Within the arts environment, Cheraé took drama as an extra-curricular activity, performing in her primary school’s annual plays. She went on to study drama in high school and matriculated with a distinction. Cheraé was also awarded full colours for drama.

Cheraé is an honours graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand, where she received her Bachelors degree in Dramatic Arts. Cheraé went on to complete three years of South African Sign Language Studies as an extra course. 

Having studied Applied Theatre and Performance Studies, Cheraé has a burning desire to create theatre with both deaf and hearing people. 

As a student she has worked on small projects within the deaf community, via DeafSA (Deaf Federation of South Africa) and SANDA (South African National Deaf Association). 

Cheraé is a member of one of only two Playback Theatre companies in South Africa, where she is currently taking part in training.

Apart from this Cheraé is studying for her MA in Dramatic Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she has specific interest in performance and further investigating the use of South African sign language as a performance tool.

Ebenezer Quarcoo

Ghana

Ebenezer Quarcoo (27) holds a BA Hons in Information Studies and Religion from the University of Ghana in Legon.

Following his national service with the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), Ebenezer joined the German Technical Corporation Regional Co-ordination Unit For HIV and TB ( GTZ-ReCHT) as a intern from April 2008 to May 2009. 

GTZ-ReCHT is involved in a number of workplace and outreach programmes on HIV and AIDS and TB and Ebenezer was tasked with the organisation of their resource centre and assisting with administrative duties.

In June 2009 he was appointed junior expert project officer, a post he held for seven months. During this time he was responsible for three workplace programmes:

• An HIV and AIDS and TB workplace programme for construction workers under GTZ-SfDR
• A comprehensive and sustainable HIV and AIDS and TB workplace programme for the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Centre
• A comprehensive and sustainable HIV and AIDS and TB workplace programme for the Ministry of Justice.
  

Ebenezer is looking forward to completing the Drama For Life Masters Programme to enrich his knowledge on various forms of educational media.

Evaristo Abreu

Mozambique

Evaristo Abreu was born in Maputo in 1966. He started his drama career in 1984 and has since directed and performed in about 100 conventional and community plays produced by the Tchova Xita Duma, Mutumbela Gogo and Mbêu theatre groups.

Evaristo has also worked in television and cinema as an actor, assistant director and producer. From 1997 to 2004 he studied social sciences at the University Eduardo Mondlane in Maputo.

From 1987 to 2009 he participated in festivals and conferences in Europe, Brazil, southern Africa and the Maghreb. From 1999 to 2005 he produced the Festival of August (Festival International de Teatro D’Agosto) in Maputo.

Evaristo has worked for many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as a consultant and facilitator. He has also participated in workshops focused on the techniques of drama and community theatre in collaboration with artists from Mozambique, Zambia, Finland, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Brazil and other countries. 

Evaristo has also trained 190 actors in different Mozambican provinces for NGOs such as World Vision and Save the Children.

In 2007 he won the Best Actor prize at the Cineport Paraiba International Film Festival held in Brazil, for his role in the film, Another Man’s Garden, directed by Sol de Carvalho. In 2008 he was invited as special guest to Augsburg Brecht Connected Festival (ABC).

Currently Evaristo is studying towards his Master’s in Drama Degree at Wits University in Johannesburg, through the Drama for Life Programme, thanks to a scholarship from the Goethe Institute.

Faith Koli-Matu

Kenya

Faith Koli-Matu was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya.

She holds a diploma in television production and has worked on groundbreaking projects such as Tazama! and Agenda Kenya, among others, which have resulted in significant changes to television programming in Kenya. Faith is also a television production management skills trainer. Before joining DFL Faith worked as a news room co-ordinator and administrator for the Nairobi Al Jazeera bureau.

Faith’s passion for working with communities extends back to her school days, when she was a Girl Guide and welcomed opportunities to work with impoverished communities in the slums of Nairobi.

She also worked as a facilitator at the DEPOT, an organisation that focuses on team-building activities and leadership skills in Nairobi, Kenya.

Faith describes herself as “a creative at heart”, whose love for poetry, African fashion, music theatre and African markets means she is always looking for ideas to turn television concepts into reality.

“I’m looking forward to learning new methods and techniques for using drama and theatre, so I can make a positive change back home”, she says.

Ithateleng Itee Masilo-Sesinyi

Lesotho

Ithateleng is a young vibrant Mosotho woman who is passionate about the arts. Her passion dates back to primary school, although it wasn’t fully ignited until 2006, during her second year at the National University of Lesotho, where she majored in theatre and drama and French.

Ithateleng lists time spent with the The Winter-Summer Institute (WSI) as the highlight of her studies as a theatre practitioner.

Throughout varsity life she was involved in HIV and AIDS productions including It’s Just You and me, My Wife and your Boyfriend/Ke nna le Uena and Mosali oaka le Mohlankana oa hao Feela. Ithateleng was also involved in the radio play, Ke linako, which highlighted gender-based issues.

After graduating Ithateleng became involved in a theatre project as a master facilitator. The project enjoys the support of UNICEF and is aimed at facilitating behavior change among young people and adolescents. She considers this her best work to date. 

Through the Drama for Life programme Ithateleng hopes to acquire the necessary skills to realise her vision of using the arts to heal, and to open a forum for issues relating to the abuse of women.

