Monthly Newsletter Performing Life

Is this email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser.

View this email in your browser

Monthly Newsletter, August 2015

August happenings:

We have reached the $5000 goal for Escarlet's crowdfunding campaign, we said goodbye to 10 volunteers, and we welcomed 1 great new volunteer. In the morning class there was an average of 18 children each day and in the afternoon 51 kids are attending. In our Bracelet Program 9 participants have invested money; of which 2 families started a small business, 1 family built a house consisting of two rooms, 4 families supported the education of their children, 1 family invested in acquiring a house on 'Anticretico' and 1 family used part of their money to improve the health of the mother.

Finally, last but not least; Tony Bellizzi, from the Hope for the Children Foundation, together with 5 young volunteers were our guests for 3.5 days for the annual HFC Mission Trip.

Escarlet's Campaign continues!

We are very happy and proud to announce that we have reached our Indiegogo fundraising goal of $5,000!! Thank you for all of your support! Escarlet will now be able to start her study in the U.S. at Lewis and Clark State College.

However, we are not fully there yet. Less than half of the tuition is now covered, and Escarlet needs $7,000 more to finish the entire year. Therefore, please continue to share Escarlet's campaign and spread the word to friends & family and ask them to donate in any way they can. Escarlet, her family, and the rest of Performing Life are incredibly grateful for your generosity.

Our New Circus Director

My name is Daniela Vilar Franco, I was born in Sucre but have lived in Cochabamba since I was one year old. Our economic condition was always difficult, but my mother put us in academically and socially good schools. My father never participated in household responsibilities and problems with alcoholism and violence were present. This is one of the reasons why my mom and dad separated.

When I left school, I studied various subjects in different areas, through which I found the most appropriate subject that matched my interests; Cinematography. This career led me to documentary works in the streets and communities of Bolivia. After gaining experience in cinematography I have worked in the arts of street-circus in Bolivia for several years. Additionally, I have worked in circus with children from the streets and markets in several cities in Ecuador (Quito, Ibarra, Cuenca and Guayaquil). These experiences have taught me a lot about the reality that the children in Latin America face.

When I returned to Bolivia, after several years abroad, I met John and closely saw his work with the children of Cochabamba. I had the opportunity to teach acrobatics in the aerial tissue to one of the members of Performing Life, Adalid Coca, who was an excellent student!
A couple of months ago I heard that Performing Life was searching for a new director in the Circus Arts. I immediately felt free to send my curriculum because the work they do is of much interest to me both personally and professional. When I heard that I will be part of Performing Life it was one of the best news I received! I personally commit to do my job with all the enthusiasm, dedication, responsibility, initiative and professionalism it deserves and needs!

Sincerely,
Daniela Franco Vilar

We said goodbye to our morning instructor; Tania

My name is Tania Liz Coca Ardaya and I’m 17 years old. You could say that I’ve been with Performing Life’s Circus Program since it was founded in 2006, together with my brother Adaly and my sister Escarlet. The program was located in Cochabamba at the Cobija Bridge.
We almost always practiced at the “Parque del niño,” where the participants could meet. In the beginning, Performing Life always took place in the afternoon because the participants went to school in the morning. I always liked to practice and mostly learned new things like the diablo, chains, balls etc. After some time, Performing Life developed and started to grow. More and more kids came each time, until it was decided to create two circus sessions, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. My sister, Escarlet became an instructor and was asked by Performing Life to teach in the morning. She did this until she had to stop because she started taking English classes in an institute. This was when a few other participants and I were trained to be the new instructors for the morning sessions. Here I resumed Escarlet’s role as instructor by teaching trapeze, clubs, chains, diablo, and many other things. I have always loved to, but now it's time for me to take on a new challenge. For the last months I have trained Lisbeth, who will be the new morning instructor from now on. This gives me the opportunity to start at the police academy in La Paz!

We are really proud of Tania and we will miss her talent, passion, patience and love for all the participants of PL. Muchas gracias and goodluck with everything Tania!

Hope for the Children; Mission trip 2015

Every August, our main sponsor, Tony from Hope for the Children Foundation visits us together with a group of young people. Aside from showing them all the programs of PL, we took them and all of the participants of PL to 'El Christo', we played soccer, enjoyed the 'Urkupiña-spectacle' and the children gave one of the best performances of the year! Check here some more pictures!

Volunteer News

In the past months we have had wonderful volunteers, and we are very grateful for the hard work they have put into our projects! Although they are no longer in Bolivia, they still contribute in many many ways. Thanks so much guys!
In late August, a great new volunteer arrived to help us for the next two months. Welcome Nikki!

Our Current volunteer; Hi guys! First of all, thank you so much for having me. I am very excited to be here and to be part of this organisation for the coming months! My name is Nikki, a "Dutchie" from Amsterdam with a background in International Management. Second, now that I have finished my masters I am looking forward to put my knowledge and experience into practice. I will contribute to Performing Life by consulting in organisational efficiency, and by exploring the opportunities to set up a Dutch foundation to expand possible funding in the Netherlands or Europe. Finally, as a former "circus child", I am very supportive of circus as an expressive art and way to develop oneself. Also, I hope to learn as much as I can from everybody at Performing Life, have a great time, and pick up some circus arts along the way!

Nikki

We appreciate your support and invite you to continue creating better futures through the arts with Bolivian youth and their families. Tax-exempt contributions may be made through our web site, http://www.performinglifebolivia.org. Even small donations make a big impact. When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Performing Life International Inc. Bookmark the link http://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-2375079 and support us every time you shop! For current news and photos, please visit our Facebook page, Performing Life, Inc. or contact us at Info@performinglifebolivia.org.

Saludos,

John Connell & Marye Dijkstra

Performing Life International, Inc. is a United States 501(c)3 federally tax-exempt organization.

Fundación enseñARTE is a registered nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Bolivia.

Tax-exempt donations may also be made through Hope for the Children Foundation, Inc. in the US and A Little Charitable Trust, registered in New Zealand and the UK.

Or you can reach us in Bolivia:
Performing Life

Calle 2 - #27, Urbanizacion Carlos Peña
Zona Iquircollo – Quillacollo

Cochabamba