The importance of a girl’s education is not yet completely understood or taken seriously in most parts of India. Girls often face discrimination in the family or in the society, and tend to drop out of school before finishing class 5 or 6. Another reason for leaving school early is the difficulty to study subjects they have little knowledge of without external help. Often, the girls’ parents are illiterate or cannot pay for extra tuition.

On day one, the ten girls who participated in the workshop were taught the basics of photography and digital camera settings and asked to photograph their school’s surroundings. This was the first time the students had participated in something that was out of their books and syllabus, and a real opportunity for them to channel their inner creativity and showcase their perspective of the school through photographs.
At first interaction, the girls seemed shy. But only a few minutes into the workshop, we got to know that they have high aspirations in life. When interviewed, most of them said they wanted to become prestigious District Collectors and Doctors. 12-year old V. Dhanalakshmi wants to become a Police Officer.

On the second day, the girls were taken to the city’s garbage dump, not very far from their school. They were asked to photograph the surroundings, with a focus on water, sanitation and environment as the main theme. Although of a young age, the girls’ choices of subjects were thoughtful and they showed a keen eye for colour and form. They photographs revealed the busy streets of Chennai and the busy lives led by women and girls, touching upon important daily issues, such as water management.