John Mughobi Sagatti

Tanzania

John Mughobi Sagatti was born in 1970 in Dodoma, Tanzania. He is a graduate of the University of Dar es Salaam, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre and Music. John also holds a National Diploma in Arts from the Bagamoyo College of Arts.

John has been actively involved in numerous artistic productions and performances as an actor, producer, audio and lighting technician, stage and set designer, performer, tutor, presenter and facilitator.

For the past 14 years he has been acting in UNDP/RTD’s (Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam) educational production entitled Twende na Wakati. The production has won four global awards in recognition of its role as an educational programme that focuses on advocacy for change in reproductive health and HIV and AIDS issues.

John also has extensive experience and knowledge in the field of audio and lighting for theatre and studio works. He has a strong passion for teaching and developing skills related to the arts.

His desire is to work with children and the youth. He has a particular penchant for jazz, music education and Theatre in Education (TIE), especially children’s theatre.

For the past three years, John has been teaching at Taasisi ya Sanaa na Utamaduni Bagamoyo – TaSUBa (The Institute of Arts and Culture, Bagamoyo).

He is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Dramatic Arts – Applied Drama, through the Drama for Life Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Kitso Masi

Botswana

Young, gifted and dynamic, Kitso Masi received a nomination by the Junior Chamber International - a international youth organisation - as one of the “2009 Junior Chamber International Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World” for the work he has done in empowering young people.

A strong leader in the movement for an HIV and AIDS - free generation in Botswana, Kitso was a contestant in season two, and an I-Reporter in the third season of the pan-African reality television series, Imagine Afrika. As a motivational speaker, facilitator and peer educator Kitso has presented at a number of international workshops and seminars.

As an artist, Kitso has performed in stage productions including Serlan and Merriam, The Facilitator in a Rehearsal and Athol Fugard’s Nongogo. He was also instrumental in the launch of Mama Theatre. In 2004 in Botswana, Kitso was chosen as a facilitator for Project Phakama run by the Arts Council of England and the Baring Foundation.

Kitso has a passionate belief in the use of sport as a tool to help motivate behavioural change among young people, a cause that he supports in the public arena.

He is currently the executive director of the South East District Youth Empowerment League (SEDYEL), a youth-led sports and community development programme in Botswana.

Kitso is interested in researching how theatre can be linked to sport as a development concept to attain social change.

Ookeditse Phala

Botswana

Ookeditse Phala has 11 years’ experience using theatre on stage, radio and television as a tool for behaviour change.

He has amassed invaluable experience in interactive acting, message-processing with a live audience, writing scripts for behavioural change, theatre skills training, health training, directing and management of community projects.

Ookeditse has also worked with various local, regional and international NGOs and private organisations, to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS issues through participatory theatre. His most recent work was industrial theatre for Intersite South Africa, in collaboration with the Netherlands-based Kgotla Company.

Ookeditse holds a BA (Honours) Degree in Dramatic Art and is currently pursuing a Masters in Dramatic Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Pearl Mbolekwa

South Africa

Pearl Mbolekwa (29) was born in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, and is currently living in Bloemfontein in the Free State Province of South Africa.

Pearl is an educator and South African sign language interpreter. She has worked at the Resource for the Blind in Lesotho as a Braille transcriber, and as an educator at various schools, both inclusive and special. Pearl has also worked as a community development worker for the blind.

While working as a South African sign language interpreter for the Free State Department of Health, Pearl was responsible for ensuring that disabled people in the Free State were provided with hospital access.

Pearl continued with the same line of work after joining Wits University’s Disability Unit, but today she accompanys deaf Wits students to their respective classes.

At present Pearl is studying for her BA (Hon) in Drama, through Drama for Life at Wits. She would like to use her teaching and facilitation skills to “close the gap between the deaf and the hearing”. She believes that drama offers the most powerful means of achieving this goal.

Ruth Makumbirofa

Zimbabwe

Born and bred in Zimbabwe, Ruth Makumbirofa never imagined becoming a professional in the theatre fraternity.

Ruth’s first encounter with the unique influence that drama was to have on her life was during her period as a volunteer peer educator in rural Zimbabwe. As a peer educator she facilitated HIV and AIDS and reproductive health lessons with adolescents, using drama. On the same programme, she worked as a volunteer research assistant and since then, has been involved with two research bodies studying women and HIV and AIDS. 

Following her volunteer work, Ruth enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe where she began serious studies in theatre. After obtaining an Honours degree in theatre arts, she worked at the Moving Community Theatre Festival in Harare before joining the Savanna Trust, an arts-for-development organisation, as a programmes officer.

Ruth is passionate about making a contribution to the vibrant community theatre movement and to improving the general welfare of artists.

Through the unique Drama for Life platform Ruth looks forward to exploring exciting potential strategies in which drama transforms lives. 

Shella Ngefor

Cameroon

Shella Ngefor was born in 1989, and is the third child and only daughter in her family. She has five brothers.

Her first contact with the magic of theatre was in Form Five, when she was inspired to study theatre at Cameroon’s University of Yaounde. Shella emerged with her BA (Hons) degree in Theatre Arts. Shella has since participated in many stage performances, as well as in a few television dramas.

