In Harare, Zimbabwe, with Clowns Without Borders, USA

Hello,  from Harare, Zimbabwe! Just a few days ago, I left my familiar home in Decatur, Georgia (in the heart of Metro Atlanta)  and started a tour that excites and humbles me. After a lengthy flight, I found myself in Johannesburg, South Africa, for an overnight layover before my final destination. As I settle into Harare, the rest of our team and I prepare to do our clown work.

This trip marks an opportunity for me as part of the Clowns Without Borders performance team. Over the next two weeks, my fellow artists and I will rehearse and refine our show to create unforgettable moments of joy for the children here. It's incredible to think about how humor transcends barriers of language and culture, making it a powerful tool for connection and healing. 

On Monday, we begin our rehearsals. This is one of my favorite parts of the process. I'm looking forward to working with Teddy, Lloyd, and Sunji from the Zimbabwe Theater Academy and Josie Mae, whom I worked with several years ago with CWB in Turkey.

Creating a performance with a shared purpose is fulfilling, and I look forward to seeing how it unfolds as we dive into this process together. While laughter is our primary goal, it's important to remember the backdrop of our performances—the realities faced by the children we aim to entertain. Many of them are in challenging circumstances and experience hardships. It's our goal to bring joy into their lives, if only for a brief moment, through the art of clowning and performance. We hope our time together can ignite a spark of happiness, a chance for them to laugh and play. 

For those unfamiliar, Clowns Without Borders brings laughter and play to areas in crisis—places impacted by conflict, displacement, or natural disasters. The goal is simple but profound: to offer joy where it's most needed. That joy may be a clown routine, a juggling act gone delightfully wrong, or a wordless moment of connection that transcends culture and language.

This is my first time performing in Africa, and while every tour is different, the underlying spirit of clowning remains the same. It's about presence, vulnerability, and generosity. It's about showing up—red nose on, heart open—and saying to the world, "Yes, You matter. Your laughter matters." That message resonates wherever we go.

And speaking of saying yes— next month, when I return to Atlanta, we'll host our Second Annual Fundraiser for Clowns Without Borders USA on Thursday, July 24. If you're in the area, I'd love for you to join us. It'll be an evening of stories, joy, connection, and clowning—all to support our work. This Zimbabwe tour is just one small piece of a much larger mission, and we can't do it without your support. Whether you donate, attend our fundraiser, or spread the word, it all makes a difference.

Stay tuned for more updates from Zimbabwe as our show comes to life and our tour begins. I'll be sharing stories from the field, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the creative process, and some joyful moments that remind us of the power of laughter.

Thanks from Zimbabwe,

Meredith (aka Squeeze the Clown)