charan is the tent village. also known as a slum, it is a temporary housing site with somewhere between 700 and 800 residents. conditions are hard, the people are recieving help from the tong len organisation but they need more!
it is good to make shows, to offer a couple of hours break from the hardships of one's situation.
from today, we got the chance to offer also a workshop so that the kids could try their hands at the circus skills.
will they learn? should they think of circus as a way to earn money? an alternative to begging? is it just a chance to hang out with a few westerners who care about their situation?
the answer is, who knows.. personally i know that it is hard work to get a level of circus that you can really make serious money with and many determined people quit circus before it takes them to the starry heights that each performer may dream of.
what i do know is that it is an opportunity! and opportunities are something all too few in a village like charan.
i have a dream that at least one kid may involve her or himself in circus and chase the dream too it's limits.......... if i can only give time to the kids and see them happy, it is also enough!
This is a great project, Chris. I am sure the children will get a lot out of it. I wish that I could be there to see the fun the children are having. Thank you for all you are doing for Tong-Len. Anna. Director, Tong-Len UK.
ReplyDelete