Her passion for touching people’s lives led her to participate in a Theatre for Development workshop. In the capacity of field assistant she found herself working with children at an SOS village in Mbalmayo, Cameroon. Shella also took part in a children’s theatre festival in Ebolowa, Cameroon, also as an assistant.

Thanks to the German Technical Co-operation (GTZ), Shella is presently studying for her Master’in Dramatic Art at the University of the Witwatersrand.

On completing her studies, Shella plans to use her skills to transform the lives of people she encounters.

Tonderai Cosmas Chiyindiko

Zimbabwe

Tonderai Cosmas Chiyindiko holds a BA (Hon) in Theatre Arts from the University of Zimbabwe and is currently doing a Masters in Dramatic Arts at Wits University.

He has worked in various capacities for arts and culture organisations, such as the Harare International Festival of the Arts, as HifAmigos manager, and Alliance Française Harare, as a cultural affairs and communications officer.

Tonderai is also a qualified events co-ordinator, having worked with Zimbabwe Music Awards and the National Arts Merit Awards. He studied Exhibition and Events Management at Damelin College in South Africa.

Tonderai has acted in and directed numerous theatre productions. These include Death of a Salesman where he played Willy Loman and in Stephen Chifunyise’ Muramu. His short- and feature-film credits include Akakodzera Ndiani (2008), The Zimbabwe I know (2009) and Sores of Emmanuel (2009).

Tonderai also featured in the first-ever Zimbabwean soap opera, Studio 263, which was specifically aimed at addressing HIV and AIDS through edu-tainment. He also did a stint as a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Zimbabwe while enrolled to do an MA in Drama.

The Zimbabwean lists his passion as a desire “to work with individuals and communities to look beyond their daily challenges through innovative, groundbreaking and engaging methods of performance and theatre-making, and to use film and docu-drama as tools to highlight social concerns”.

Tshiamo Petersen

Botswana

Born in 1985, Tshiamo Petersen grew up in a mixed-race, multi-cultural family. This placed her in a space where she learnt Setswana, English, Shekgalagadi and German as her mother tongues.

In 2009, Tshiamo graduated from the University of Botswana attaining merits for her research essay, Urban Legend: The Art of Oral Traditions in Modern Botswana, her performance in Clash of Cultures and for the sets she designed for a series of 10-minute plays produced to complete her BA (English).

The challenges that came with her unique heritage were, and still are, inspiration for her quest to find practical and contextual ways of understanding, acknowledging and accepting differences amongst people.

Her taking on a BA (Hon) in Applied Drama is the result of a constant personal struggle for acceptance, and the realisation that drama has the ability to strip away the imbalances within an individual and in society.

In the future, Tshiamo sees herself working in drama therapy, related to applying drama to marginalised groups’ issues, and to capacity development in HIV and AIDS education.

Bhekilizwe Bernard Ndlovu

Zimbabwe

Bhekilizwe Bernard Ndlovu completed his Master of Art in Dramatic Art in 2010 and immediately got involved in the formation of the then Drama for life Zimbabwe Social Justice Project now called the Drama for Life Human Rights and Social Justice Project. Bheki graduated with a distinction in his research project. He has written and staged two plays called The Trial of the Senoir Citizen and Woza Zimbo. The plays look at the Zimbabwean social justice and human rights landscapes. Woza Zimbo shows at the Market Theatre lab between the 4th and the 15th of September 2011 as part of the Drama for Life Woza Zimbo Arts Experience.

Bheki also works for Themba Interactive as a Facilitator/Trainer. He views this part of his work as not just a job but a calling as he works with prisoners, youths and workers in exploring behavioural change around the subject of HIV/AIDS. He has done work at Sun City and Leeukop Prisons. He views prisoners as his brothers needing company and comfort from the outside world.

Ndlovu loves writing, directing and training. He is currently writing a movie called ‘Our Fathers who art on earth…’

Bheki is a seasoned Human Resources Practitioner who feels that drama is taking more of his time and he cannot complain as the two fields are hugely related. Training is an integral part of both and he likes it like that.

Clara Baumann

Germany

Clara Baumann was born in Mettingen (close to Osnabrueck), Germany, on October 13, 1991 and joined DFL in August 2011.

She grew up next to Husum - which is a nice town close to the Northern Sea - where she also finished high school in 2011. After graduating from high school, her first idea was to take part in a volunteer project in Latin America, when she read about DFL and was fascinated by the work of the Drama for Life Project, so she decided to leave Germany to go to South Africa.

Clara is interested in South Africa’s historical past and the current political situation. Besides doing drama, singing, dancing and playing badminton, Clara loves organizing things.

She works as Warren’s assistant and supports him from the Project Office on University Corner, 17th floor.

Hazel Barnes

South Africa

Hazel Barnes is a Senior Research Associate in Drama and Performance Studies on the Pietermaritzburg campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is also a Mellon Visiting Scholar at the University of Cape Town and Consultant and Member of the Research Committee of Drama for Life and visiting lecturer, Division of Dramatic Arts, Witwatersrand University. She has a particular interest in Applied Drama for healing and development but has also directed and acted.

Joe Teffo

South Africa

Joe Teffo (known as Joe Black) is a young seasoned dancer, actor, musical performer and teacher. He holds a BA hons in performance, physical theatre and television studies from Wits University and BA Dramatic arts from University of Pretoria. He trained with Moving into dance (MID) in contemporary, afro fusion and afro jazz.

