Latest Burmese
Border Charity Clown Shows in Bangkok, Thailand,
South East Asia and the rest of the planet.
Clown Eckie's humour is
international.
No language barriers with his English speaking, or brilliant mime shows.
Fantastic, fun entertainment for all the family and all ages.
Commendation June 2008...His Excellency Mr William
Paterson PSM Australian Ambassador, Bangkok,
Thailand.
Clown Eckie is a master of his
trade, but has in particular impressed me with his empathy and capacity to
engage disabled and disadvantaged kids in Thailand, having them rocking
with laughter and totally immersed in his presentations. Although
this is all about fun, it was quite moving to see him draw these children
out and get them to participate. His modest and
self-deprecating manner is appealing and his range of tricks is wide and
varied and accomplished with expertise. Clearly, he could relate to any
audience. Overall, a polished performer, and a lot of fun both for
children and their parents.
Bill Paterson.
Ambassador. Australian Embassy. 37 South Sathorn Road. Bangkok
10120.Tel:+66-2-3446-360
Observer
Magazine December 08
Clown Eckie’s latest visit to the Ban Kru Noi
Orphanage in Bangkok
While many
people are willing to help others when they are ready to help, Kru
Nuannoi Timkul or "Kru Noi" gives a hand to underprivileged children
even though she has had a stroke and is not rich. Initially, she
worked in straitened circumstances for several years until "Ban Kru
Noi" was guaranteed by the Department of Public Welfare as able to
look after underprivileged children in 1987.
Kru Noi grew up
in a poor family so her experience made her understand the poverty
of children who do not have any chances to study or even to serve
their basic needs. Kru Noi intends to help these children to pass
the crises of life and grow up to be valuable resources for society
in the future. Therefore, she has spent her life helping them
without giving up no matter what obstacles or pressures face
her.
Kru Noi started
helping children in 1980 when she had a stroke which affected her
legs and had to rest at her small house in Soi Ratburana 26,
Thonburi. This allowed her to see laborers' children playing in the
fields with no chance to study at primary level because of poverty
and the lack of necessary documents such as birth certificates and
house registration forms. Kru Noi decided to use her house as a
place for the children, to give food to them and to teach them to be
literate. Since then, her extreme generosity has been much talked
about, and many people take their children to live with her even
though Kru Noi is massively indebted for food and other
expenses.
Free shows for the children to enjoy once a
year, since 2002
Clown Eckie has
been offering free shows for the children to enjoy once a year,
since 2002. The most recent performance was given in December 2008.
This show was sponsored by Sutlet Group in Bangkok and as usual,
Eckie gave the children a little more than just a clown show, when
he handed out ice cream and candies to all the children after the
show.
Ten years ago,
Kru Noi's story received attention from the mass media.
Organizations, foundations and the general public started giving
help to "Ban Kru Noi" donating money, food, clothes and toys. They
also encouraged the government to allow children to study at primary
level without official documents.
Since 1980, Kru
Noi has helped about 800 underprivileged children, children with
imprisoned parents and homeless children to have a chance for
education. Now at Ban Kru Noi, there are total of 128 children, aged
between 6 and 18 years. 98 of them are studying at schools. The rest
are very young children and children with multiple disabilities.
Many of these children go home at night while others live at Ban Kru
Noi and in houses rented by Kru Noi.
Now at Ban Kru Noi, there are total of 128
children
In Ban Kru Noi,
there are only 10 members of staff, 4 teachers and 6 support staff
who work in 2 shifts. Kru Noi not only works at Ban Kru Noi but also
cooperates with many other foundations and organizations such as
Sithasinee Foundation, Srinartsiam School and Sriwara School in
Bangkok and in other provinces.
On weekdays
after school, weekends, public holidays and vacations, many people
come to visit Ban Kru Noi. Also, there are volunteers from many
institutions in Bangkok running entertainment and academic
activities for the children, for example, teaching art, music,
computing and English as well as occupational activities such as
candle making. This builds good relationships and allows others to
share their kindness and smiles with the children. It may also help
the children to change their attitudes and behaviors so that they
can grow up to be good people in the society following Kru Noi's
intentions. She wants the children to be happy and does not expect
anything in return.
Noi wants the children to
be happy and does not expect anything in
return
Clown
Eckie.'The Only
Professional Clown in Thailand'...Established in Bangkok since 1999.
