360 video: Every third child in Berlin lives in poverty — meet one of them

360 video: Every third child in Berlin lives in poverty — meet one of them
Copyright Thomas Kierok
By Gayatri Parameswaran and Felix Gaedtke
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15-year-old Kim Hansloek is part of the gloomy statistic. But performing in the socially conscious Cabuwazi circus gives her "an outlet for the rage". Watch how a Berlin circus helps children living in poverty in this interactive 360° experience.

  • If the text in the video above is too small, try clicking the binoculars in the lower-right corner.
  • This is an interactive 360° story, so you can move the image. Use your smartphone or computer cursor. Click the round icons to advance through the story. Don't forget to turn the sound on.
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Every third child in Berlin depends on social welfare

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Germany has one of the world’s strongest economies, but a significant level of income equality leaves especially children of single parents highly vulnerable to poverty.

A circus is trying to change that.

The inclusive Cabuwazi circus brings youth from diverse backgrounds together to learn and perform acrobatics. The program helps children conquer fears and learn the value of teamwork.

Such initiatives are badly needed. Scientists have demonstrated how poverty affects children in a range of ways — if you grow up in a poor household you are, for example, at a much higher risk of suffering from developmental disorders.

"The Perry Preschool study conducted in the US clearly lays out the benefits of public investment in early child development," said Dr Ulrich Fegeler, a paediatrician and researcher on child development.

"What's really required is a holistic approach, but a social circus is a good way to address some issues related to child poverty."

At the Cabuwazi circus, young people like Kim Hanslok not only master acrobatics, they also find a free room where they can develop friendships and experience a sense of community that they carry with them into the future.

Rise Above is a VR documentary by Felix Gaedtke & Gayatri Parameswaran and was produced by NowHere Media with support from Euronews, Medieninnovationszentrum Babelsberg and the Solutions Journalism Network.

If you own an Oculus Go headset, you can download the full 360° video here. Follow this guide to load it to your headset.

Additional sources • Ole Krogsgaard

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