The hopes and dreams of Cambodia’s circus children

All eyes are on Nov Sreyleak as she launches onto centre stage with acrobatic stunts at the Phare Cambodian Circus big top. The crowd erupts. She is living out her childhood dream. It is a big leap from selling rice snacks on the streets to feed her family. One in five Cambodians live below the poverty line, even more in rural villages. Back in Sreyleak’s hometown, children still scavenge dumpsites to help their families survive. Phare Circus is on a mission to train destitute children to become top-class circus performers of risky stunts, but can they succeed?