Brenda Cleary

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Snapshot
Programmatic Focus:
  • Health Education
Country:

Guatemala

Participating Communities:

Chiche

Partner Organization:

The Riecken Foundation

Artistic Medium:

Theater, Clowning

Project Payaso: AIDS Education Through Clowning
(02/01/2008 - 02/06/2008)
Project Planning
Background and Needs:

The Riecken Foundation works to increase community involvement by including projects in their programming that involve any or all sectors of the community. In Guatemala, as in many countries, individuals with AIDS face discrimination and the general public knows little about the AIDS epidemic.

Collaborative Goal:

To build capacity within the community by training a local artist(s) to use art for social change.

Project Objective:

At the end of this one week camp, participating teenagers will have increased knowledge regarding educating others through clowning.

At the end of this one week camp, participating teenagers will know how to create public discourse about the AIDS epidemic.

Project Description:

The ultimate goal of this project is to create a public discourse and awareness about the AIDS epidemic and to promote safer sex. I will conduct a camp that teaches a group of teenagers how to educate others through clowning. They will develop clowning routines and perform them in a nearby village.

Planned Activities:

  • Get teenagers loosened up and comfortable with different walks, vocal warmups, yoga, voice projections and using space.
  • Facilitate discussion about AIDS and safe sex.
  • Facilitate the creation of clowning routines that educate about AIDS and safe sex.
  • Visit a community a perform the routines.

Project Resources
Images
Results & Reflections
Results & Impact:

The greatest impact was empowering the participating youth to increase awareness about AIDS. AIDS and sex can be an uncomfortable topic. Clowning, however, can provide information and encourage discussion about these topics in a comfortable way.

Community Participation:

22 teenagers in Chiche.

Sustainability:

The clowning camp provided 22 youth with the skills and knowledge to continue educating others about AIDS and safe sex. My hope is that the youth that participated will bring these skills to their own communities.