Bangladesh street children launch photo exhibition

What would you expect to see if you gave street children living in one of the poorest countries in the world a camera to document their lives? Plan’s 'Through Our Own Eyes' project trained groups of street children in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in simple photography and video techniques to help them raise awareness of the realities they face.

Street life reality

Below is a small selection of some of the children’s photos.

Kids living on the streets are at increased risk of physical and sexual abuse by adults, harassment by police, and typically have no access to education or healthcare. It is estimated approximately 430,000 children live on the street across Bangladesh and nearly half of them are below 10 years old. By 2014, that number is expected to more than double.

Getting positive attention – and positive results

Their pictures were part of a recent exhibition in Dhaka, Bangladesh at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture.

Besides the Bangladesh project, Plan operates close to 60 child media programs in over 30 countries to help children speak out and promote their rights. The aim is for children to produce their own media – such as radio, music and video – an activity that is often revolutionary for many children. These projects provide children with an opportunity to gain self-confidence and have their voices heard.

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