In Cambodia one of the most oppressed and persecuted groups under the rule of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge was that of the artists. The town of Batambang is home to Phare Ponleu Selpak, a non-profit organisation aiming to improve the lives of children, adolescents and their families through educational programmes, social support and a multi-disciplinary art school. Its aim is to give the new generations resources and skills to cope with the challenges and problems they have to face, as well as overcoming the demons and traumas of the past. The jewel in Phare Ponleu Selpak's crown is its acclaimed International Circus and the school that trains its artistes, all of them from local communities.