After completing his studies he worked for Music Mayday Holland as a residence dancer and arts administrator. His dance credit includes working with likes of Luyanda sidiya, David Matemela, Tshwane Dance Company.

Currently Joe works as a freelance dance teacher at National children theatre (Parktown) and works at Drama for Life Company Lab. He is passionate about the performing arts industry.

Jonathan Dobrawa

Germany

Jonathan Dobrawa was born near Osnabrueck, Northern Germany, in 1991.
He finished high school in summer 2011. After 13 interesting years in school he aimed to see some more of the world before beginning his studies. He liked the idea of being in a totally different country and surrounding for one year, learning things that are not taught in school.
During schooldays Jonathan was engaged in politics, as well as in sports, music and drama.
He is highly interested in South African history and politics, so he is very glad to have the opportunity to live in Johannesburg for one year and to be a member of the Drama For Life team. 

Kennedy Chinyowa

Zimbabwe

Kennedy Chinyowa is currently the Head of the Division of Dramatic Art and Senior Lecturer in Applied Drama and Theatre at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Previously, he was postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Drama and Performance Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (2006 – 7) and the Department of Drama and Film Studies (2008) at Tshwane University of Technology. He has taught at several universities including the University of Zimbabwe, Griffith University (Australia), and University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) and Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa). He was a visiting scholar in the Centre for Applied Theatre Research at Griffith University where he obtained his PhD degree in Theatre for Development.

He has won numerous research awards such as the American Alliance for Theatre in Education’s Distinguished Thesis Finalist Award, Griffith University’s Postgraduate Research Scholarship, the International Postgraduate Research Scholarship and the University of Zimbabwe’s Staff Development Fellowship.

Apart from presenting several papers and workshops at international conferences, he has published widely in books and refereed journals such as Research in Drama Education (UK), Studies in Theatre and Performance (UK), Drama Research (UK), Nadie Journal (Australia), Literary Criterion (India), South African Theatre Journal and Alternation (South Africa).

Levinia Jones

South Africa

Levinia Jones holds a BADA Honours degree from Wits University majoring in Physical Theatre and Performing Arts Management. Levinia is passionate about holistic education and development. She is currently the DFL Projects Manager and Festival Director. She took up this position in 2010 after returning from travels across India and Thailand.

This year has also seen Levinia lecture at Wits University on the Performing Arts Management course at fourth year level. In May she co-choreographed (with Jessica Denyschen) a physical theatre performance titled T/here for the Wits Arts and Literature (WALE)  festival. She was the Festival Director for the WALE Festival in 2010.

In 2008 she choreographed 23 Doors for the Small Stakes Festival in Johannesburg. In the same year she was also nominated for an MEC award for her performance in Touch, choreographed by Athena Mazarakis.

From 2008 to 2009, Levinia was the Programme Manager for DFL. During this period, she assisted with the Initial Drama for Life Workshop Festival and the first Africa Research Conference in Applied Drama and Theatre. Levinia has been privileged enough to see 3 years of DFL students through the Scholarship programme.

With 10 years of professional teaching experience, Levinia has taught drama and movement in South Africa and Botswana, both privately and within the school syllabi. She has taught I.E.B, O.E.B, A Level, Trinity College London, South African Guild and Matric drama systems. Levinia’s students have ranged from 3 years old to adults.

Levinia co-authored the Creative and Performing Arts syllabus (student and teacher manuals) for the Botswana Department of Education, published by Longman Botswana. In addition, she created and facilitated teachers training programs in the new syllabus for schools in Botswana.

Lonwabo Mavuso

South Africa

Lonwabo Mavuso holds a Bachelor’s in Dramatic Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, where he majored in performing arts management and project and production development.

Lonwabo has worked on numerous major professional projects during the course of his studies, including the Bafundi Film and TV Festival. The Bafundi Film and TV Festival, in partnership with the SABC Industry Development Unit and Gauteng Film Commission (GFC), provided a platform where young film makers were given the opportunity to screen their work and to interact with industry role players and stakeholders.

As one of the founders of the Bafundi Film and TV Festival, Lonwabo’s role in this project was to head up marketing and overseeing the screenings during the festival. He was later appointed as project administrator, were he was responsible for overseeing festival operations.

Lonwabo went on to work on the organising teams for the Tri- Continental Film Festival, the Drama for Life Festival and The Africa Research Conference in Applied Drama and Theatre. Lonwabo is passionate about the arts and culture industry and has a keen interest in developing arts management skills for artists in less privileged areas.

Miriam Behrendt

Germany

Miriam Behrendt was born on May 11th, 1985 in Bielefeld (Germany).

She completed her MA Degree in Journalism and Culture Studies at Leipzig University (Germany) and supports the Drama For Life-Team in publicity and fundraising.

For the last five years she has worked as a journalist for German broadcasting and online publishing companies as well as a freelance presenter for international events like the short film festival “Filmfest Dresden”.

Since high school Miriam has had a passion for film and drama and also took part in her school’s theatre project.

