Thirty years ago, the Khmer Rouge perpetrated genocide upon their own people. Attempting to create a classless society, they killed nearly 1.7 million people, primarily the adult, educated and artistic population. Today, the children born to the uneducated, poverty-stricken survivors face a bleak future. With the farming lands in the countryside decimated and little opportunity in the cities, thousands of childrenare struggling to survive.

Abandoned by destitute family members, or forced to work in order to support themselves and relatives, these children are left vulnerable and exposed. On the streets of the capitol city of Phnom Penh, there are over 12,000 children living, begging and working. Through their eyes, their day-to-day heartbreaks, dangers and hopes come to life.

After Saigon fell, the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia and killed 1.7 Million people in a former high school also known as S21 (see a documentary on the subject elsewhere on this site) that also included rape, torture and a living hell. Now, you have children (12,000+ at this time as you read) living in poverty near waste dumps going through the trash to find something to survive, to sell for money and getting sick and worse in the process.