“La laaaa laaaa!” Miranda trills operatically. In her evening gown, yellow hair feather and a red clown’s nose, she would stand out from the crowd almost anywhere, but here in Aboutengue refugee camp in Chad she is a particularly unusual figure.
“Laaaa Laaaaaa!” in the distance, some children sing back at her.
Miranda grins delightedly. “Listen! There is an echo!”
Miranda is a performer with Clowns Without Borders, a group which performs in humanitarian settings around the world, providing psycho-social care through laughter and entertainment.
Aboutengue camp shelters around 45,000 people who have fled the conflict in neighbouring Sudan. 60% of them are children. MSF has been working here for over a year and a half, delivering critical medical and humanitarian assistance. As well as maternity and paediatric care, and distributing the majority of the water in the camp, there’s also a busy mental health team.
The people living in Aboutengue are mostly from the Darfur region in Sudan. Since the war began in April 2023, many have had to flee the violence multiple times, leaving behind their homes and livelihoods.
“Most of the patients we receive are patients that come with symptoms of anxiety, because they have been displaced many times and have fears about what comes ahead. We also receive people suffering with depression,” says Elvis, MSF’s mental health activity manager.
Since the beginning of 2024, the MSF team in the camp has provided 2,283 consultations focused on mental health and psychosocial support.
However, consultations are only part of the picture. Today they are working in partnership with Clowns Without Borders to provide some joy and laughter on a bigger scale, for children and adults alike.
Seven performers: acrobats, opera singer, musicians and – of course – clowns, have given two big open-air performances to crowds of people in the camp. Between these, they have come to the MSF hospital to perform for patients who are too unwell to leave their beds.
Over 2,500 people attended the second performance, all jostling to see Titi doing acrobatics, Miranda singing, and Rita turning a bucket of water into magical confetti.
All this was only possible with the help of MSF’s operational staff, who have worked hard to provide the logistical support needed for a visit like this. Some of them are in the audience too, laughing and clapping along with the children.
“What did I like the most?” says Noel, an MSF construction manager. “The magic tricks: I didn’t understand how they were done. It was so funny!”
But all the fun has a serious side too. Refugees in Aboutengue have lived through violence, loss and now the difficulties of life in the camp itself. Providing genuine moments of joy, togetherness and fun is expected to have a positive impact on people’s mental wellbeing, despite the ongoing hardships.
“I think the activity with the clowns is good for people. It allows them to laugh and be happy.”
Elvis, the mental health activity manager