She fell in love with South Africa in 2004 when she participated in a volunteer project in Kayamandi-Stellenbosch. Five years later she came back to the country to study at the Department of Journalism at Stellenbosch University and was very happy when she got the chance to join Drama for Life through a GIZ internship programme.

At Wits you will find her at UC 17, Room 16.

Munyaradzi Chatikobo

Zimbabwe

Munyaradzi Chatikobo is currently the Programme Manager of Drama for Life. He is an arts administrator and performing arts manager. He is also an educator, a leader and a facilitator in applied drama and theatre in developmental, education, health, arts, culture and youth projects.
 
He has vast work experience in arts education management, which is backed by sound academic background and in-service training in various aspects of performing arts management.

Munyaradzi graduated from University of Zimbabwe in 1995 with a Special Honours in Theatre where he was awarded a University Book Prize.

He recently successfully completed a Master Arts Degree in Dramatic Art under Drama for Life in the Division of Dramatic Art-Wits School of Arts. His research area was ‘Examining Sustainability of Drama and Theatre Initiatives in Southern Africa: A Case Study of Southern Africa Theatre Initiative (SATI).’

The study was about unpacking, understanding and interpreting the macro politics of drama and theatre initiatives in southern Africa with focus on partnership and programming policies of Northern and Southern NGOs. It was to an attempt establish the underlying philosophy that informs decisions that influence the sustainability or rather lack of sustainability of drama and theatre interventions in southern Africa

His work is guided by a philosophy of open participation, democracy and ubuntu which fosters the spirit of sharing, caring, constructive criticism and gender sensitivity in a multi-cultural environment. He believes in empowerment of people with self identity, self belief and life skills for negotiating local and global challenges and subscribe to the Charter of Ethical Practice for Applied Drama and Theatre Practitioners. 

Munyaradzi has work experience in government, non-governmental organisations and private sector, where he held positions of administrative assistant, administrator, programme officer, programme manager, production manager, general manager, consultant and board member in Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa. 

Nele Frie

Germany

Nele Frie was born in Westerstede, Germany, on April 8, 1993.

She grew up in her birthplace, which is a small town in northern Germany. There she also completed high school in spring 2011.

Because of her interest in different cultures she decided to go abroad for a year before starting to study in Germany.
When she read about the “Drama for Life” project she thought that it is a really good and interesting way to think and speak about important topics in a society by doing Applied Theatre.
That is why she is really happy about getting the chance to work for “Drama for Life”.

At Wits she works on the 17th floor of the University Corner, assisting in the Project Office.

Ntombi Nkuna

South Africa

Ntombifuthi Nkuna (known as Ntombi) is an Honors graduate majoring in Physical theatre and Performance studies (movement, acting and voice training) from the University of Witwatersrand.  She is currently studying her Masters in Arts, Culture and Heritage Management at the University of Witswatersrand and working at Drama for Life as Project Coordinator.

As a performer she has worked with directors such as James Ngcobo, Myer Taub, Tshepo wa Mamato and choreographers like Bailey Snyman and Gregory Maqoma.

Ntombi is also the co-founder of Khwela Theatre Productions, which is a registered community based non-profit organization that creates new theatre works and has school projects within the Sedibeng District.  She is passionate about working within the Arts to bring positive change in the lives of our people.

Tamara Gordon

South Africa

Tamara Gordon attended Rhodes University where she completed an undergraduate degree in Drama and Psychology, graduating in 2004. In 2005 she completed her Honours, specialising in Drama in Education; Dance Culture and Education; Contemporary Performance; Theatre Studies and Physical Theatre. Whilst specialising in Drama in Education, under the supervision of Alexandra Sutherland, Tamara facilitated Process Drama workshops within a variety of Grahamstown’s private, government and township schools, at the Provost Prison and at the Kuyasa Shelter. These workshops combine dramatic and creative techniques within the curriculum to encourage participants to approach the learning experience from new and exciting perspectives.

On leaving Rhodes University, Tamara assumed a junior teaching position in the Drama Department at St Stithians Boys’ College in Johannesburg (January 2006 to December 2007). In this position she was responsible for the teaching of drama theory and practical for Grades 8 to 10, and formulating and facilitating physical theatre and movement courses for Grades 8 to 12. In addition to this Tamara structured and developed the Twananani Community Project at St Stithians Boys’ College. In her role as project co-ordinator she structured a weekly programme to encourage students from the Boys’ College to cross cultural and language barriers and connect with children from Twananani Pre-School through the mediums of art and drama.

In 2006 Tamara assumed a part-time position in the Dramatic Arts Division at the Wits School of Arts, where she lectured Process Drama, working to develop a network of schools for practical placements, facilitating these placements, and guiding the development of the students’ process drama practice. In 2008 Tamara’s lecturing extended into the Drama for Life programme and she co-ordinated Africa’s first Applied Drama and Theatre Conference.

Later in 2008 Tamara began her Masters in Drama and Movement Therapy (Sesame) at the Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London. Having completed her Masters, Tamara has rejoined the Dramatic Arts Division and the Drama for Life programme.

Warren Nebe

South Africa

Warren Nebe is the Director of Drama for Life. He is a theatre director, senior lecturer, a HPCSA and NADT registered Drama Therapist and a Fulbright Alumni. He is also the Managing Director of Themba Interactive – Initiatives for Life.

