Afghanistan

Dear Friend,

“Conflict isolates people. Your circus does the opposite.” These words from our new board member capture the heart of our work in Afghanistan.

Conflict, restrictions, and uncertainty isolate children, families, and entire communities. Every day, through Social Circus, children come together to laugh, learn, perform, hope and support one another. For almost 25 years, we have learned an important lesson: what can stop our activities in Afghanistan is not bombs, but isolation.

Every friendship built, every performance, and every shared smile helps break that isolation. Our weekly Zoom meetings and the social media of all our teams help connect our communities, from small Social Circus teams in remote parts of Afghanistan to international friends and partners around the world. Together, we help keep these connections alive and keep our communities connected and free.

All our kids at the Herat Centre are following the regular cultural, educational and social circus activities. They have also proudly participated in regional and national championships, building confidence, celebrating their talents, and showing what they can achieve.

There is also an increasing number of performances by our teams in Herat, as children, Team Leaders, and the wider community are becoming more confident and welcoming of these activities. Increasingly, local schools are also opening their doors to Social Circus activities, creating new opportunities for children to perform, connect, and share joy with others.

This year, a new documentary film about our Social Circus children in Afghanistan has brought positive attention, especially to the girls. If Luck Will Come follows two of our young artists, a girl and a boy, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of children in Afghanistan. The film premiered at the Copenhagen Doxs & Locarno Film Festivals. Watch out for it, and don’t miss it when it comes to your city.

We are deeply thankful for your support. And if, besides financial support, you would like to help even more, please follow our social media channels, share this update with your friends and family, and forward it to your network. Every share helps connect Afghanistan’s children with people who believe in joy, hope, and dreams.

Thank you for standing with us and helping us break isolation.