5) Description of initiative: Search for Common Grounds participatory theatre for conflict transformation is aimed at promoting peaceful solutions to conflict in DRC. In particular, we are focusing on the conflicts inherent in the process of repatration of hundreds of thousands of Congolese now returning home after up to ten years in neighbouring countries as refugees. When they return home, they find innumerable conflicts, including material ones (land and propery confiscated) as well as psychological ones (prejudices, jealousy, rumours, and stereotypes). This situation leads to many conflicts inherent in this repatriation proceses. The project involves the use of participatory theatre troupes, whereby the troupe goes into a community, and first they LISTEN. They ask questions of the people of all social classes to find out what kinds of conflicts exist. Based on these real life conflicts, the actors develop a scenario which ressembles the conflict in the community. The same day, they present the play, from beginning to end, in front of the public. Then they stop, and redo the play again, scene by scene. They then invite the audience members to identity what went wrong where... what could have been different to avoid us falling into a violent solution? This is when the audience members join the actors on the 'stage' (it's outdoor in public space mostly), and take on the role of one of the actors in the scene to make it end up... otherwise... bettter. We have already reached out to more than 20 or 30,000 people in South Kivu province of the war-torn eastern DRC with this technique. Our beneficiaries are the returnees and the residents who have stayed behind, who are now welcoming back the returnees. The beneficiaries are also the actors in the theatre troupes that Search for Common Ground has trained, who now are becoming tools for social dialogue, for conflict transformation, and for positive change. We focus particularly in areas where there is extreme poverty and competition for resource

6) Description of innovation: There is a lot of theatrical talent in the DRC. And yet both actors and the average people don't necessarily see that these actors can be conduits for peaceful social change. In addition, Search for Common Ground's technique of participatory theatre is a combination of various techniques (Forum Theatre, Playback Theatre, Image Theatre) etc, but which crosses this with the conflict transformation methodology. In early 2007, Search for Common Ground will be launching a print and video manual in French and English on how to apply this technique, as we believe it is very useful for theatre professionals around the world. Our theatre approach draws on mediation and collective dialogue approaches, and yet is based on strong artistic professional techniques that reach out to both the 'head and the heart.' This is one of the reasons that it is so effective, and is enabling people to testify that, because of our theatre, they are able to see how they can address the conflicts in their lives without violence. These are the kinds of testimonies that we are receiving from audience members in South Kivu province each and every day.

7) Delivery model: Search for Common Ground's participatory theatre troupes go out to the communities, meet them, and then put on a show the same day in the afternoon. Because of the inacccessibility of many towns and villages in the DRC, they travel in 4x4 jeeps, and then walk or ride on bicycle taxis to meet the people in the peripheral parts of the communities. They then choose a central place, such as the marketplace, a school, or outside the church after the services on Sunday, to define a space for their show. Sometimes we use 'invisible theatre' techniques, which entails improvising a scene in a public place in order to spark reactions from the public on a certain theme. This then creates interest, and can be used as a way to lead the people interested in the subject to the place where the actual participatory theatre show will take place. We also collaborate with local associations, radio stations and word of mouth to let people know about the upcoming performances.

8) Key operational partnerships: We have many key partners which reinforce and complement our approach. We are a partner with the UN High Commission for Refugees, who see our work as a way of ensuring that the repatriation process does not breed more conflicts, or that they are managed peacefully. We also partner with local Mediation and Conciliation Committees, which can take on cases of conflict of people who are inspired by the participatory theatre and want to find another path other than violence. We also collaborate, of course, with local talent in the shape of local actors in theatre troupes who have benefited from our training and support. In every town and village, the local authorities, civil society, traditional chiefs and others are consulted about the conflict dimensions in the area before the show is performed. The same is for the military, police and other authorities. All of these partnerships are critical to ensuring that the actors have the real picture of what is going on in the community.

9) Financial model: Acccess to Search for Common Ground's participatory theatre is FREE!

          • Costs as percentage of income: 0

          • Financing: It is financed with support from Search for Common Ground's various donors in the DRC, including the UNHCR, USAID, British Cooperation, and Swedish cooperation.

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: The project has contributed to the general absence of violent conflict in the process of repatriation of tens of thousands of Congolese returnees to South Kivu province since the end of 2005. This can be attributed to various factors, but the contribution of Search for Common Ground to the success of this process so far, in terms of conflict transformation, cannot be underestimated. Testimonies point to how peoplee are addressing conflict more collaboratively, be it issues related to land and property conflict, or jealousy and mistrust. Given the ripe climate for violence in war-ravaged South Kivu province, this contribution cannot be underestimated.

          • Number of clients in past year: There have been approximately 40 to 50,000 people who have benefited from the participatory theatre for conflict transformation activities around the country, but particularly in South Kivu provice.

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: The aim is to reinforce the capacity of a large number of theatre professionals working in conflict-prone zones to be able to use this approach. This will transform them from just popular actors to agents for social change. This will enable communities to make use of their artistic expression for creativing constructive social dialogue, and addressing conflict in their daily lives through a theatre technique which is relevant and useful

12) Origin of the initiative: Comedy is everywhere in the DRC. There is extraordinary talent, and there is an openness in the verbal and corporal expression in DRC that is not evident everywhere in the world. It is thus natural that this powerful resource --- up to now used by politicians to carry out their propaganda campaigns -- could be channeled towards a good for the larger community. But the idea of just 'putting on more plays' wouldn't do it. That's why Search for Common Ground decided to integrate a set of participatory techniques and combine it with key conflict transformation approaches (such as active listening) to create an innovative new approach.

Contact Information:
Lena  Slachmuijlder
Director
Search for Common Ground in DRC
(NGO)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the