Even When I Fall tells the story of two remarkable young Nepali women, survivors of child trafficking into corrupt big-top circuses across India. They met in a Kathmandu refuge after they had been rescued and it is here that we begin our story – in the often overlooked aftermath of a childhood spent in captivity and forced labour. They were inadvertently left with a secret weapon by their captors: their breathtaking skill as circus performers.
Even When I Fall traces their journey as they work hard with 11 other survivors of human trafficking to build Circus Kathmandu – Nepal’s first and only circus – following their stories as they face the families that sold them and seek acceptance within their own communities.
With Circus Kathmandu they discover a new strength, pride and something more: a sense of responsibility that comes with the stage – to use the crowd’s attention to spread a message, to educate against trafficking. Quickly their work grows to an international stage – from the rich beauty of the Kathmandu Valley, through the dusty poverty-stricken border towns of the Terai plains, and finally to the bright lights and crowds of the famous Big Top at England’s spectacular Glastonbury Festival.
In April 2015, when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hits Nepal, we see the problems facing thousands in Nepal right now through the prism of the circus – from living in refugee camps to suffering bullying and pressure from their families. But despite these challenges Circus Kathmandu goes from strength to strength and has never been so relevant or determined – they are able and equipped to be a part of the reconstruction of their country. As human trafficking is on the rise, thousands of children and families are displaced, schools are reduced to rubble, they are now embarking on outreach to the most damaged and traumatised areas - to deliver powerful anti trafficking advocacy, to work alongside education programmes, and to bring light relief through the magic and wonder of circus to the children in Nepal that most need it.
