Humanitarian Clowns Project was established between Humanitarian Clowns Abroad and Seb’s Projects India at the beginning of 2012, with a vision of bringing joy and laughter to people affected by diseases such as leprosy and mental llnesses, as well as those in rehabilitation, orphanages, homeless shelters, elderly people in care homes, those with cerebral palsy and those on the periphery of society in gypsy and tribal communities.

 

From August onwards, Seb’s Projects India worked with 45 of these centres in Chennai and Vellore to organize for the group of 17 International Humanitarian clowns to conduct 1 day programs to bring joy and emotional support to those who are suffering.

 

In September 2012, 13 clowns from Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Spain joined 4 Indian volunteers to roll out a three week clowning program. The clowns were from diverse backgrounds– from mimes and children’s performers to first-time clowns and those who had worked as ’clown doctors’.
 

Over the next month, they visited social service organizations across Chennai, Vellore, Thiruttani and Chengapettu conducting Humanitarian Clown visits, clowning amongst people affected by social isolation and disease and making personal connections, providing support in whichever ways they could, and making people feel special.

Sock monkeys were very kindly donated from Australia (see video below), which were distributed amongst very grateful children in Mother Theresa’s home for Mentally Retarded Children and Anbu Illam home for children with cerebral palsy.

 

The program proved to be especially effective in mental health and rehabilitation centres, where the colour, stimulation, action and physical connections with the clowns actually seemed to have an effect on patients recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doctors at the CMC Mental Health Nambikkai Nilayam Centre for children remarked upon how children with severe autism that had not responded to doctors for weeks were visibily reacting to the clowns and their acts; whereas Dr George Tharion in CMC’s rehabilitation unit spoke about how lonely patients can get during extensive rehabilitation admissions, especially for brain injuries, and that interacting with the clowns was clearly helping patients feel positive and motivated despite their challenges.

In stark opposition, the Humanitarian Clowns Project was also particularly effective in centres where social isolation was the challenge faced by inhabitants. This included homes for the mentally ill, homes for the elderly and leprosy communities, of which there are still many in India due to lack of understanding in the wider community and the resulting stigma surrounding leprosy.

 

Now that our International Humanitarian Clowns have departed to their home countries, Seb’s Projects India have begun to identify 2 teams of Indian volunteers to work as Humanitarian Clowns across Chennai and Vellore with organizations helping those affected by illness and social isolation on a biweekly basis, in order to develop relationships and increase our impact.

We are happy to report that we already have 11 volunteers from Chennai who will begin their volunteership in the 3rd week of November. Lenin Mark, who volunteered with the International Clowns, will be conducting a one day clowning workshop for the new volunteers, before leading the first clowning trip to Rehoboth and Little Drops, which are homes for mentally challenged women and homeless elderly people desperately in need of support.

We are also looking for volunteers to continue the Humanitarian Clowns project on a biweekly basis in Vellore’s Shanti Gramam home for people affected by leprosy; Missionaries of Charity
home for destitute and mentally challenged women and Anbu Illam home for children with Cerebral Palsy.

 

 

- Geraldine Wilcocks
Seb's Projects India