Bruce Macphail is a volunteer project manager for Clowns Without Borders, a nonprofit group that sends clowns around the world on humanitarian trips.
What’s the criteria for a Clowns Without Borders trip?
Clowns Without Borders visits post-crisis places, usually conflict zones but also natural disasters, like tsunamis and earthquakes. The idea is to bring relief to the vulnerable children in these communities. And bring laughter and play to these children. And through that to bring attention to the plight of the youth in these places, which is often sidelined when you have so many issues existing in the community.
What are some of the places you’ve gone?
I was a clown in the Balkans, in a Kosovo trip in 2004. I’ve project managed for Sudan and now Colombia.
What are the challenges of performing in front of children in these places?
These are kids living in very difficult situations. … They have very little opportunity for playing. The international aid community provides food and water, which is very important and necessary, and other things, but there’s little emphasis on play and laughter. And that’s what we provide. The projects are very low budget. Everyone’s a volunteer in these expeditions.
How do you get the kids to laugh?
That’s always surprising. You always have this moment before you enter these places. … How [is] this going to make sense? But children are children wherever you go in the world. It’s incredible, the minute you step in these places, people who don’t have a concept of what a clown is, but instantly, from the children to the adults, everybody brightens up and laughs. It’s amazing the way that humor is so universal.
What do you like most about working for Clowns Without Borders?
It’s just incredible working to share playing with children all over the world … and play a small part in bringing the world closer.
