Performers Without Borders KENYA

Hi there!
My name is Tyler and I am a fire and circus performer from Portland, Oregon under the name Spades

I will be traveling to KENYA in January 2018 to teach at-risk children performance art skills!  
I will be co-leading the 10-week tour with a volunteer-run charity group Performers Without Borders

This will be my second tour with PWB (I was part of the 4-month 2016 India tour) and I’m extremely excited to be traveling to a new area of the world to spread my passion and love for movement, circus skills, fire performance, and silliness! 
Six of us have been selected from all around the world for the team and I will be lending my experience and helping lead the tour which will last 10 weeks.   We will be traveling to several cities and partnering with local schools and charities to teach daily workshops and after school programs as well as performing community shows.  

By volunteering with Performers Without Borders I’ve agreed to help fundraise money to subsidize our transportation costs, buy new equipment to teach the kids with, and help pay for the management and organization of the tour.  
I’m also responsible for my own expenses while I’m there, my plane ticket to Kenya and back from Oregon, and my rent back home while I’m away.

For Transparency:
$1,200 - contribution by every team member to fund the tour
$1,300 - flight to Kenya
$500 - Personal expenses (bags, vaccines, prep, etc)
$2,100 - Personal rent in Portland, OR while away (I can't sublet)
= $5,100 total expenses I will pay (not including fun side things like costumes, extra travel, etc)


EVERY DONATION MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE!!  This trip is made possible by your generous donations and support of Social Circus.

I also plan to host several in-person fundraising events in Portland, Oregon including a self-empowering FIRE WALK where participants can safely walk across hot coals and a DANCE PARTY later this year.
I will update this page with locations and dates when I set them.

I’m already committed to the tour and am REALLY excited about it, but I would also love your support!



Performance arts teach children many valuable lessons.
Through teaching performance skills an individual’s learning, creativity and team working skills are developed.  It also helps students build confidence, develop empowerment, and overcome social barriers.  


Prop manipulation like juggling, staff spinning, hula hooping, etc help children develop motor skills. 
We will be teaching the children many skills to increase their balance, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and more.  



My Background in Performance Art and Social Circus:

I’ve been performing for over 10 years, but my true passion lies in teaching others.
I started teaching here in Oregon at festivals and special events and soon discovered how much I love seeing student’s eyes light up when they learn something new.
This encouraged me to volunteer with SPARK Circus in 2013 touring the border of Thailand to teach and perform for Burmese refugee children.  


It was amazing to experience a different culture and volunteer my time helping those in need.
I loved working with the children and was inspired to pursue teaching circus arts to kids back here in Oregon.  
I’ve worked with after school programs and summer camps teaching elementary and middle school kids and am always energized by their love of PLAY.


In 2016 I volunteered for my first Performers Without Borders tour.  We traveled from southern to northern India for 4 months and the experience holds a very special place in my heart.  I worked harder than I ever have for a purpose that I truly believe in.  We created SO MANY magical moments and inspired thousands of children!

Check out this video I filmed and edited about our month in Varanasi, India!  I promise it will make you SMILE!
2016 PWB Varanasi Video

I’ve joined Performers Without Borders because I truly believe in what they do!
They have run tours all around the world teaching performing arts to vulnerable children in countries of high child poverty and have a beautiful tour structure focused around maximizing positive social impact.
I feel the work that Performers Without Borders does is invaluable and allows kids in very harsh living conditions to experience joy and laughter while developing important life skills.


You can visit the Performers Without Borders website to find out more about their history and other tours they do.
http://pwb.ngo/

 
Your donations make this trip possible!

 Even if you can’t donate, you can still help by sharing this funding page and helping spread awareness about our cause.

Thank you for your support and helping us spread happiness to children in need!!!!