🇺🇦 This week marks the start of a wonderful adventure: a French clown is off to Ukraine to bring joy to children in hospitals!

🎤 Last month, on the sad third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, we had a stand at the demonstration on the Place de la Bastille (link). Among the visitors, we met Jean-Jacques, who was touched by our vision of humanitarian aid and our projects. He came to us with an incredible idea.

🤡 🤹‍♂️ 🪄 Jean-Jacques is also JyJou (see its site), a talented clown, mime and magician! He wanted to get involved in Ukraine by doing what he does best: putting on shows for children, especially those in hospital. For this first trip to Ukraine, he was looking for a partner organisation. Naturally, we said yes! Thanks to the fantastic work of our Kyiv-based colleague Natalia Piskova, a week-long tour was organised to Lviv, Kyiv and Berizky (Mykolaïv oblast).

JyJou is getting ready to leave Paris for a journey that promises to be rich in emotions, both for the children and for him.

Here is what he wrote before his departure:

The day I learned of the start of this war, my whole body became one, I immediately felt that something vital was happening over there. Ukraine, like others, was going to be that small flame of resistance to the wave of obscurantism invading our planet.

❓ How can I help them at my level?

By going to the demonstration in Paris every year, hanging a Ukrainian flag from my window, hanging a small flower in the Ukrainian colours from my satchel, making small donations...

But something was missing. So it was obvious to go there and show my support. and through me a little of France. 

🤔 And how? 

With clowns, magic and flowers! To be that little hummingbird of their dreams and smiles...*.

🌻 And these sunflowers, which have always been with me, were to take on their full meaning, as today they are a symbol of their resistance.

After several attempts with associations, 

It was at this year's event in Paris that I had the chance to meet the Small Projects Team. They immediately liked my project (probably my mime part... 😊). And thanks to Magda, Charles and, of course, Natalia, a local Ukrainian, a Smile Trail has been prepared...*. 

💪 For all those people out there, full of courage: Slava Ukraini!

Pericles: "There is no happiness without freedom, nor freedom without courage". 

You can follow JyJou's journey on Instagram at https://instagram.com/thesmallprojectsteam
and https://instagram.com/laplanetejyjou/

Initiatives like this are at the heart of our mission. They remind our Ukrainian friends that many people, in France and elsewhere, are always at their side.