Info

Innovative NGO with a unique pedagogy

MISSION:

To provide tools and methods and to create and facilitate opportunities for children and youth in developing social skills, a healthy identity, a sense of belonging to the society and in fulfilling their potential.
To introduce, advocate for and promote environments and cultures that enable children and youth to grow to their full potential.
To engage, share and collaborate with national and international communities and organizations, to expand, improve and enrich the methods of social circus pedagogy and its use around the world.

VISION:

Achievements:

4.1 million audience and workshop participants since 2002
Development of tens of Educational Performances with different themes such as Health Education, Landmine Awareness and Peace Education
Establishing progressive and stable National Programs in 5 zones of Afghanistan and reaching over 175.000 audience per year by its performances
Having average 1500 children and youth attending our weekly activities
Developing a unique Social Circus Pedagogy and managing system for its activities in the conflict zones
Introducing different children’s cultural activities and conducting workshops for thousands of children and teachers
Organizing annual regional and national championships, festivals, children’s assemblies, and girls’ networks
Providing psycho-social support and developing personal and social skills for underprivileged children

Current Students

Years of Experience

0 K

Direct Beneficiaries

Active Teams

various Workshops

Projects & Programs:

NATIONAL PROGRAM IN AFGHANISTAN FOR 1800 KIDS

The National Program in Afghanistan is a corner-stone of MMCC. It is developed to be very easy to both manage and implement, enabling children and youth to take and be the lead of all activities.
A unique feature of the activities in Afghanistan is that they are designed to reach and include very large numbers of children for a relatively very low cost – while keeping a high quality.
1800 children in 35 locations in 8 provinces of Afghanistan practice social circus every day. 43% are girls

The National Program in Afghanistan follows a schedule of regular activities where the children meet and practice circus for a couple of hours every day. These children then perform for many more in their local schools and communities. The performances encourage the children to learn and ensure MANY benefit from all efforts.

The National Program includes:

Daily Social circus for many children
Networks & capacity building of selected kids and youth
Performances by the children in local schools
Performances by the children in events and television
Annual Circus Festivals – street parades and public shows
Child Right focused activities (Shura and Fanoos)
Educational Summer and Winter programs
Funtainers – modified containers serving as activity bases

ACTUAL PROJECTS

Expansion to Africa:

With a 3 year strategy of expanding to Africa we are bringing more fun and educational entertainment to different parts of the world. Our 1st priority is vulnerable children in developing countries, especially those with traumas from war and conflict, in refugee camps with sparse resources and few alternatives. To visit our Ethiopian activity page please click> Circus of Hope

Urban Challenge

Urban Challenge is a new facility in the Gol-e-Sang Center in Kabul, which was enabled by financial support from GIZ. The new Youth focused activities are expected to grow and expand in the coming year.

Earlier Projects

– Children Capacity Building Eastern Regional Center & Funtainer
– Bangladesh, Ruhingya children
– Educational Entertainment Orphanages Circus $ Media
– IDP Camps Social Circus Children Entertainment Hygiene Education
– Media & Children Shura Child Labor and Child Right
– Children Media Children Advocacy by Media Drug Abuse Performance
– Capacity Building & School Decoration
– Landmine Awareness Capacity Building

History:

MMCC was founded in 2002 in Afghanistan and gradually expanded since then to a leading global Social Circus organization with its main expertise in conflict zones. Lack of pedagogic and financial resources made MMCC to invent and develop its own unique pedagogy and management which has now become the main success element in its activities. Relying on a global network of volunteers and contributors MMCC could maintain and expand its work.

What radically distinguishes MMCC from most of the organizations is it roots and how it developed. Children and youth of war themselves together with local volunteers and staff have been the main part of conceptualizing, developing and implementing the activities.

Berit Muhlhausen and David Mason have been the main architects and facilitators of MMCC who were living in MMCC Center in Afghanistan from 2002. They basically provided all imaginable tools and facilities for the children and the youth together with the local staff for an organic sustainable growth of the organization.

Strategy:

Be recognized and active in 3 of the world’s biggest refugee camps
Have reached additional 1 million children by shows until end of 2022
Engage 4,000 children and youth in social circus workshops and training activities
Introducing and promoting our pedagogy worldwide
Maintaining and improving our existing activities in Afghanistan
Providing and facilitating expansion of our activities

We need a movement with people with contacts and good hearts – but also doers, illiterate and those who are not afraid of moving fast.

Code of Conducts:

The main purpose of MMCC is making children happy and joyful as well as wise and strong in their mental, physical and social aspects through artistic and cultural activities, and laughter, with a positive and happy approach to life and all its resources.
Beside the overall respect for all the cultural and social norms and sensitivities of different communities, MMCC never participates in any political, religious, or ethnical activities and will never discriminate or exclude any child.
MMCC never receives any financial or material assistance or supports from or provides any services for any military or armed groups.
MMCC respects and follows all the articles of Children Rights Convention of the United. Any violation of this convention such as physical punishment will be seriously responded to.
MMCC never uses its finances, properties, children or and staff for any personal or individual benefit or objectives.
MMCC always makes a transparent system to make sure that all the articles of this agreement and article of association of the NGO is followed.
MMCC always provide the facilities and support experimental and research activities in order to produce new cultural and artistic products for children.
MMCC always try to disseminate its services to as many as children nationwide as possible and will not be limited to a small number of children and locations.
MMCC must economically function and cover all its expenses however money and financial matters should not substitute the ultimate and main objective of MMCC.

Finances:

A respected financial consultant in 2018 told MMCC, that we should be proud of our achievements in Afghanistan. We ARE proud – and we are very thankful to all our global friends, who show trust in what we do by donating to make it all happen. In addition to the individual donations, MMCC highly appreciate private sector support.
We have successfully made a very cost effective and thereby long term sustainable model for continuing all activities initiated by MMCC in Afghanistan. By end of the year we handed over all responsibilities for the National Program to our local partner, AECC. With support from our large network of international friends, MMCCs cornerstone in Afghanistan is thereby now sustained on local hands. Leaving space for MMCC to look into new horizons.
MMCC continues to supervise and support AECC and the circus activities in Afghanistan. Financially MMCC also continues to have tight bonds with AECC. An agreement is signed between the two organizations by which MMCC financially secure the basic needs of AECC’s National Program, mainly with money collected from private donations. In 2018 MMCC besides this paid for service and facilities provided by AECC for MMCC’s own activities in Afghanistan, which among more included a larger partnership project with UNICEF.