Once again a boy's leg enters the picture, the same boy from the last image but with pants. His sandal is to the right of the frame. These are the faces that greet me upon entering and leaving Banganga, and these are the students for whom the Humana People to People India schools are meant.
All of them have attended the school and their mother has been the teacher since my first days with Humana. Each sister has her own personality, what they share in common is their extreme shyness. They have rarely spoken to me with words, only with expressions. The least shy of the three happens to be the youngest, the one in front. She is the one that held my hand on my last visit and walked me to her home to the surprise of her father.
Her mother is also the school teacher. Classes are always on time and all of the students wear a uniform. It is usually a pink/white checkered one, just like the one worn by the young student from Banganga in a most recent blog post. Classes are held in an adjacent open space, with a finished roof and a portable chalkboard. The students live nearby and walk to the school, coming from all directions and usually walking down the unpaved path, or at times through the trees in the distance. If we happen to be photographing on a specific day, that walk turns into a run.
Their hair is always perfect, and glistens in the sunlight. They never complain about waiting their turn and work in the hard light of the sun without giving up. I admire each one of them and respect their sincerest efforts. They exemplify the best in all of us and will be an infinite number of reasons for my return over a lifetime.
Halim Ina Photography
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