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How one charity kept children smiling through the pandemic

By March 25, 2021 No Comments

“The idea is to provide a clown activity or trick every day so that after three or four weeks, children will be able to create their own clown show in their living room, which they could film and send to grandparents or friends,” said Holdsworth. “I like the idea of hundreds of children being little joy makers with their clown shows. These are serious times so our need for laughter, humour and joy is greater than ever.”


They say comedy is a serious business and that’s certainly the case for Clowns Without Borders UK, which helps spread laughter among children in refugee camps, conflict zones and disaster areas – vital work that has seen it win the first ever Kindness Awards.

“The timing of this couldn’t be better because the climate we’re operating in is very uncertain,” said Samantha Holdsworth, the charity’s director. “It’s a gift from the clown gods.”

Clowns Without Borders works with professional artists to create shows that encourage children living through crises to laugh, dance and play. Until recently the charity was working in Moira refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, where 20,000 people live in dire conditions. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced the organisation to put its performances on hold.

“Circumstances are difficult right now and we know that the first cases of coronavirus are in Lesbos,” said Holdsworth. “After [the pandemic] there’s going to be such a need to provide something light and joyful. People are going to need some form of psychosocial relief.”

In response to coronavirus, Clowns Without Borders is going to livestream clown workshops online for children living in lockdown, so they can learn how to put on their own shows at home.

“The idea is to provide a clown activity or trick every day so that after three or four weeks, children will be able to create their own clown show in their living room, which they could film and send to grandparents or friends,” said Holdsworth. “I like the idea of hundreds of children being little joy makers with their clown shows. These are serious times so our need for laughter, humour and joy is greater than ever.”

 

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Written by Sarah LaBrecque & Garvin Haines
Image: Diego Ibarra Sanchez / Clowning Without Borders
Publication date: March 23, 2021

Did you know that Clowning without Borders is active in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia?
Learn more about this great organization @ CWB International

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