'Delivering
the Gift of Happiness'...to
Orphanages - Refugee Camps - Poor Schools - Hospitals – Slum
Dwellers
Here
are a few things you can do to help:
?Make donations of toys,
toiletries, books, clothes or other useful goods and send to: Clown
Eckie. 148/24 Sukhumvit Soi 22, Klong Toey, Bangkok
10110.Thailand.
?Tell Eckie about worthy
groups or organizations that you think he could consider offering a
free performance.
?Sponsor
a performance. This means that Eckie can make a firm commitment to
your chosen show and will not accept any other bookings for that
period. Sponsors often share the costs with a group of friends or
work colleagues.
The last
leg of Eckie’s northern tour took in both the largest venues of the
trip, and the smallest.
With over
2,000 students, Tes Sa Ban Municipal School is simply the biggest
school in Mae Hong Son. Well over half the school attended the show
– held just after school hours, and the orderly filling of the big
performance hall starting with the youngest children in the front,
to the oldest – on the stage at the back, was quite a feat of
organisation.
The bigger
the crowd, the bigger the laughs, and at times the noise of laughter
and applause from this appreciative crowd was quite overwhelming.
British Clown Show at
Tes Sa Ban Municipal School Mae Hong Son, North
Thailand
Suk Sa Song
boarding school, a few kilometres outside the town, is a good of
Thailand’s past efforts to extend education to all of it’s citizens.
A boarding school is provided for these students because their
families are mainly small farmers living too far off in the
surrounding hills to allow for daily travel.
Many of the
hill farmers along the border are from among Thailand’s many ethnic
groups, and this is reflected in the diversity of backgrounds of the
Suk Sa Song students.
Over the
years, and aside from more academic subjects, this school has built
a very good reputation for providing strong support for art, music,
and performance. Eckie was told that it was common for students to
go on to become local musicians.
Around 850
students attend the school and most turned out to see the show.
There was no building big enough to accommodate the crowd, so the
show was performed outdoors, partially lit by car headlamps as the
light began to fade.
More Clowning Around at
the Suk Sa Song boarding school
Returning
through Chiang Mai, Eckie had the pleasure of visiting and
performing at Freedom House. Definitely the smallest show of the
tour, this was also the most intimate.
Freedom
House is a small charity dedicated to helping displaced people
living in northern Thailand – these can include refugees as well as
those from ethnic groups established within Thailand’s
borders.
Freedom House in Chaing
Mai get a taste of Eckie’s Buffoonery
Manned by
volunteers, the house operates like a drop-in centre, offering
opportunities for basic education, help, advice and opportunities
for self-expression through arts and music.
The best
place for the performance turned out to be under a lean-to roof
attached to the building, and it made a good, intimate performance
space.
The small
audience ranged in age from only a few years to young people in
their twenties. Neighbours from along the street were also
invited.
Partly open
to the street, passing strangers stopped to see what the noise and
laughs were all about.
To find out
more about Freedom House and their work visit the website
at:
Eckie particularly
enjoyed this small show – the last before heading back south to
Bangkok
Here
are a few things you can do to help:
?Make donations of toys,
toiletries, books, clothes or other useful goods and send to: Clown
Eckie. 148/24 Sukhumvit Soi 22, Klong Toey, Bangkok
10110.Thailand.
?Tell Eckie about worthy
groups or organizations that you think he could consider offering a
free performance.
?Sponsor
a performance. This means that Eckie can make a firm commitment to
your chosen show and will not accept any other bookings for that
period. Sponsors often share the costs with a group of friends or
work colleagues.
Village School Shows Around the Thai Burmese
Border
On his recent
tour of North-West Thailand Clown Eckie performed his sponsored
shows at some small village schools around the Burmese border near
Mae Hong Son.
Ban Pa Pu
Primary School is typical of many smaller village schools all over
Thailand. Though clearly run with modest funding, Ban Pa Pu Primary
School tries as far as possible to provide the same facilities as
larger schools. On visiting, the commitment and care of the teachers
is plain to see.
Many of the
children at this school come from the ethnic minorities living in
the border area.
Ban Pa Pu Primary
School Children having a go with a unicycle after enjoying the
show
Eckie also
fitted in shows at the Kayan villages of Ban Nai Soi and Huay Pu
Keng. A major Mae Hong Son tourist attraction, the Kayan people are
often mistakenly described to visitors from around the world as
Long-neck Karen or Padaung.
The main
interest for tourists is the traditional ornamentation of the Kayan
whose women wear heavy brass coils around their neck. Starting
in childhood and increasing the length of the coil periodically
gives the neck an elongated appearance.
