Guinea | 2024 | Circus, Dance

Yé: circus, youth and water management

In the city of Kindia, where access to safe drinking water remains limited, the collective Circus Baobab uses circus arts to empower young people to take part in the sustainable management of this essential resource.

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Yé: circus, youth and water management

A major challenge: access to safe drinking water

Lire +

In Kindia, only 20% of inhabitants are connected to the distribution network, while most people rely on boreholes, wells, or natural springs. Rapid urban population growth and unsustainable water use further complicate the situation, directly affecting living conditions.

Artist
7 Circus Baobab artists supervised by an artistic director

Partners
Circus Baobab, Prefectural Education Directorate of Kindia, local authorities, water management bodies (SEG, SNAPE)

Participants
25 students from public high schools in Kindia

Agency
AFD Guinea

In the waves of the city

workshops combining outreach and circus arts training

2,500

to 3,000 expected spectators for the performances and outreach caravan

students involved in adapting the show alongside Circus Baobab artists

This Circus Baobab project is built on an artistic and participatory approach designed to turn young people into true drivers of change. First, 25 students from Kindia take part in workshops combining good practices related to water use with circus arts training. The young participants are then involved in the adaptation of Yé, a show created by Circus Baobab, allowing them to integrate their own perspectives and experiences on water-related challenges.

Finally, a travelling outreach caravan moves through neighborhoods and markets, blending circus performances, dance, and theatre to reach a wider audience. Founded in 1997, Circus Baobab is a leading collective in circus arts in African, merging traditional arts with contemporary circus to convey committed messages. In addition to the company’s artists, the project involves local authorities, water management actors, and the Prefectural Education Directorate of Kindia.

The initiative concluded with a photo exhibition at the Kilissi waterfalls, highlighting key moments of the project and extending its impact beyond the performances.

With Yé, circus becomes a powerful tool for action, offering Guinean youth a voice and a stage to question and rethink our relationship with water.