18th April 1995: We implemented a Theatre for Development programme in Masvingo, Zimbabwe. This programme formed an integral part of our Theatre for Development Masters at Southampton University. This new advanced degree integrates cultural theory and development studies with community drama practices. The course offers a real opportunity for learning to take place within various development contexts in the North and the South.

The project, situated in Sipambi ward, Masvingo, was attached to Rural Unity For Development Organisation,(RUDO), a local non-government organisation (NGO). As Northern practitioners, this experience offered us opportunities to" cross borders" and learn from a Southern context. Whilst operating under the remit of" training trainers" in drama and communication practices, this programme could not be isolated from the reality of the people themselves-the potential trainers, and the wider context of Zimbabwe. To be able to train people, we had to engage with their lived experiences and the wider social structures that impact upon their lives.