Some of the children
at the Kayan village of Ban Nai Soi village enjoying the
shows
What many
visitors do not realise is that although many of their children have
been born in Thailand, the Kayan people are almost all refugees from
Karenni State in Burma who arrived a little less than 20 years ago.
Until recently, their status in Thailand was uncertain, but earlier
this year the authorities recognised their circumstances and they
have been offered the choice of moving into the nearby refugee camp,
or living in Thailand with limited rights. Many would like to
resettle to a third country where they could obtain citizenship,
freedom of movement, opportunities for education and the right to
work.
A Karenni Student
making the clown look very silly
These 2 shows
were arranged with the help of Karenni Student Development Programme
(KSDP), a UK-based charity which supports education in Huay Pu Keng
and also supports educational facilities and student hostels in the
main Karenni refugee camp.
Huay Pu Keng
could be the least accessible venue Clown Eckie has performed at –
but it was well worth the effort. The village can only be reached by
boat, so all the show equipment had to be carried to the river bank
and transferred to a motor-powered canoe. At the other side, a lot
of helping hands carried everything from the little wharf leading up
to the village across a field to the school building where the show
would take place.
Show equipment had to
be carried to the river bank and transferred to a motor-powered
canoe
This show was
a first for Eckie ,as well as for the village children who were
enthralled by their first encounter with a genuine
clown!
To find out more about support for education in
these villages - and for other Karenni students - visit the KSDP
website: www.ksdp.org.uk
Observer
Magazine September 08
Clown Eckie Charity Shows
Project
The latest 'Charity Shows Project' took Clown
Eckie to Chiang Mai, and to government schools and orphanages around
Mae Hong Son, and to remote villages near the border with Burma.
Here are reports from two of these recent shows.
Everyone gets the joke!
A long drive to the
north
His
car loaded to the gunnels with donated clothing, school equipment
and other goodies to hand out, Eckie took the long drive to Chiang
Mai where he started a week long tour which eventually clocked up
almost 4,000 kilometres.
Si Sangwan
School
The
first day’s performance was at the Si Sangwan Chiang Mai School for
Disabled Children. It was seen by nearly all the 250 children at the
residential school.
This show
was sponsored and attended by an American family on holiday in
Thailand who were delighted to join the children and teachers at the
performance during a trip to Chiang Mai.
Afterwards,
the principal asked if Eckie could return sometime - something he
would very much like to do if another northern tour can be arranged
next year.
Candlelit show
When you
are an entertainer you don’t always know where you’ll be performing
until you get there. The show arranged for Eckie at the
Opportunities for Poor Children orphanage just outside Mae Hong Son
turned out to be accessible only by a footpath running round the
edge of some paddy fields. However, a band of willing helpers was on
hand to help transport the equipment to the performance
area.
Orphans and Volunteers carrying show props
The show
was scheduled to start in the early evening, and during
preparations, darkness began to fall. Having previously checked that
there would be a generator, Eckie had assumed there would be lights.
No such luck – running a generator for lighting is a luxury OPC do
without.
Never
mind…the show had to go on, and so it did - by the light of candles
and occasional flashes from cameras.
Children witnessing the Silliness by candlelight
as darkness fell during set-up
OPC
cares for around 45 children, many originally from migrant families,
and almost all from the ethnic groups living along the Thai/Burma
border.
The
children all attend a local government school – a recent change of
policy has extended access to education for migrant children until
Standard 9. Though school is free, many migrant families
unfortunately simply cannot afford associated expenses, and their
children are unable to go.
The
Director of OPC, Kham Chuen, has made it a priority that all the
children in his care take this opportunity.
Originally
from Shan State in Myanmar, Kham Chuen previously held a senior
position with an organisation devoted to promoting the rights of
children, and to raising awareness in Myanmar and among border
communities about the danger of child trafficking.
While
working in Mae Hong Son he saw a lack of provision in education for
children of migrant families from ethnic groups, and OPC developed
from his earlier involvement in grass roots projects to provide
education for these youngsters.
The shelter
for orphans opened in 2003 and the project is run with 8 local staff
and some help from short-term foreign
volunteers.
Kham Chuen
says the biggest challenge they face at OPC is currently running the
project without regular stable funding – particularly with the
recent rises in the cost of fuel and the price of
rice.
As well as
the satisfaction of being able to provide secure, caring home for
orphaned children, he feels a sense of achievement that OPC has been
able to help the children access formal education in Thai
schools.
