CHILDREN'S PHOTOGRAPHY
Inner Expression
Though they are children, photographs taken by girls of SOS Bahini, Pokhara, Nepal shows their strong inner expressions
By A CORRESPONDENT
Kamala, 10, hardly imagined that one day she could catch her surroundings but it came true in the life of more than a dozen girls.
When the girls, who are homeless, orphan, abused or in other desperate situation, aged between 5-16 years of SOS-Bahini of Pokhara, were given camera, they documented their world through their eyes and their expressions were strong enough to be compiled in a book My World My View.
Thanks to Sue Carpenter, founder of Asha-Nepal, a British INGO founded with the ambition of combating the trafficking of women and girls from Nepal into the sex industries of India, these girls found an opportunity to express their own creative ideas under a photographic project "My World, My View."
Under this project My World and My view, 22 girls captured the scenes, insight feelings about the world and themselves. The photographs of these children include the time of their pleasure, patience, and reality of day to day life, their families and surroundings.
The success behind this project is Sue Carpenter, a professional British photographer, who worked heart to heart with the girls understanding and reading their minds and bringing their creativeness to the public.
"I wanted to live in Nepal and get directly involved with some of these girls, get to know them, hear their stories and give them a forum to make their own statement in society. The terrible life situations that some of the girls at SOS Bahini have endured could well have led to their being psychologically damaged. Their resilience, however, is remarkable. While outwardly they may confirm, or remain shy of voicing opinions, they have a tremendous underlying vibrancy, joy and humor which come bursting to the surface in their personal interactions and through their photographs," writes Sue in her introduction.
Published by Asha Publications and funded by the British Council, the 114 pages full color book My World, My View is a marvelous collection of the photographs taken by the children. "This is a magnificent book," said John Fry, country manager, British Council Nepal.
Launching the book and exhibition of photographs at British Council, British Ambassador to Nepal Dr. Andrew Hall, who has supported the project, says: The photographs are terrific. Their sheer enjoyment in recording the world around them shines through these pictures. I have seen for myself how this project has given them a new sense of self-worth and self-confidence."
The exhibition will last till May 30.
