Untitled Document
 What
makes kids happy? In Afghanistan, a circus and a juggling competition are putting smiles
on the faces of many children who have been devastated by war. Recently,
the Afghan Mobile Mini Children’s Circus (MMCC) held a parade on the
streets of Kabul, the country’s war-torn capital. About 100
young boys and girls, dressed in colorful outfits, walked
around the streets while juggling tennis balls, batons, and bats.
Some were on stilts, and others were riding
unicycles.
Many kids came out of their houses to watch the parade. “The circus
is free,” said Zach Warren, an American volunteer. “Anyone can come…and
right now, we’re witnessing the National Afghan Circus Championships, which include juggling competitions.”
 The
Cational Juggling Competition, which is held every year, is in its
eighth year. The kids who took part in the parade have made it into
the competition’s final round. A 12-year-old boy, Zahid Rahman is
one of the finalists. To him, not only
is juggling fun, but it also teaches him about shapes and angles.
“This will help me be a better engineer when I grow up,”
he said.
Another 16-year-old teen named Mortaza said he practices two to three
hours a day and wants to become a professional juggler. “It’s a great
opportunity for the youth
in Afghanistan,” he said. “It’s nice that I’m seeing people from different
provinces and from both genders.”
 According
to trainer Lutfullah Naeemi, the purpose of the circus and the competition
is to help kids gain self-confidence. “Juggling
encourages these children to show focus, to learn the benefit of routine practice,
and to demonstrate great passion. At the same time,
they get a huge amount of enjoyment, and they gain skills, confidence,
and self-esteem.”
The event is organized by MMCC, an organization that cares for
thousands of Afghan children. It also teaches them about the dangers of landmines and to respect
all of Afghanistan’s ethnic groups. |
Staff
reporter Jessica Kim
(jessicakim@timescore.co.kr) |
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