Dramatic Need

Dramatic Need is a UK-based charity that sends international and local volunteers in the creative arts (such as actors, artists and musicians) to South Africa and Rwanda to host workshops with children living in underprivileged rural communities. The charity promotes creative expression as a tool for conflict resolution, social development, gender empowerment and the assimilation of health messages in underprivileged communities. Volunteers on the Dramatic Need programme work with the children towards producing a performance or exhibition based on the issues that directly affect their communities. The charity has been particularly effective in encouraging young people to discuss and challenge the stigma surrounding HIV/Aids. Dramatic Need currently has links with 19 schools in South Africa and Rwanda, reaching almost 5,000 school-aged children in some of the most impoverished and isolated parts of rural Southern Africa. Through our workshops conducted by professional artists we augment whatever arts education already exists in schools. We stress that volunteers are not teachers and are not replacing existing arts education or educators. The Official Patron of Dramatic Need is Her Excellency Dr Lindiwe Mabuza, South African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The Board of Trustees includes the Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle and South African-born actor Sir Antony Sher.