Courageous Kids Foundation Empowers Street-Connected Children with Acrobatics for Fundraising
Blantyre's Courageous Kids Foundation empowers children with acrobatics for fundraising, complementing support from other organizations, writes Thokozani Beaton.
Malawi-A Blantyre-based organization, Courageous Kids Foundation, is empowering children at the foundation with acrobatic arts skills as a means of fundraising through artistic activities, in addition, to the support from other organizations, writes Thokozani Beaton.
Established in 2013, the foundation currently cares for 70 children, providing them with food, shelter, clothing, and school tuition.
According to 18-year-old Perpetual, one of the children at the centre, the acrobatics training has given them valuable skills that can open doors to greater opportunities and help them earn money for their needs.
"Here at Courageous Kids Foundation, we don't have many people who can help us financially. The support we receive is inadequate to cater to all our needs. So, we use the arts skills we learned to showcase to people so they can contribute something to meet our needs," said Perpetual.
Perpetual also noted that art performances easily connect with society, helping to raise awareness about street-connected children.
Munetsi Dauro, an international circus artist from Zimbabwe, who recently conducted a two-week training at Courageous Kids, praised the children's potential, stating, "Being here for two weeks training these children have revealed that they are very flexible and quick learners of acrobatic skills. In all my years of travelling and teaching acrobatics, I have never seen anything as incredible as this. Their future in this trade is amazing."
The founder of Courageous Kids Foundation, Courageous Musasa, herself a former street child, initiated the organization to provide support and hope to street-connected children.
She emphasized that the foundation instils motherly care and reminds the children that they are capable of achieving anything in life.
However, stable sponsorship has been a persistent challenge, prompting the introduction of acrobatics as a fundraising avenue.
Musasa stated that the organization will continue to explore ways to raise funds for the children's daily needs and education.
Thibault Govin, a Germany-based circus artist and circus education teacher, explained that circus arts are a form of expression that promotes togetherness, coordination, and artistic strength.
"This circus education will also give self-confidence to these kids and a sense of belonging to the world of acrobatics while helping to change their status from just being called 'street-kids' or orphans," Govin said.
So far, the children have showcased their acrobatics on Malawi Broadcasting Corporation-MBV TV, the country's national television broadcaster.