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Jaipur Stories

The Resilient Childhood?

It was three years ago when I got connected with an NGO in Jaipur. They were on the lookout for a photographer in Jaipur who could carry out candid photography of their establishment in Achrol. I was keen on this project and after a brief meeting with the director, I began to carry out this project.

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I visited their campus a couple of times which is 50 km away from Jaipur. My first-weekend visit in the month of May turned out to be futile because of a sandstorm. This month witness lots of sandstorms and it gets worse in areas like Achrol & vicinity with lots of barren lands.

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The school at Children’s Village

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In an interaction, I asked if all the kids were orphans? A few are, the rest are abandoned, destitute and poor kids from the vicinity replied the manager. The NGO calls its facility a children’s village. They have a school on their campus, which includes both the ones living on their campus as well as the ones living in surrounding villages. The kids are given computer lessons which imply they are adequately trained for the future.

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Many volunteers from across the globe stay on the campus for months & contribute in all ways possible beyond money. A few teach kids, and others develop infrastructure. The NGO maintains an association with many agencies across the world that assists them by finding donors and volunteers.

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In this blog, I’m sharing limited information with pictures I clicked in 2016 along with information about some of the kids. This was not a staged photoshoot. The kids were engaged in their routine chores and I captured them candidly.

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Name – B

Age- 6 years

B lost his parents and was living with his maternal uncle, a truck driver. Because of constant travel, his uncle brought him to this institution. He underwent a challenging time settling here because he was attached to his uncle. B is a clever & cocky kid as well as a proven prankster. He is a purple belt holder in Karate.

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Name- N

Age- 10 years

She was brought to this NGO when she was 8 years old by her mother because her father was an unemployed alcoholic. Fearing N might fall into bad company, her mother decided to bring her here. N is friendly, sweet, and obedient. With a brown belt in karate, her dream is to travel to Australia someday.

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Name-M

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Name – N

Age – 12 years

A sports enthusiast who excels in studies too. N is a fast learner and a highly motivated child.

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Name- S

Age- 6 years

Out of three, two siblings S and sister P (mentioned in this blog) were admitted here when their mother succumbed. Their father, a daily wage earner finding it difficult to manage kids, brought them here.

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Name-P

Age- 7 years

P loves math and looks forward to the classes conducted by Ms. Cindy from California. P wants to be a dancer when she grows up; she enjoys music classes.

The kids in action in karate classes.

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There’s so much that these faces hide and how little do we know.

I hope they all take on the world with their might escaping their difficult past.

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For some reason, I felt confidence shines among these kids.

B is one such kid. This is a unique picture where I invited a kid to pose for a picture; his confidence is evident. Isn’t it?

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This is not a sponsored post. 

There is a reason why I have chosen to name this post-The Resilient Childhood. Childhood is marked with innocence and dreams. It is like a blank canvas where an artist draws or paints. These kids are extraordinary because they have undergone hard times yet they have so much resilience.  

Is it possible to contribute to shaping their future in some way? Feel free to get in touch with me, I will connect you with the organization. 

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93 thoughts on “The Resilient Childhood?”

    1. I agree, Shivangi. The circumstances can be difficult at times but positive thoughts can get us through faster and smoother.
      I’m glad you liked these pictures. As for presentation, I decided to let pictures speak for themselves, hence the use of few words. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Arv, I find this as one of your best posts. I praise the noble initiative by thy NGO and also your effort to show us the innocent souls who despite a tough beginning dream for a better tomorrow. I wish their aspirations take wings and make them fly high. I must add these are some great captures.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks, Sarmistha. These pictures are different because I clicked them with a DSLR. I generally click photos with a compact super zoom and a smartphone. DSLR allows one to get creative. This is why these pictures stand out. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

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  4. What a poignant post. Your photos really tell the story so effectively – of children who look happy even though life has been rough for them. I volunteer with an NGO that provides free accommodation for underprivileged children undergoing treatment for cancer . These kids though staying with their parents show remarkable cheer and resilience and it is hard not to be inspired by their attitude .

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    1. That’s a great effort, Sunita. Keep up with this benevolent act. The world needs more people like you. Do spread the word on your blog if it helps to garner more support. Thanks for sharing your contributions and thoughts. Appreciate it. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

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  5. This is such an inspiring post. Thanks for sharing the stories of these wonderful kids.
    “I hope they all take on the world with their might escaping their difficult past.”
    – I hope so too.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m glad you liked it. Looks like the post did serve its purpose. I wanted to share all that some wonderful people are doing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
      You have some amazing pictures on your blog. Where are you based?

