This project was designed, developed and coordinated by Exeko. It consists in deploying social circus artists and therapeutic clown alongside an humanitarian medical mission,providing children additional therapy through games, laughter and personalized counselling.
This project was initially designed to support the mission of NGO Rotaplast International. We have as a goal to open this project to other NGOs working on similar missions.

Our mandate

Exeko is responsible for the development and the direction of the whole project, including the coordination of the relations between all the entities involved. Our mandate includes all communications, management, administration, logistic, and financial aspects

Our mission

• Amuse, enchant, delight, amaze, put smiles on faces! • Enhance and facilitate Rotaplast work
• Bring out the best of the magic and virtues of social circus and clowning interventions in the difficult misson context
• Ease the burden on the children and family
• Bring a personalized coaching and psychological care to each child awaiting surgery
• Support medical interventions by minimizing operative and post-operative complications that are generally caused by the child's high stress level

Our main partners

• Rotaplast International is a non-profit humanitarian organization acting worldwide to provide free reconstructive cleft-palate operations and treatment for children . They seek to provide long-term solutions by funding and coordinating surgical missions in developing countries; training and mentoring local physicians; launching public education projects; and advancing research. The goal of Rotaplast International is to eliminate the incidence of untreated cleft lips and palates in children worldwide by the year 2025. www.rotaplast.org

• Gesundheit Institute: Official collaborator for the project, it is involved in the training and the recruitment of artists in the US before mission departure. Patch Adams, himself, will go on a future expedition. www.patchadams.org

“The worst illness that I have ever seen is not cancer, it’s not even heart disease – rather it is the disease of loneliness. Loneliness is a medical emergency. Happiness is a revolutionary act.”
Patch Adams

• Wayne Schoenfeld: Collaborator with ROTAPLAST for several years now, he is the initiator of the project. Prolific businessman in the past, he is now a philanthropist and professional photographer who financially support the project development and sponsored the pilot mission in Ethiopia. He also takes responsibility for the component of the project devoted to its diffusion and to a greater consciousness of the public. ”Through this World But Once” is a documentary and a book presenting Rotoplast’s mission in Ethiopia. www.wayneschoenfeld.com
• Clowns Without Borders Canada collaborated for the coordination of the pilot project mission in Ethiopia. They were also involved in the recruitment of artists in Canada before mission departure. www.clownsf.com

  “What doctors do for the body, clowns do for the soul.”
  (Clowns Without Borders Canada, General Profile)

Thanks to our sponsors that made it possible to send a team on the pilot mission in Ethiopia (November 2006) and on a full mission to Nepal (February 2008):
Wayne Schoenfeld, Clowns Without Borders Canada, Patch Adams, John Glick, Cirque du Soleil, Les 7 Doigts de la Main, Caisse d'Economie Solidaire Desjardins, Vezina Party Centre Inc, Jouet Boom, Cirqsantrick, Production Illuzao, Metal Vegetal Concept, Mega Brands, le Secrétariat des Journées de la culture.