kids with camera

it was a horrible feeling night. tossed and turned on my bed but couldn't fall asleep. my mind ran a million miles of thoughts, mostly of questions that i never knew the answers. i stared at the ceiling, the only sound heard was that of the fan's spinning blades. i prayed hard. for the miracle. not wanting to sink into more negative thoughts, i distracted myself with yet another film. the clock ticked close to 3am.

and i began to watch Born Into Brothel - Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004) - a docu-film introduced by mel.
i admire Zana Briski's heart for the children of prostitutes in calcutta's red light district. she gave them cameras and taught them photography. seeing the world in the eyes of the children, the photos developed were amazing. Zana then started Kids with Camera (http://www.kids-with-cameras.org), a project that sells the photos taken by the children to fund their education and lives. in hope to redeem them from poverty and the chaotic lives in the brothels. the photography project branched out to needy children in Haiti & Cairo as well.

kudos to Kids with Camera. a drive that touches my heart.
you can purchase the children's snaps at http://www.kids-with-cameras.org/kidsgallery/

these are some of my favorite ones:

by avijit - bucket.

avijit was the only child to represent india from the calcutta's group to go to amsterdam for World Press Photo Foundation as a child jury.
very creative boy with talents in painting and photography.
19 this year, avijit has been studying in US for 3 years.

by gour - running.

"I want to show in pictures how people live in this city. I want to put across the behavior of man."
gour is believed to still be living in the red-light district but have lost contact with Kids with Cameras.

by shanti - horse.
shanti loves photography but videography even more. she filmed one of the scenes in Born into Brothels.
17 this year, she is studying at FutureHope.

by suchitra - cat

one of suchitra's photos was chosen as the cover of the Amnesty International 2003 calendar.
21 this year, she is married and moved out of calcutta.

from left: Puja, 11. Suchitra, 14. Kochi, 10. Avijit, 11. Tapasi, 11. Gour, 13. Manik, 10. Shanti, 11.