His research focuses on identity construction, representation and memory in South Africa through an auto-ethnographic theatre-making approach. This research is articulated in the Transformation Project supported by the Wits Transformation Office and Carnegie Corporation. Notions of identity are explored in two theatre productions, ID Pending and Hayani, under his direction.

Warren is also a research member of the Wits School of Human & Community Development, Apartheid Archives Research Project. His other research focuses on how an integrated drama and theatre education, therapy and activist approach can foster capacity development in HIV/Aids and Human Rights education throughout Africa.

He curated the SA Theatre Season in 2010, Honouring the Archive: Theatre, Memory and Social Justice, and again in 2011, titled: SA Theatre Season: The Personal Archive: Diversity in Conversation. He is currently working on a Facebook Performance Project exploring race, identity and culture in a cyber dialogue.

Alexander Ptok

Germany

Alexander Ptok was born in Bochum, Germany on September 18, 1990.

He finished high school in 2010 and took part in the school’s Drama Group for the last year. Furthermore he engaged in an HIV and AIDS education Group from 2007 until August 2010.
He has already visited other countries such as Great Britain and France to improve his language skills and to get to know different people and cultures.
Because of that, he chose to participate in the Drama for Life project.

He will spend one year in South Africa with the German development Service to support DFL voluntarily. He is situated at 17th floor University Corner, where he helps Levinia and Lonwabo with the DFL Festival.

Alfred Elikem Kunutsor

Alfred Elikem Kunutsor is a 27 year old native of the Ewe tribe in Ghana who holds a Bachelors degree with Honours in Dramatic Arts from Wits University. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Dramatic Art with interests in Physical theatre and dance. Alfred is a dancer, percussionist, designer and choreographer. He is interested in the physical body and finding ways of breaking limits inscribed on the body in movement due to factors outside and within the self.

Alfred is currently choreographing and directing the music component of Anowa by Ama Ata Aidoo.

Ava Avalos, MD

Ava Avalos is a dancer and a doctor of internal medicine specializing in HIV and AIDS. Her interests in non-Western dance healing practices lead her to the study of physiology and finally to medicine after completing her graduate and undergraduate degrees with dance at UCLA.

For the past seven years, Ava has been living and working in Botswana, now serving as an HIV specialist and technical advisor for the Botswana Ministry of Health.  As coordinator of clinical research, and secretariat to the HIV and AIDS research advisory committee, she oversees all clinical research – with her own areas of clinical research focusing on issues of adherence and the development of resistance mutations to antiretroviral therapy.  She also serves as coordinator of TB and HIV and AIDS integration efforts at the Ministry of Health.

Her greatest joy remains dancing, directly caring for patients and teaching yoga.  To maintain what little sanity is left after her intensive clinical responsibilities, Ava directs the Tshedisa Institute a Care for the Caregiver center where health care providers can come to restore and rejuvenate their body, mind and spirit. 

Candice Steele

South Africa

Candice Steele (nee Levieux) is a programme manager in the Knowledge Fields Development directorate at the National Research Foundation, where she is also the research manager of the South African National Antarctic Programme. She holds a Masters degree in Social Science, which she obtained in 1998 from the School of Environment and Development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her career has been largely in the broad sphere of development, with a particular focus on HIV and AIDS. She is also a graduate of the Wits School of Arts, having completed a postgraduate diploma in Arts and Culture Management in 2007. 

Christopher Odhiambo

Kenya

Christopher ODHIAMBO joseph (CJ)

Is an Associate Professor of Post Colonial Literatures and Applied Drama. Teaches both Literature and theatre at Moi University’s Department of Literature, Theatre and Film Studies. Was awarded a doctorate in drama at Stellenbosch University on a research work that investigated the appropriate procedures and methodology of practice in Theatre for Development in Kenya. The book version of the doctoral thesis was published in Germany in 2008 under the title: Theatre for Development in Kenya: In Search of Appropriate Methodology and Procedure. Has participated in a number of educational and intervention theatre workshops, seminars and conferences locally and internationally as facilitator, paper presenter and keynote speaker. He has published widely on the area of educational and intervention drama/ theatre as well as literature in journals and books. He was the Co-convener and organizer of the International Drama/Theatre Education Association in Kisumu Kenya in 1998 and the KDEA International symposium that preceded it in 1997 at University of Nairobi and Kenya National Theatre. He is a perennial adjudicator at all levels in the Kenya National Schools and Colleges Drama Festival. He pioneered the teaching of theatre at Moi University. In 2007 he won a Mellon post doctoral fellowship to pursue research on the intervention and transformative strategies in the drama(s) of Cameroonian playwright Bole Butake at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He has taught drama at Stellenbosch and Wits University. He also writes short stories, poems and plays; has also directed a number of plays. He was part of the team of experts that designed and implemented the curriculum of DFL and is member of Drama for Life (DfL) research committee. Was one time the project director of IDEA.

Eliana Schueler

Germany

Eliana Schüler was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1989.

Eliana was always interested in the arts, music in particular. She learned playing the piano, later focusing on singing and acting. Alongside school, Eliana worked as a camp counselor and took part in two short-term exchange programs with France that increased her motivation of going abroad for longer periods.

