January this year I had the privilege of returning to India to again document the work of Children of Mother Earth with children and families living in slums near the railways and in poverty stricken villages. The work of Ravi and his team is the most holistic, heart-wise and visionary NGO work I have ever had the honour of documenting. As the second most populous country on earth and with some of the most extreme poverty in the world life in an Indian slum is extremely precarious. It is into this world that Ravi and his team venture every day walking a delicate balance of care, support and empowerment.
CoME homes now provide housing, education, emotional support and materials needs over 200 children who were either living on the railways or whose families, too poor to care for their own child, have asked CoME to provide a home instead.
My job now is to turn the hours of footage we returned with into a document that will provide CoME with a tool to build more support for for its work. A daunting yet exciting challenge.
Shadara slum near Shadara railway station, Delhi
Shadara slum near Shadara railway station, Delhi
Homeless man in Gorakphur, India
Filming with Ravi at Shadara slum, Delhi
When I last filmed Sumon 7 years ago she was a living at a railway, self harming and running her own gang of young beggar kids. She finally left the railways to live permanently at Apna Ghar, Lucknow. Two years ago she married and now has a baby son. Together with her husband she is planning to open a small shop in her home village.
CoME children at Lucknow Apna Ghar, India
Ravi and some of his kids at Phasar Apna Ghar, Northern India
More of Ravi's incredibly cute kids. Phasar Apna Ghar, Northern india