FAQ

HCU is a Non-Profit Organization set up in March 2013.

HCU is an interactive, educational, entertaining and itinerant Social Circus – without animals – performed by youth. It uses circus as a social action instrument. The aim is to introduce Circus Arts in Uganda using performances as alternative pedagogical tools to work with youth and communities which are marginalized or at social risk.

• An infotainment Social Circus performance; a live and free show with two souls where there are serious and fun moments with exciting stories of hope and changes seeking to raise society’s awareness and promote education.
• The Kasikonda Youth Circus School that trains unprivileged, at-risk youth living in slums, in the circus and performing arts.

Through the dynamic approach of art-based education, HCU seeks to expand the opportunities of and teach valuable skills to marginalized people, especially the youth. We recognize and values the role of art and culture as powerful agents in the education of at-risk youth/neglected communities… impacting society and the public organizations responsible for youth education.

The Social Circus owes much of its use and success to its roots in arts education. Artistic expression often allows for the recognition of emotions and their articulation because art is a different language in itself. Art creates a basis for a greater understanding of new experiences, often not attained through a simple translation of verbal concepts which are not tied to the emotions of the individual. With a base in the circus arts, the social circus has the capacity to bring about a personal transformation in the performer and the spectator.

“There Is Nothing Like A Dream To Create The Future” is our motto and the hope is to secure our own space, have a permanent show and transform the HCU project into a real National Training Centre in Circus Arts.

There are 3 ways to contribute to our causes.

1. Using PayPal at the donate page.
2. With a money transfer to the bank account of our partner organization Insieme si Puo’. To contribute, in the purpose of deposit, indicate the name Hiccup Circus Uganda and headed to Associazione Gruppi “Insieme si può…” Onlus-Ong.

   IBAN: IT 16 K 02008 11910 000017613555

3. Directly to our bank in Uganda.
   Account number: 6004048561
   Bank: BARCLAYS BANK OF UGANDA Ltd KAMPALA ROAD BRANCH
   Bank address: PLOT 16 KAMPALA ROAD, P.O.BOX 2971 KAMPALA UGANDA
   Swift Code: BARCUGKX

In a word: yes. PayPal uses Secure Sockets Layer technology to encrypt all data submitted to and from our donations web page. SSL renders donors’ personal information, including credit card information, unreadable to any outsiders. SSL is supported by all major web browsers, including Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. (To find out if your browser is connected to a secure transaction server, look for a locked gold padlock in the lower right-hand corner of your IE or Firefox browser.) Additionally, your personal information will be stored on PayPal’s servers, which are heavily guarded, both physically and electronically. To further shield your credit card numbers, PayPal does not directly connect its firewall-protected servers to the internet.

Yes, on our PayPal donations web page, you can schedule a monthly or yearly gift to HCU. In fact, we encourage it!

We ensure that 96 % of your donation will go towards our program in schools and neglected communities. We work very hard to keep our administrative costs extremely low! Your money will be used for communication, visibility, insurances, rehearsal facilitation, artists salaries, transport fee, overnights stay, meals and equipment purchase/repair.

Yes. HCU has an independent audit each year.

HCU is a non-profit organization exempt from income taxation in Italy. Donations are tax-deductible for Italian citizens. For donors outside Italy, please consult with your tax advisor to determine whether your donation is tax-deductible.

Yes, you will receive a charitable tax receipt for income tax purposes. The tax receipt is sent to you as an e-mail attachment to avoid administrative and mailing costs.

You will receive your tax receipt immediately upon HCU’s receipt of your donation.

No! Hiccup Circus Uganda values your support, and we are committed to protecting your privacy. ALWAYS!

Yes. You can make your donation a tribute to someone. You will receive a donation receipt as well as a certificate that you can give to your friend or loved one.

Hiccup Circus Uganda’s outreach partners are organizations working with at-risk communities, youth in difficulty or into schools. They can be from both private/public sectors or national/international institutions or organizations even ordinary people.

HCU’s contribution will be the provision of all the equipment for a circus show. Additionally, there will be the provision of soundtracks, sound effects, scripts, tools and costumes for the non-educational parts.

HCU partners with a wide range of organizations and companies to increase visibility, including major broadcasting networks, television studios, publishing companies, and social media platforms. If your company is interested in working with us, please go to the contact page.

Volunteers come to Hiccup Circus Uganda from all over the world to contribute their time and dedication to our organization.

There are several positions to suit different needs and abilities.

CIRCUS INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMING ARTS EDUCATION

Teach circus, dance, music, theatre, and improvisation, teaching techniques, wellness, muscle conditioning, etc.

NON PROFIT MANAGEMENT

Marketing and fundraising functions – even from remote.

ART AND MEDIA

Design graphics for web site and social media, create and record music, photo or video logs of our performances, scenography, activities for visibility and communication etc.

CASEWORK

Socially tutor and mentor our young trainees, assist in schools/communities outreach, unlock potentials and integrate youth into their community, workplace etc.

AMBASSADOR

Act as an accredited representative in your community to promote HCU visibility, knowledge and funding.

The only international airport for Uganda is in Entebbe, about 45 km far from Kampala. Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Air and Turkish Airlines manage the most affordable flights.

To enter Uganda yellow fever immunization is compulsory and you need a passport valid for at least 6 months. Visa will be issued at the airport and it cost 50 USD printed after 2005 with validity for 3 months.

We are a small organization with limited resources. What HCU offer to volunteers is the logistics from/to Entebbe – Kampala. At the arrival one night at the HCU founder house and a lot of advice for a safe landing and staying.

Kampala is a busy city with lots of hiccups for moving around. We strongly advise volunteers to stay not far from HCU home base. On FB there are some groups deal with renting rooms in shared apartments or lodges where security, comfort, cleanness and budget matter.

Absolutely! Please just get in touch and let us know that you’d like to volunteer as a group.

Yes! Many of our volunteers choose to fundraise, and we’ll help you out with this.

Yes, we love to help volunteers. Before you return home we can prepare a reference letter on request.

Yes. Volunteers like to take advantage of the opportunities Uganda offer.