In 2009, Eliana finished high school having majored in English, French and History and planned working in a SOS Children`s Village in the Republic of Niger. Due to the turbulent political situation in Niger, her project was cancelled and that was when she learned about Drama for Life.

For the next ten months, she coordinated the DFL Resource Centre, worked on the DFL Website and supported the Festival Team. Apart from that she was part of an Amnesty International Volunteer group.

Having changed her focus from the arts to social change, she is presently studying towards her Bachelor degrees in Cultural and Social Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Vienna.
Besides that she is involved with an Amnesty International LGBT Rights Network and is tutoring children with migration background.

Insa Kuschnerus

Germany

Insa Kuschnerus was born in Hanover, Germany, on November 21, 1989.

She completed high school in the small town of Bad Honnef and 2009 and was part of the school’s drama group. She also participated in a work group in which she learned about the history and culture of South Africa.

Insa also participated in a schools exchange programme with schools in England and France to improve her language skills. In 2008, she started to write poetry and participated in a few Poetry Slams in Cologne. In 2007, she joined the local group of Amnesty International to volunteer in organising events in protest against human rights violations.

This great appreciation for South Africa and the arts as well as human rights work could only take her to Drama for Life. So Insa applied to the German Development Services to undertake a year volunteering with DFL at Wits University.

She works in the DFL office supporting the programme manager to organise workshops and other events like the DFL welcome reception. She has also contributed to some of the workshops and helped out during the DFL conference.

Julius Lax

Germany

Julius Lax was born in Göttingen, Germany, on September 24, 1990.

He grew up in Oldenburg, which is a small city in northern Germany.

After having completed high school in 2010 he decided to do civilian service to avoid the German military service. Julius got the chance to do his civilian service in a foreign country and since he is very interested in the history of South Africa he is very glad for this opportunity.

Julius is Warren’s assistant and supports him from the Project Office on University Corner, floor 17.

Kirsten Meyer

South Africa

Kirsten Meyer is a registered member of the Health Professions Council of South Africa. She obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Dramatherapy from the University of Hertfordshire (UK) in 1999.  She has worked extensively throughout South Africa in various fields as therapist, facilitator and educator.

She is co-founder and co-director of the Zakheni Arts Therapy Foundation and has run Dramatherapy groups with diverse communities including: female offenders, children and adolescents living with HIV and AIDS. At present, much of her NGO work is focussed around the FireMaker Project; a development project that aims to skill care workers working with children affected and infected by HIV, to use drama, art and play in psychosocial support.

She has run Dramatherapy groups for children and adolescents living with HIV and on antiretroviral treatment for the past five years, developing psychosocial programmes for children and their caregivers.

Kirsten runs a small private practice and regularly conducts workshops on Dramatherapy for interested organisations and individuals.

Before qualifying as a Dramatherapist, Kirsten taught drama at St Barnabas College, for six years. After qualifying as a Dramatherapist her education work has continued. She has worked in a percentage capacity for Wits University School of Education training drama educators for 18 months.  She also lectures part time at Wits School of the Arts in Applied Drama methods.

She regularly conducts workshops for the Curriculum Development project with Arts and Culture educators around the country.

She consults as a therapist for AFDA Johannesburg (the independent school of live and motion picture), as well as lecturing there part-time.

Kirsten is a registered facilitator with the Skills Development SETA.  Her experience and expertise lies in creative group facilitation.  She has been facilitating corporate and organisational workshops over the past seven years for various training and development companies.

She brings with her a sound understanding of the creative arts and how they can be used effectively in education, healing and transformation.

Maída Hernández Lara

Germany

Maída Francisca Hernández Lara was born in Mainz, Germany, on February 7, 1991.

Being half German, half Colombian she grew up in a multi-cultural environment speaking Spanish and German and travelling around the globe.

She completed her hig school in Wiesbaden, a city close to Frankfurt.

To improve her language skills Maída attended an exchange programme in Cairo in grade 11. From her return to Germany until leaving for South Africa she has been training and preparing students for their year abroad.

Back in Germany Maída wants to study international relations in Karlsruhe, combining her passion of exploring new places with her work.

At WITS she works on the 17th floor of the University Corner, assisting Levinia Jones in the Project Office.

Modise Mogotsi

South Africa

Modise Mogotsi trained as an Occupational Therapist from University of Cape Town (UCT) and qualified with Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, BSc (OT). He obtained further education from Umeå Universitet (UMU) by completing Master of Science In Public Health, MSc (PH) with distinction on thesis. Registered with Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF). Also permitted to practice in Norway.

Modise has wide experience in mental, general and public health practice and research. He has engaged with various organisation and/or institutions such as Medical Research Council (MRC) and Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Stellenbosch; Sports Science Institute; Kenilworth Place Addictions Centre; Alexander Forbes; Nairobi Place Addictions Centre (Kenya); Governmental Departments (e.g. Education, Health, Land Affairs); University of the Witwatersrand; Crescent Clinic;  Lifehealthcare group (Bloemcare, Springs Parklands Hospitals); Medi-clinic group (Hydormed, Morningside Hospitals), Netcare group (Garden City Hospital) etc. 

