Went to a House Party for Hope last Friday, a sort of simultaneous worldwide event to raise funds for Kids with Cameras, through the screening of the Academy Award Winning documentary Born Into Brothels.
The documentary centres on several children who live in the red light district in Calcutta, where their mothers work as prostitutes. Without any help, these children, especially the girls, will most likely be prostitutes as well.
By arming them with cameras, New York-based photographer Zana Briski hopes to ignite the children’s imagination, build their self-esteem, and thus help them break out of the cycle of poverty.
And it is heartening to find some success stories. Such as that of Avijit, who is currently a film student at NYU.
The organisation is currently building a haven called Hope House, Asah Niwas, specially for the kids of Calcutta’s red light district. Here, up to 100 girls can come to live and develop the strength and skills to change their own circumstances while remaining connected to their families. The children will receive free education through high school, courtesy of Buntain Foundation, an international organisation dedicated to helping the impoverished in India.
Tags: born into brothels, calcutta, hope house, kids with cameras
