This documentary investigates the severe crisis of homeless children in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a city plagued by post-Soviet economic collapse and extreme winter temperatures that drop to -40°C. The film follows several children, focusing on 9-year-old Monké and his 5-year-old sister, Delger, who have fled their alcoholic and abusive father. It details their daily survival strategies, which include scavenging for recyclables, begging, and seeking refuge from the lethal cold in the city's underground sewer and heating pipe networks, referred to as "trenches." The documentary also portrays the efforts of Captain Dava of the police juvenile brigade, who patrols the city to rescue these children and bring them to a temporary shelter. The film culminates in the children's return to their family's yurt, revealing parental indifference and the dire poverty that drives them away. The conclusion underscores the cyclical nature of their plight, as the siblings are shown back on the streets the very same night, facing the freezing temperatures alone.
The Harsh Reality for Mongolia's Street Children
0:03 - Harsh Conditions in Ulaanbaatar: In post-Soviet Mongolia's capital, widespread unemployment has forced families into poverty. Children are particularly vulnerable, especially during the seven months of the year when temperatures drop to -30°C and below, forcing them to live in underground sewer networks to survive.
1:12 - Daily Survival: The film follows children like 13-year-old Chuka, who lives on the streets after being abandoned by his family. Survival depends on scavenging, begging, and finding shelter in dangerous, vermin-infested underground "trenches" where hot pipes pose a risk of severe burns.
3:58 - Fleeing Abuse: Siblings Monké (9) and Delger (5) are not orphans but have run away from their violent, alcoholic father. They spend their days collecting cans to sell for cents to buy food.
10:12 - Police Intervention: Captain Dava of the juvenile brigade patrols the city at night, rounding up children from the streets and sewers. His mission is to bring them to a police-run shelter for safety.
14:13 - Temporary Shelter: At the shelter, children receive food, showers, clean clothes, and a bed. The facility is small, with only 50 beds. The primary goal is to contact their families; if no one claims them within seven days, they are sent to an orphanage.
19:25 - An Indifferent Homecoming: After a week, Captain Dava drives Monké and Delger back to their family's yurt. Their parents display no emotion or relief. The mother denies any problems at home, despite the evident poverty and the children's testimony of abuse.
24:09 - The Unbroken Cycle: Captain Dava predicts the children will end up back on the streets due to their family situation. His prediction is confirmed the same night, as the film ends with Monké and Delger once again wandering the freezing city, looking for a place to sleep.