Modise lived, studied and worked in different provinces including Northwest (Mmabatho and Rustenburg); Kwa-Zulu Natal (Durban); Western (Cape Town, Tygerberg and Stellenbosch); Free State (Bloemfontein, Mangaung) and Gauteng Provinces (Johannesburg, Soweto, Sandton; Vereeniging; Pretoria; East, Mid and West Rand). Roles performed included health therapist, education therapist, associate researcher, addictions counsellor, disability consultant, lecturer (Occupational Therapy, Public Health and Dramatic Art), private practitioner, etc.

Modise is currently an active member of Occupational Therapy Association of South Africa (OTASA) performed and/or performing the following functions: Editor of FOCUS (National OTASA Newsletter), Marketing Officer of OTASA Southern Gauteng Branch (SGOT); involved with Psychiatric Occupational Therapists (POTS) and Occupational Therapist in Life Assurance (OTLA); a member of Institute of Occupational Therapists in Private Practice (INSTOPP); a member of International Quality of Life Society (ISOQOL); a member of School-Based Occupational Therapists (SBOT); an active member of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Association of South Africa (ADHASA) performing the following functions: an executive member of ADHASA Soweto Branch (Soweto Project Manager and Professional Liaison), a board member of ADHASA National; a previous member of professional standards and ethical committee at the University of the Witwatersrand; a member of Occupational Therapy Region Group (OTARG) a subsidiary of World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT); International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS); Academic And Non-Fiction Authors’ Association of South Africa (ANFASA).

Modise has promoted the OT profession through various media including print, audio-visual on exhibition (Annual Disability Expo); radio (commercial – Limpopo and community – Johannesburg stations), television (The Chatroom – culture and lifestyle) and video (Western Cape Educational Programme on Addictions).

Modise has attended and presented in various congresses, symposia and/or workshops including ADHASA, SGOT, POTS, OTASA, OTARG, NGOT, OTLA. He published articles in reputable journals including Psyche, Harvard Reviews of Psychiatry, Psychopathology, etc. He has also contributed to chapters in various books as well as special publication such as Occupational Therapy guidelines for Anxiety Disorder aimed at both practitioners and students.

Modise’s most recent work include engagement as an associate researcher on lifestyle and wellness issues covering quality of life and ergonomics; a lecturer and facilitator in Occupational Therapy Department undergraduate program (School of Therapeutic Sciences) covering ethical and legal issues, interview skills, clinical reasoning and (psycho-social) vocational rehabilitation; a lecturer in School of Public Health postgraduate program covering ergonomics and vocational rehabilitation; a lecturer in Drama Department postgraduate program (School of Arts) covering quality of life within drama and theatre practices all at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is also in private practice covering predominantly child, adolescent and adult mental health issues as well as Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) and Medico-Legal (ML).

Modise is a traditional Chinese wushu practitioner in both Shaolin and Wudang systems. He enjoys outdoor life, cooking, music, cycling, walking, dance, hosting and ball games e.g. volleyball. He also engages with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as well as indigenous attitude and knowledge e.g. games.

Monica Newton

South Africa

She has worked with national, provincial and local government and related government agencies since 1997, firstly as a full time employee and later as a consultant. Working across a range of sectors, portfolios and development agendas has provided her with a solid understanding of and insight into the South African economy, policy framework and governance processes. Building on the research, writing and analytical skills provided by her tertiary education, she has acquired a wide range of competencies which include management, research, strategy development, communication, presentation and negotiation.

Ochard Sibanda

Ochard holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Sociology with a specialisation in Labour, Policy and Globalisation. His MA thesis is on peer education and HIV testing. He obtained an award for outstanding performance in Sociology.

Ochard has been extensively involved in researches for the Society, Work and Development Institute (SWOP) at the University of the Witwatersrand. He continues to work with SABCOHA on their provincial conferences, sharing his knowledge with delegates on peer education as an HIV/AIDS intervention in workplaces.

Sophia Ayissi

Germany

Sophia Jacquelina Ayissi Nsegue was born in Bonn, Germany, on February 13, 1991.

Due to her half German, half Cameroonian background she grew up in a multi-cultural environment, always being interested in other countries and cultures.

She finished high School in 2010 with a German and a French graduation and was a member of her school’s Musical and Drama Group. Next to her interest in music (she plays the guitar, the violin and sings), she has always been very attached to film and theater, doing several internships in this domain and intending to study film directing after her year in South Africa. Furthermore she supported her community as a Scout Leader .

She will spend one year in South Africa with the German development Service to support DFL as a volunteer, assisting the program manager in the DFL office.

Tshepiso Konopi

South Africa

Tshepiso Konopi is a young and inspired creative person, from a village in Mafikeng called Magokgwane. His life’s passion is the creation of art especially drama which has the potential of becoming a cure to many socio-psychological and political ills.

Being raised on a diet of folk tales, idioms and deep Setswana riddles, and having studied Acting at Wits University, his calling within this milieu of art is storytelling which encompasses directing, writing and acting. Tshepiso intends to use his skills to empower people who have no means to acquire higher education; to use theatre as a tool of socio- spiritual learning; and to contribute to the greater advancement of performance studies in South Africa, drawing from his traditional and cultural education to enrich theatre practice.

Tshepiso is currently conducting research into actor training methodologies with the intension of creating a viable method that is applicable to young actors of South Africa. The method used will implement acting as a tool for self penetration and inner growth, not the exhibition of ones self for art’s sake.