ZIP ZAP WORLD AIDS DAY SHOW

ZIP ZAP CIRCUS SCHOOL CELEBRATES WORLD AIDS DAY WITH THE IBHONGOLETHU OUTREACH PROGRAMME KIDS

In line with World AIDS Day on 1^st December 2012, Zip Zap Circus is performing with children from their HIV/AIDS outreach programme, Ibhongolethu and other social groups.

The show is an annual Zip Zap Circus School production in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières and Cirque du Soleil. Children from their HIV/AIDS outreach programme Ibhongolethu take to the stage at the Oliver Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha. The show is open to the public free of charge, kicking off at 10am with a procession from the Ubuntu Clinic and the Zip Zap Circus School performance at 12pm, on 1^st December.

This annual performance aims to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS and to encourage an attitude of acceptance and understanding in the community. The Ibhongolethu project, which means “Our Pride”, was started in 2005 by Zip Zap and is made possible through a partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières and Cirque du Soleil. Children are taught physical strength through circus acts, while gaining self-confidence, discipline and learning to work together as a team. Instructors from Zip Zap Circus travel to Khayelitsha twice a week to teach circus acts such as mini trampoline, tumbling, juggling and trapeze to these children.

The theme of this year’s event is Ulwazi bubomi/ Knowledge is life, is a call to recognize the long term benefits of parents progressively discussing their child’s HIV status with them to support their continued adherence to their treatment.

About Zip Zap Circus School

Zip Zap is an innovative school of circus arts, inspiring and empowering young people. Its mission is to take “ordinary” kids (including “youth-at-risk”) and provide them with the resources to develop skills through the medium of circus arts that will develop them as young leaders, good citizens, ambassadors for South Africa, and make them eminently employable.

Attendance to Zip Zap is free for all students. It is also a registered Non Profit and Public Benefit Organisation with the funding for the school being obtained from: 40% from performances the students put on, 40 % from grants and the remaining 20% from donations.

Since the beginning of 2012, Zip Zap has also been successfully running its second programme providing circus workshops once a week for 120 children living with HIV AIDS, aged 3 to 12. This programme is called Ubuntu, which means Humanity.

Event details
Date: 1 December 2012
Time: 10 – 3pm with the Zip Zap Circus School performing at 12pm
Venue: Oliver Thambo Hall, Khayelitsha. Corner of Mew Way (M44) and Lansdowne Road (M9)
Free of charge
For more information, please contact Brent van Rensburg: 021 421 8623 / 082 893 0507.