The Circus of Water

The Circus of Water uses comedy to convey educational messages. Through a theatrical production that uses such elements of circus as clowns, magicians, and jugglers, the performers encourage reflection on issues such as handwashing, hygiene, and care of the environment.

The work was developed with the support of professional artists and is based on the key messages of water and sanitation programming, with consideration for elements such as local customs and everyday language. In recognition of gender and its role in seeking solutions, the protagonist is a young girl. Scenes illustrate the way in which poor access to clean water affects females in the communities and children. The distance to the water sources and quantity of water that serves the family size are determinants in the time its takes to obtain water, hours that could be freed for employment and study. Keeping waterways clean is another theme of the circus which models community action for keeping them garbage free.

The strategy includes the design and publication of the book "The Blue School", a didactic material that expands the situations presented on stage. Under the auspices of the project, three thousand copies were given to the Ministry of Education for distribution to schools in the municipalities.

Children, Education, Natural Resource Management.

In Nicaragua, the Circus of Water is part of the Blue School model promoted by the SDC in coordination with the Ministry of Education (MINED). This model includes the development of designs for potable water, toilets, sinks, and troughs in selected schools and the development of gardens in selected schools, among other activities.