Best Friends + Home for Mentally/Physically Challenged, Kisumu, Kenya, 2007

Over thirteen years ago her portrait was made during a visit to eastern Kenya. Thanks to the kindness of a foundation called Maragoli Community Development Foundation, we visited many schools as well as homes for children with special needs. On this day we visited a school on the outskirts of the city and photographed its students against the backdrop of a school wall. This was the only dress that they owned, and had put them on as we arrived. Their hardships are unimaginable and this is an improvement over experiences with their own families, with some chained to trees for much of the time. Now they are in great hands with a passionate team.

Note: printed in the darkroom just today onto fiber paper, tones in selenium for permanence.

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Student + Original Cover, Humana People to People India, Rajasthan, India, December of 2013

She was there on my first visit, and remains today. When Humana People to People India initiated the schools for girls in her village, she was one of the first to cross the threshold and attend the classes offered. Her cousin taught those first classes and accepted our challenge to reopen the schools last year, leaving her position at the local government school with fervor.

When I first met this young student, I was enthralled by her features and even more so by her expressions. It was as if she knew me, and understood the work before I had any idea of its purpose. In her early years she exuded a most androgynous quality, deeply suited for the medium of the black and white image.

She has since matured beautifully, and allowed me this past year to make her portrait even though she was a bit older than the other students. She had just repositioned her scarf in this way, and was so surprised that it excited me so!

The school in her village is thriving, and I cannot wait to see the students again in four or so months!

www.halimina.org

Note: This image was made with a Hasselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination, onto Kodak TMY 400 ISO film