This
sentiment was echoed by Claire, a 27 year-old volunteer from New
Zealand, who has been helping at OPC for over a month. Asked what
had most impressed her during her time at OPC, she singled out the
importance to the children of their education, and the power it can
have to improve their lives for the better.
?Make donations of toys, toiletries, books,
clothes or other useful goods and send to: Clown Eckie. 148/24
Sukhumvit Soi 22, Klong Toey, Bangkok
10110.Thailand.
?Tell Eckie about worthy groups or organizations
that you think he could consider offering a free
performance.
?Sponsor a
performance. This means that Eckie can make a firm commitment to
your chosen show and will not accept any other bookings for that
period. Sponsors often share the costs with a group of friends or
work colleagues.
Clown
Eckie is well known around Bangkok where he has been delighting
children - and amusing parents and teachers - with his appearances
at International Schools, hotels and parties. He also performs
regularly at a wide variety of charity events around Bangkok and all
over Thailand.
Clown Eckie moved to
South East Asia eight years ago and has been working as a
professional entertainer in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand ever
since. He has also worked in Shanghai, Singapore, Cambodia,
Laos and Burma.
The move to Bangkok
has been a good one for Eckie and he is now well established. Work
in Bangkok has included long-term contracts at various five-star
hotels, weekly shows at the world famous Shangri-La hotel for the
last 3 years, and a busy schedule performing shows at family parties
and many other events.
Clown Eckie’s Sunday Brunch shows at the
Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok
As well as his
commercial bookings, Eckie has been exploring ways to take his
talents to a different audience, bringing a little humour and
light-heartedness to people living in difficult circumstances, or
without the advantages that many of us are lucky to
enjoy.Over the past eight years, he has performed pro
bono for charitable organizations throughout
Thailand.
Back in 2003, Eckie
was asked to perform for some of the children at a large orphanage
in Bangkok. After the show - which was mostly in mime - one of the
volunteer carers told him that the children were very concerned that
he could not speak. Eckie was touched by this, but the volunteer
followed on to tell him that all the children were suffering from
AIDS and many would probably not be there to see his show next
year.
This thought made
such an impression on Eckie that he decided to devote much more of
his time to bringing a little laughter to those children in Thailand
whose lives may sometimes lack these simple
pleasures.
Clown Eckie's fond
memories from many charitable events now remind him how fortunate he
is to be able to offer a simple gift -
laughter.
Shows at theRotary Club
Annual Kids day Out for handicapped
children
Donors - mainly
local companies and a few private individuals - regularly help Eckie
by providing expenses for a great day of fun at no cost to venues
that would not otherwise get the chance.
To date,
beneficiaries have included: children with HIV, orphans, children
with physical or learning disabilities, children living in slums,
and the children of refugee and migrant families. Of course the
guardians, doctors, nurses, teachers, volunteer workers and parents
always enjoy the silliness too.
What wonderful
memories for these children
'Hello, I'm clown Eckie and I'll
be appearing regularly in name of magazine. My charity work takes me
to many interesting places all around Thailand and I constantly
discover organizations doing excellent work with a wide variety of
different groups of people in need. I'm lucky to often meet special
and committed individuals who devote a lot of time and energy to
work which helps others.
Over the coming months,
I'll be sharing some of these happy and interesting experiences with
you,and letting you hear from
not only staff, carers and volunteers, but also the people and
children who benefit from these worthwhile
projects.'
Best
wishes,
Clown
Eckie
A great gift of toys from some children at one
of Bangkok’s International schools
Please Make a
Donation
Fordetails of how to donate clothing, school
equipment and other goods.
Help to put more smiles on more faces by making
a financial
donation.
+66 (0) 2.663.5978
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converted
Clown Eckie is:
Eddie Haworth PHF.Operations manager for 'Gift of Happiness
Foundation'.Workshop address: 148/24
Sukhumvit Soi 22, Bangkok 10110. Thailand. Tel: +66 (0)2.6635978. Office
address: 111, 4th Floor, SKV Building Soi Sukhumvit 36. Sukhumvit Road,
Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110. Thailand Work Permit
Number:.03-37-9/25-50
Author
information: Copyright 2001 [Eddie Haworth PHF]. All
rights reserved.
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Clowning is a performance art...We exist to
perform...Our obligation is to prepare ourselves for effective and
entertaining performances. The primary expectation of our audience
is that we will bring humour into their lives. While delivering
humour we can also do many important things such as teach lessons,
help heal troubled souls, bring people together and many other
worthwhile things. We do these things within the context of our art
form and with the understanding that our primary purpose as clowns
is to comically
entertain.
