As a child in Nepal, Bijay Chaudhary spent his days digging through rubbish bins and boxes looking for something he could sell to buy some food.
“Sometimes I would not find anything, and so I would not eat for days,” says Bijay, who at the age of 21 has left behind life on the street for life in the circus.
And not just any circus. Circus Kathmandu is Nepal’s first and only company whose performers have all been rescued from human trafficking and other vulnerable situations.
As Bijay puts it: “This circus has given me a second chance in life. It saved me.”
Originally from Butwal, in western Nepal, Bijay ended up on the streets at the age of 5. With a group of other street children, together they survived as best they could.
One of his best friends, Rajan, also joined the circus when they were both teenagers, and for the past three and a half years they have learnt acrobatics, tumbling, rope climbing and dancing. When they dangle from the ceiling on silken cloth, it is almost as if they are flying.
“I work hard every day to become better. My dream is to become famous in Nepal to show them that someone poor like me can make it big, and that a circus is not something bad,” says Bijay.
In its three and half years, Circus Kathmandu has rescued many of its performers from circuses in India, to where they had been sold as children and suffered much abuse. With no education, they have limited options when going home to Nepal.
That is where Circus Kathmandu steps in, giving them a change to develop their hard-earned skills in an environment that is safe, supportive, highly creative and enjoyable.
“I love my circus. Circus Kathmandu is my family. I had no one before, but now I have 13 family members,” says Bijay, brushing away a tear with the back of his hand.
His words are translated by Indra Gurung, a co-founder of the circus and an operations manager with FSI Worldwide, an ethical recruiting company with offices in Dubai and the United Kingdom. Last year, FSI won the End Human Trafficking Now Award at the World Economic Summit in Davos.
“He doesn’t really need much translation, his hand gestures and eyes are telling on their own,” said Mr Gurung.
It is time for Bijay to demonstrate his skills. He performs several backflips on the spot, then winks and bows to an imaginary audience that will be replaced by a real crowd later in the day.
The circus arrived in Dubai last week for its first international performance, at Dubai British School, and sponsored by the UK charity Freedom Matters. The aim was to raise funds for further rescues of victims of human trafficking in Nepal. Ultimately, the aim is to give victims a fresh start by joining what has been called South Asia’s first social circus.
“A circus is very therapeutic, it builds confidence, a sense of team work, and gives the performers an outlet to express themselves in any way they want,” said Sky Neal, the co-director at Circus Kathmandu, who has more than 10 years of experience in the theatre and circuses.
Ms Neal has worked hard over the years to bring out the best in each of the performers. The stylish show is inspired by mythical Nepali storytelling, infusing circus acts, theatre, dance and plenty of colour and music. There are no animals, and none of the traditional circus acts now considered old fashioned.
“They are amazing. They work hard on improving their acts, and challenging themselves further,” she said. “They are proof that anyone can become an acrobat with enough dedication and determination.”
One of the figures behind the initiative is Philip Holmes, the chief executive of Freedom Matters, a UK registered charity that rescues children and young people from trafficking and bonded labour.
“I have known them since they were children,” says Mr Holmes, a retired British army lt col, who personally carries out many of the rescues. He remembers Bijay, a teenager when he first met him, as “spunky” with a lot of character.
“Look what he can do now. He is almost flying off the stage, and having fun while doing it. I am so proud of him and of each of the performers. They are my children.”
It was the stories of human trafficking, in which children from poor families were sold to “prison-like circuses” in India, that motivated Mr Holmes, who knew of the country through the army’s connection with the famous Gurkha soldiers, to make his mission in life to help these victims.
Between 2004 to 2012, over 700 people were rescued through the efforts of his team. It is estimated there are between 7,000 and 12,000 victims of human trafficking between Nepal and India every year.
“Anyone can make a difference,” he says. “You just have to do your research. For instance, currently there have been scams operated via orphanages where the criminals kidnap children that are not even orphans, and use them to get money through promoting the orphanages. Just know who to support.”
As Circus Kathmandu plans to expand and become more internationally known, its creators and performers are hopeful that bigger and “brighter” things are coming their way.
“I will become famous one day, you just wait and see. Everyone will know Bijay,” says the young performer. “I will not give up.”
To learn more about Circus Kathmandu, click here. To help victims of human trafficking and child labour, click here.
To view the photo blog visit http://blogs.thenational.ae/photography/national-view/backstage-with-circus-kathmandu-by-antonie-robertson
rghazal@thenational.ae