Circus for Change

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Vimlendu Jha is the founder and head of Swechha -- We For Change Foundation which is based in India's capital, New Delhi.

Swechha started out as an organization to combat the pollution of the city's main waterway, the river Yamuna. Today it deals with the environmental issues that affect several aspects of Delhi.

Vimlendu leads volunteers and local children to key sites around the city to tackle the ecological problems, as well as to raise awareness of the issues. Follow his efforts in his blogs and video diaries.

December 4, 2007
We live in a conflict-ridden world. There is upheaval and turmoil between countries, between people, between man and nature and within one's own self.

Fortunately, there are people who are striving hard to fight this feeling of gloom and despondency.

Dreamtime Circus and Swechha -- We for Change Foundation have joined hands to salute this indefatigable spirit of such change makers through "Circus for Change."

Both organizations are comprised of people who have devoted themselves to reduce the misery of the earth and her people by way of grassroots level advocacy, raising awareness about social, cultural and political issues or by bringing smiles to the faces of many by entertaining them through their creative performances.

The Dreamtime Circus is a troupe of fire dancers, jugglers, aerialists, clowns and musicians who travel the world to share the uplifting experience of the circus with the peoples of the world. During their travels, the troupe aims to support local organizations working on vital environmental, health, and humanitarian issues that impact the communities they visit.

The Dreamtime Circus was founded by fire dancers and non-profit organizers Chris Dunn and Kara "Kfire" Voss in 2005, when they first started performing in villages throughout Indonesia. Since then, Dreamtime Circus has grown from two to 30 performers and their debut performance, "Between Worlds," played to five sold out audiences in San Francisco, California, as well as a packed circus tent at the world famous "Burning Man Festival" in the U.S.

The coming together of Dreamtime Circus and Swechha symbolizes the fusion of advocacy and creativity, and a common goal for effecting social change.

One of the key objectives of Swechha's various endeavors is to help people -- primarily youth -- to rediscover their relationship with the environment and to empower them to reflect on the consumption-based lifestyle of modern times and its ill-effects.

Dreamtime Circus epitomizes daring, innovation and a will to make the world a more humane place, through creative arts and in whatever little way one can. While Swechha promotes volunteerism in a big way, the performers at Dreamtime hope to further the cause of volunteerism by performing for free, wherever they travel in India and in doing so, they wish to aid local civil society groups in their work.

Objectives of Circus for Change:

• To promote "out-of-the-box" methods for raising awareness.

• To spread the message of "One Earth, Your Earth," which essentially means -- political, cultural and economic boundaries notwithstanding -- this earth is undivided and there is a need for each one of us to be responsible towards it without thinking about our personal gains.

• To help local NGOs in their efforts to uplift society through performances and workshops by Dreamtime Circus. It would also help the NGOs, especially the ones in rural areas, to attract media attention and get publicity for their present and future projects.

• To collaborate with artists, activists and performers from different countries to promote inter-cultural learning, and to share experiences and good practices.

From October 2007 through March 2008, Dreamtime Circus will tour India and perform for free in cities, villages, schools, and refugee communities throughout the country. Wherever a circus need be, a circus shall be.

Performances will include an array of circus arts, music and storytelling, and will communicate positive messages of hope, dreams and respect for the Earth and all humanity.

In addition to performing, the Dreamtime troupe can hold workshops to teach a variety of basic circus arts to kids of all ages. These performances and workshops will provide a unique and creative venue for partnering organizations to raise awareness about their issues. There's nothing like a circus to attract a captive audience.

"Circus for Change" has already been staged at several places in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. It will travel to Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh in the next five months. E-mail to a friend