Help Me Become Zambia’s First Professionally Trained Circus Artist

Hi, my name is Aurthur Chileshe, and I’m a circus artist from Zambia.

In my country, circus is still a new and fragile art form. Many young performers, like I once was, are forced to give up their dreams due to a lack of training, safety education, and international opportunities.

I started as a street acrobat, with nothing but passion and determination. Through hard work, I joined Circus Zambia—our country's only circus organization—and later trained and performed with groups like Barefeet Theatre (Zambia), Baseline Circus (France), NoFit State Circus (Wales), and Camp Billings (USA). These experiences helped me grow, not just as a performer, but as a mentor to others back home.

Now, I’ve been accepted into the National Circus School in Portugal for the 2 year Professional Circus Studies program. I’m honored to have received a full tuition scholarship (€8,000)—but I still urgently need help to cover the remaining costs of living and travel.

I need to raise €15,500 for:

Visa & travel to consulate – €500

Health insurance (2 years) – €2,000

Accommodation (24 months) – €7,000

Living expenses – €4,500

Airfare/transport – €1,500

I need to raise funds as soon as possible to process my visa and prepare for the move.

This isn’t just my dream—it's a chance to make history. I would be the first Zambian ever to study circus professionally. With your support, I’ll return home to build opportunities for the next generation of Zambian performers.

Thank you so much for being part of this journey.

Any contribution helps—please donate and share!