A little girl who grew up in Addis, Sosina Wogayehu loved acrobatics from the age of 6 and grew up to become a globally renowned circus artiste creating multiple opportunities for many other young Ethiopian acrobats.
After years abroad and an international career and education in Australia, Sosina returned to Ethiopia in 2013 to establish circus programs in Addis Ababa. She wished to build on Ethiopia’s circus traditions, and share them with the world. She also wished to harness circus as a tool for empowerment, to engage young people, and support their educational development, providing them with a pathway out of poverty.
Despite having no permanent venue or ongoing funding, Sosina established GAMO Circus School and Ethio Circus Entertainment. Gamo Circus School aims to provide professional development for circus artists and dancers providing intensive training for talented young Ethiopians to fulfill their dreams, develop sustainable careers and extend their life skills. The name of the school “Gamo” means lion. It comes from the southern part of Ethiopia.
For over 15 years, she has successfully supported hundreds of young people to develop circus skills and sponsor them with education. She has managed the training of a series of highly skilled circus artists, and supported them to perform in leading shows around the world, including Cirque Du Soleil and Circus 1903.
Her dream now is to establish a permanent home which can ensure the work of providing a pathway out of unemployment for the young people of Ethiopia, a place to call home, the Circus Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“My dream is to provide opportunities for the young people of Ethiopia and Africa, to bring their talents to our community, and the rest of the world. To give them a chance to express their emotions, their experiences, and their worlds through the contemporary arts of dance, circus and theatre. I have the conviction that with my history, my experience and my networks throughout the world, I can contribute to this dimension of Ethio-African contemporary arts and create a leading organization in Ethiopia.”
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