project compassion - raymundo (bolivia)

Week 2: Bolivia

Bolivia is one of Latin America’s least developed countries

Around 30% of the population survive on less than $2/day

Potosi, Bolivia

One day, a circus came to Potosi. An idea to set up a circus run by children and young people became real. It became:

a place where children are valued;

a place where they learn reading and writing, and how to work together.

Raymundo‘Coco the Clown’

Raymundo is one of those children.

Raymundo joined Centro Creativo Artistico educar es fiesta when he was nine years old.

This is his story of how the circus – and being ‘Coco the Clown’ – has turned his life around.

When Raymundo was a boy he did small jobs like washing cars to earn money for his poor family.

He went to the program to be with his friends. He saw street theatre, loved it and wanted to try!

A few months later Raymundo performed in the circus as “Coco the Clown.”

Today, with the support of Caritas Australia, 250 young people are involved in the program.

The team travels around in a colourful open-topped bus (nicknamed La Chiva, or “The Goat”).

In 2009, Caritas Australia helped to buy a Big Top, and in 2011 the circus performed to 25,000 people.

Hundreds of children are now living better lives.

Now Raymundo is teaching circus skills to other children. They know him as ‘Coco the Clown’.

“My wish for the kids is that no one is poor. We as Bolivians and Australians have the opportunity to work together

to create new paths with Caritas Australia… You and I need to work together, however we can do it!”

Join us in Project Compassion:

Let’s work together for justice and a brighter world.

Picture credits

Richard Wainwright

Map (Slide 3): Google Maps - ©2012 Google