Travel & Humanitarian Photos
This is the question posed by the NGO “a child’s right” in their Clean Water Challenge. When you consider that the glass on the left is highly likely to contain water bearing some of the contaminants that kill over 3 million people every year, my guess is that no amount of money would tempt you to drink from that glass. Yet, sadly, clean, purified water like that on the right is unavailable to many children around the world and the choice between clean and dirty, between healthy and contaminated is not one that they enjoy.
It would be hard to argue that any and every child does not have the right to drink clean, fresh, uncontaminated water and equally hard to deny that the rest of us have a responsibility to ensure that this most basic of needs is met.
A schoolgirl demonstrates how she and her classmates obtained water before the water purification system was installed
a child’s right provides water purification systems, water filtration units, water storage containers and extensive hygiene education to orphanages, street shelters, schools and children’s hospitals in locations with verified water issues. No child is excluded on the basis of religion, ethnicity, gender or location.
It’s not hard to find the conviction to support such an organisation and, like all of the most effective solutions, the premise is simple. Unclean water is a threat to children’s health and the provision of water improvement systems makes a dramatic and immediate difference to the health of many vulnerable children.
A schoolboy drinking purified water from a system installed by a child’s right at a school in Kathmandu, Nepal
So I was delighted when Lesley Fisher and I were invited to join the team from a child’s right in Kathmandu in order to photograph some of the schools where their water improvement systems are in operation.
“fresh”, “clean”, “healthy”, “happy”, “bright”, “light”,” youthful”, “vigorous”, “energetic”, “exuberant”, “nurturing”, “interactive”, “engaged”, “educational”
a schoolgirl celebrating the availability of clean water in front of a water station installed at her school by a child’s right
The words above are the adjectives that I wrote down before heading to Nepal. Photographers may find it useful to create some definition for a project to prevent it sliding off the rails in the heat of the moment. It’s easy to get carried away in the excitement of photographing a story, never more so than when there are 600 children running around, pulling at your sleeve, shouting “take my photo, take my photo” and generally doing their best to distract you from your objective. Fortunately, the objective for this particular job was to show lively, energetic and animated kids enjoying their school day whilst showing how the water improvement systems and clean water stations provided by the NGO have become an integral part of the children’s daily routine.
Sandhya, Sarina and Sarmila celebrate the availability of clean water at their school in Kathmandu, Nepal
I’ll often claim to enjoy what I consider to be the best job in the world but I was equally happy to concede that the friendly team from a child’s right can also lay claim to that honour. It must be a truly rewarding feeling to spend time with so many happy, enthusiastic and seemingly healthy children and to know that the reason that they are no longer under threat from drinking contaminated water is because of your efforts.
A schoolgirl enjoying a glass of clean, purified water
There’s something truly – and literally – refreshing to be gained from the sight of kids enthusiastically drinking water that you know won’t do them any harm and the bright blue water stations provided by the charity are the centre of the kids’ attention at every break time. Children queue up to drink enthusiastically from the water fountains and, as a result of the charity’s educational efforts, take great care to wash their hands at every opportunity.
Schoolgirls from the Kanya Mandir school holding glasses of clean, purified water
It was a delight to spend a few days visiting the schools where these water improvement projects have been installed. The children were an absolute joy to spend time with and, whilst it was an exhausting job, it was an uplifting experience. I’m sure that the team from a child’s right, who spent a great deal of time engaging and playing with the children, would tell you that the experience of spending time with the kids is ample reward for their efforts.
Here are a few more images that I took during this assignment. A further selection of images can be seen in the online gallery.
Amazing! Thank you!
Gavin… great work, great cause. This was obviously so much more to you than an assignment. Thanks for helping make a difference!
You did a great job, photographs are amazing, full of life and colors. Congratulations to you, Lesley and to a child’s right team for their work. Thanks for sharing.
A beautiful set of images on an important topic. Great work.
jack
Great series Gavin. Love your use of the 85 1.2, your subjects really stand out.
Terrific piece of work Gavin, hard to pick out a favourite image. The “defining your approach” idea is a good one too.
Excellent series of photographs and your advice for photographers to create some defining adjectives before a project is priceless advice.
Love the three girls throwing water into the air. Priceless photograph!
love them all!!!!
Nice set of images here Gavin…it looks like your preparation really paid off.
Beautiful pics Gavin. I especially like how you made the children jump and throw the water out of their glasses. Gives a freshness to this topic.
Looking forward in seeing your pics from China for the UN!
Keep on the good work!
Bernard
Thank you to share your amazing work.
True inspiration !
Sylvain,