Clowns bring cheer to 2,000 Filipino children for holidays

MANILA, Philippines - Flying in from different countries, men and woman with round, red noses wielded the power of laughter before over 2,000 children in disaster areas over the Christmas holidays.

Still in trauma from the lost brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda last November, hoards of children in Samar province and Tacloban watched clowns perform antics on an open dirt ground surrounded by the powerful cyclone's destruction.

"The sounds of their laughter radiated through the structure bringing even more of the locals to witness our show. It was very hot and muggy inside of the tent but the joy and laughter fueled our spirits to continue performing our hour long show even in the harsh conditions," Virginia-based group Clowns Without Borders wrote in a blog post.

The clowns made several stops in Eastern Samar towns before heading for Tacloban City for a week last December, and they even performed while soaked in rain.

Doctor Lotte Claessens of the children's development organization Plan International said that children who experienced dreadful horrors from calamity not only need food, shelter and other material care.

"In a disaster like this, it is normal for children to be distressed. Some children have nightmares or trouble sleeping. Simple strategies can be used to comfort and calm children, such as telling stories and playing simple games," said Claessens, Plan's child protection in emergencies adviser.

Unni Krishnan, another Plan doctor, also hailed the clowns for their approach in aiding for the recovery of the six million children affected by the typhoon's destruction.

"Children affected by the typhoon have gone through a traumatic experience. This innovative approach, which blends fun with psychological and humanitarian support, can reach children and help them heal faster," Krishnan said.

Grateful locals

Clowns Without Borders, like other foreign volunteers in the recovery operations, noted how they saw from the children the Filipino spirit and resiliency as they still look forward to a happy Christmas despite their sorry situation.

"We formed up with the children and our Plan colleagues in front of the town of Balangakaya’s giant Christmas tree which was made of a bunch of plastic bottles and decorations. It was truly a wonderful site to see! The Filipino spirit is still alive and well, standing together as one!" the clowns said.

The performers were also moved by how grateful their audiences were before and after the shows.

"When we arrived, kids were already swarming the van trying to get a peak at what was inside. It felt like us clowns were fish in an aquarium!" one of the clowns recounted.
 
"The children had a mob like feel after the show wanting high fives and photos with the whole crew," the team added.