Bardala, Kardala and Ein Al-Beida are some of the most isolated villages in the West Bank located near the Jordan River and the border to Israel from the North in the Tubas district. They are surrounded by Area C, which is mostly Israeli military outposts and Israeli settlements. The inhabitants suffer from the inability to expand, frequent checkpoints that cut off their access to other town centers and, in general, their isolation from larger urban areas. Ein Al Beida, Bardala and Kardala are farming communities with almost half of their populations under the age of 15.
Assirk Assaghir trainers took a chance when traveling to these villages, because there is a checkpoint on the way, through which only residents of one of these three villages is allowed. The trainers explained that they are from Nablus and are coming to do circus in the villages. The Israeli soldiers manning the checkpoint found this amusing and different, so they let the group through. Other visitors and humanitarian workers have not been so lucky, keeping these villages extremely isolated. Upon arrival in the village, there were large groups of children and teens waiting to see what this circus was all about. Many of them had dressed up for the occasion, showing how special it is for visitors to come to their village. Although the numbers of children were much higher than a usual workshop for Assirk Assaghir, no children were turned away and all got to try a hand stand, juggling balls, unicycles and diabolos, as well as the many fun games that come with circus workshops. These workshops reminded the Assirk Assaghir team how fragmented the West Bank has become because of the multiple checkpoints and zoning and permit system, making some villages much more isolated and disadvantaged than others, despite their proximity.
Curious boys watch as Assirk Assaghir trainers unload equipment.
Children watch an acrobatics demonstration during one of the workshops.
The whole group...
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