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. Sharing the good in the world, that is a very noble thought, keep up the good work. Whatever little we can do, we must do 🙂
        Thank you for dropping by my blog. After spending the first two-thirds of my life in India, I moved to the US (New England) and have been living here ever since.
        What about you? I assume you live in Jaipur 😀

        Liked by 1 person

      3. I am jealous. Though I like my winters better, I would love to visit Rajasthan some day. I have only heard good things about its beauty, food, art, culture and people.
        P.S. You can address me absolutely any which way you want to 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      4. For you winters in Rajasthan will be akin to spring because the temprature never drops beyond 4C on minimum side. Usually, it is sunny days with temprature around 15-20 C.
        Address you in any way? Well, you have made things difficult for me. 😉

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  6. I am very much impressed with your photography about the children in the institute for orphans and abandoned children. It is a good thing that there are people who care for these children. The title you chose for your post is very fitting. Have a great day, Arv!

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    Reply

    1. Thanks for the support. Indeed, the efforts of the organization needs to be applauded. I would definitely urge you to support any organization that you can, may be in your region or internationally. They definitely need more contributors.
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts and support. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

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      2. Thanks. Yes, we are privileged people and we tend to forget that. WE humans are wired to find faults overlooking what we are blessed with.

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    1. Thanks, Shaloo. We need to contribute to this drive in whatever ways. Have you ever tried doing something similar? Financing lesser privileged kids education or food to homeless people? May be something else…

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      1. I was a regular visitor at a girls orphanage. My team n I used to pool in money every month to buy things for them. Another similar experience was with kids at a slum where we used to go every week to teach meditation.

        Liked by 1 person

  9. This is one heart touching and purposeful post. I am glad that you took this opportunity to bring some awareness amongst the educated elite and showcase a different picture of the society. Kudos to your intent and spirit Arvind 🙂 .

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    1. Thanks, buddy. I’m sure these kids deserve more. We all can make a difference in our own ways. May be we cannot change a lot but even bringing a smile on someone’s face is a big feat. 😊

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      1. Yes, they have. When I was in Istanbul, I sometimes visited the local NGO working for refugee’s kids. I Did not do much things. Just watch the kids playing while their mother got the training in order to improve their life after fleeing from the country..

        Liked by 1 person

      2. oh! I have seen a couple of documenteries on refugee camps. Most of the camps in the vicinity of Syria aren’t in good conditions. The populations outnumbers the facilities. I’m not sure if this is because the rate of growth. The ones in western part of Europe are better in all ways.

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      3. You are right, Arv. Apparently, most of refugees going to Europe already got the approval from the host country, therefore they could settle in the new country. The ones in Turkey, apparently are not really called refugee. Turkey just gave the status ‘temporary protection’ by hoping that Syria will get better in the future so they are able to return to their home country someday. While the ones I met in Istanbul, they do not live in the camp. They fled their country and settle in Istanbul without any support. We called them as urban refugees. They may live in one apartment, share with other family. Therefore, the people from NGO I met tried to help them by giving them skills, such as giving Turkish course, handmade craft course, etc to survive in Istanbul and their new future country if their application is approved.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. The world is divided on the middle east refugees. Some took a liberal step of inviting them but others are complaining of ruining social structure. In countries like Hungary, they can’t bear the financial burden of refugees. Also, it’s surprising that neither refugees want to settle in neighbouring countries like S. Arabia, UAE, Qatar nor these countries want them. A complex situation

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  11. Arv, your images are true, true how you captured those children in their actions , despite their sad circumstances, they show pride on what they are able to accomplish. Beautifully done, Arv. I have to educate myself about NGO, since I am always seeking how I can contribute to the world of other other’s who are suffering. Thank you Arv for this post

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    1. Cornelia, this is the least I could have done. If you wish to know how NGO’s are making difference and how you can contribute towards this, you can get in touch with them.
      I’m happy to know you are thinking in the right direction, Cornelia. 🙂

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  13. A truly inspiring post.
    The kids appears to be very confident and I do believe that the faces hides more than what they reveal.
    Wish the kids and the institution all the very best for the future.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the good wishes, Suman. I’m glad you liked the post. Do share on your social mdeia so we can garner more support and highlight the same. 🙂

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  16. These young souls are so blessed to have a caring and safe place to grow and learn. The b&w photographs are beautiful and really capture the essence of the kids.

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    1. I agree, Nidhi. We need to appreciate all that is being done by this organisation and also support them in whatever ways we can.

      Thanks for the appreciation. Have you ever been to a similar space or participated in a similar efforts?

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  19. This is such a beautiful post! Yes, children, most of them, are resilient. All they need is TLC. These kids seem to be getting that and more at this children’s Village. Great initiative.

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. Both, parenting and working with kids…12-17 Arv. I’ve been with children in various capacities in the education sector. And as a parent too!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. If you have been away for months then certainly but lately, I too have slowed down a bit. I have been writing fewer but more detailed posts and then there are a lot of distractions too. Were you away for 4-5 months? I hope all is well, Lalitha!

        Like

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