Ghana, October 2016
JustPlay worked in Accra, Ghana in October 2016, carrying out two main projects with Street Children Empowerment Foundation and Theatre for Social Change. In addition it completed three outreach projects for Echoing Hills, Rescue Missions & Klaas Haven school.
Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF)
SCEF works to achieve sustainable improvements in the lives of street and deprived children in James Town, one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Accra.
JustPlay trained nine girls and two boys in circus and performance skills over two weeks. This culminated in a show for their peers at SCEF’s Learning Hub, and a performance for a Fundraising Dinner at Accra’s Airport View Hotel. Circus skills taught included hula hooping, diabolo, spinning plate, poi and acrobalance.
Theatre for Social Change (TfSC)
TfSC is a Forum theatre company based in Accra. It uses interactiv
JustPlay worked with 12 actors from TfSC over six workshops. They developed their theatre skills and learnt new circus skills. We also re-directed their existing show, designed to prevent the spread of cholera. The skills learnt will be applied to devise a new piece aimed at tackling child marriage, pregnancy and trafficking.
Echoing Hills
Echoing Hills offers street outreach for homeless people with disabilities; provides integrated rehabilitation services to street kids, foster care, institutional care and sponsorship for their formal/non formal education.
JustPlay facilitated a circus skills workshop for about 60 children resident at Echoing Hills Village. Many had disabilities. Echoing Hills is a non-profit organisation in Accra. It works with challenged or homeless people in every age group, including many with disabilities.
Rescue Missions is a Christian outreach programme addressing the welfare and educational needs of children living in slums.
JustPlay has no religious affiliation or agenda. We visited Agbogbloshie, a poor area of Accra, to teach circus skills to children invited by Rescue Missions. At the end the children put on an impromptu display of their new skills for each other, and JustPlay performed a short show.
Klaas Haven school, Kasoa
A Montessori school supported by Thirdway Human Rights and Development.
JustPlay delivered a workshop to teach plate spinning, diabolo, ribbon twirling and hula hoop to about 70 students aged 6 to 12. At the end students chose their favourite skill to show the other children in a group show.
