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Soul Beat Africa
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
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Circus in Ethiopia

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Circus in Ethiopia is a non-profit organisation founded in 1993 that works to provide recreational and educational activities to disadvantaged youth, convey messages around health and social issues, and promote Ethiopian culture locally and abroad. The organisation uses music, drama, dance, and circus acts, performed by young people, to inform audiences about issues such as HIV/AIDS and children's rights and, at the same time, empower disadvantaged youth.
Communication Strategies

According to the organisers, the use of song, story, music, and dance is common within most African cultures, and has traditionally been a means of both entertaining and passing on messages. Circus in Ethiopia’s shows combine circus arts with traditional folk tales, music, ceremonies, songs, dances, and costumes. They use a combination of circus and cultural performance to pass on messages around health and social issues.

The Hero, a show developed by Circus in Ethiopia in 1992, uses music, drama, dance, and circus performances to address issues around HIV/AIDS among young people. The production focuses on the daily lives of children and youth, and follows Cholew, a shoeshine boy who lives on the street with his sister Tinbuallel. Through the situations the siblings face and the characters they meet, Cholew develops an understanding of the impact of HIV/AIDS on his society and ultimately emerges as the hero of the story.

The show was launched at the National Theatre in Addis Ababa in September 2002. After Addis Ababa the creator of The Hero, Awake Emiru, went to Circus Dire Dawa, Circus Nazreth, Circus Jimma, and Circus Mekele to adapt the show to local conditions in other areas of the country.

Circus in Ethiopia regularly holds training workshops at their 5 branches to encourage interaction between performers from different areas, and to share knowledge and experiences.

Development Issues

HIV/AIDS, Health, Youth.

Key Points

From October 1 2002 through February 28 2003, the five branches of Circus in Ethiopia performed 95 shows at 80 different venues throughout the country. More then 140,000 people attended these shows.

According to Circus in Ethiopia, the shows are very popular, despite the fact that circus is a relatively new artistic medium in the country. As circus is a unique medium, it has lent itself not just to providing entertainment but also to informing the public about, and promoting issues related to children’s rights, the risks of HIV/AIDS and how to avoid them, and the goals of humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross.

Partners

Circus Addis Ababa, Circus Jimma, Circus Dire Dawa, Circus Nazreth. Circus Tigrai (Mekele), Oxfam Netherlands (NOVIB), Cirque du Soleil, Ethiopian Red Cross Society, International Red Cross Society, Dutch Red Cross Society, North American Conference Jewry, Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (the Netherlands).

Sources

Circus in Ethiopia newsletter, May 2003 on May 29 2008.