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Social Circus Myanmar

Social Circus Myanmar has a written constitution and a Board of Directors – 5 Myanmar citizens. We operate as a not-for-profit organisation. We have been trying to register as a NGO in Yangon region for over two years, but the bureaucracy is very challenging. In Nov 2019 we completed, filed and paid for registration at DICA as a not-for-profit limited company, limited by guarantee. As of Oct 2022 we have still to receive a confirmation of registration from DICA. We think that the Pandemic and then the military coup have limited DICA’s processes.

We receive funds from our donations and crowdfunding appeals via Social Circus International and we provide detailed reports and detailed book-keeping that they check. You can se our report on the Annual Reports page and we can provide fine detail accounts on request. None of the international (western) people involved in the project get paid a fee. We do pay our Myanmar workers and colleagues.

Social Circus International

Social Circus International

We created Social Circus International in July 2017 and this organisation’s first  (and main) project is to monitor and provide funds for Social Circus Myanmar from 2017 onwards.

Social Circus International is a  not-for-profit, private company limited by guarantee (no shares) in UK law.  Registration number : 10865040.

It has four Directors:
Jules Howarth, www.mrjules.net
Jo Galbraith,  www.otherhalfproductions.com
Jake Goode,  www.justplay.org.uk
Tom Kellet,  www.tkarts.co.uk

(Stepped down in 2018 David Pickens,  www.davechameleon.co.uk)
(Stepped down in 2019, Nicola Hemsley,  www.organisedkaos.org.uk)

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Sponsor-photo-strip-1

The Team in Yangon

Ko Than Htut, Ko Thaw Zin, Julien Ariza, Jules Howarth - The Social Circus Myanmar team in Yangon

Jules Howarth

Project Manager and lead Circus Trainer for Social Circus Myanmar

He created the 2014 1st Yangon International Juggling Festival with Jude Smith, Virginia Henderson and several others in the Serious Fun Committee. He returned to Yangon in 2015-16 dry season to continue the programme of work and develop social circus and was back in Yangon from Nov 2016 to March 2017 and continues to head-up the project.

Jules (Mr Jules www.mrjules.net) is a performer, production and stage manager and festival creator. He produced the European Juggling Conventions in 1991 and 2005 and has worked closely with the European Juggling Association since 1991 variously as Festival Director, Stage Manager, Festival Advisor, Compere, Show-facilitator and general Trouble-shooter. He has worked regularly with the Glastonbury Festival Theatre & Circus Fields. He has lived and worked in several countries including Holland, Italy, Spain and France. He went to Laos with the Serious Fun Committee. He is Membership & Communications officer for the National Association of Street Artists UK www.nasauk.org

Mr Jules at Sule Shangrila Hotel Yangon
Ko Pho Ke
Social Circus Myanmar 2016-17-02800 web

Ko Pho Ke

Circus Tutor and Driver

Pho Ke is from Yangon  and he works with us as a a Circus Tutor (Spinning Plates, Hat, Juggling, Diabolo, Translations) Driver and logistics manager as well as a vital translator.

Ko Pho Ke supported the project from the beginning in 2014 and helped make it possible and a success. Very sadly he became unwell in 2018 with a heart condition. Despite this he continued to help deliver workshops when he was able at the Parami Monastery School in South Dagon, a workshop connection that he created, and he supported that school too. He was particularly proud to teach and help the disabled children we work with. He had polio as a child and this limited his mobility and affected his health, but despite those challenges he worked as a driver, taxi driver, married and raised a family.

With deep sorrow and sadness we have to tell you that Ko Pho Ke passed away on October 16th 2019. He will be truly missed and mourned. We will do our best to honour his memory and his work with us, his kindness and friendship. Every time we teach the spinning plate – his favourite skill, which he taught to hundreds of children – he will be in our thoughts. Read more and Obituary here

Ko Than Htut

Ko Than Thut is a professional actor in Myanmar. He is also a clown. He works as an actor with New Yangon Theatre and works with us as our Lead Circus Trainer. His voice is the one that leads our workshops describing in burmese to the children what to do in a way far beyond what Jules Howarth can manage. He has introduced basic theatre trust games and performance skills training to the programme. He helps arrange travel and logistics and is invaluable to the project.

Ko Thaw Zin

Ko Thaw Zin is a professional taxi driver and has taken up circus! He is now our trainee circus tutor and helps with our workshop programme as well as driving us, moving the equipment and making us all laugh with his natural humour and childish sense of fun. He is a key player in the project.

Working with us in Yangon regularly until 2019

Julien Ariza

Living in Yangon and professional teacher, also a professional Circus Arts performer specialising in flow-arts – poi, staff, fire and black-light. He works with us delivering workshops for Social Circus Myanmar and speaks good  Myanmar (as well as Spanish, and English!)

A massive help to the project over the last four years. Arranging workshops and events with schools and venues, translation, moving the equipment and teaching many skills, especially poi, staff, slack-line, acro-balance.

In July 2019 Julien left Myanmar for France.

Julien Ariza handover of equipment March 27th 2018
Julien Ariza

Visiting international Circus Trainers 2017-18

Rakel Moreno
Frank Powlesland & Lea Rovero
Milan
Phill Lang
Jill Ridgewell
Cassie

Circ Inzir

Lea, Frank, Pho Ke, Milan photo
Lea Rovero, Frank Powlesland, Ko Pho Ke, Milan
Jill, Phill, Lin, Big British Day Out 2018
Jill Rigewell, Ko Lin Thet Haung, Phill Lang

Visiting international Circus Trainers 2016 -17

Rakel Moreno
Dave Pickens
Frank Powlesland & Lea Rovero

Usasinee Rawthung

Rakel Moreno
Rakel Moreno (right)
Usasinee-Social-Circus-Myanmar-2016-17
Usasinee Rawthung

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