Daily Archives: August 8, 2019

Photojournalist GMB Akash Captures The Complex Stories Of Child Labour & Childhoods Lost

Can you exchange a day with your own child in the place of these children? Can you deposit your children’s labour in such a place for a day in return of $1. If you can’t, can you please do something for these children? “Wishing to help” is an excuse. Shame is a mild word to what we are overlooking. May our spirit wake up,” said GMB Akash, documentary photographer and photojournalist from Bangladesh, giving a face to the issue of child labour, and forcing the public to look at the human toll of an all too common phenomenon.

With a focus on social issues, he realised that to abolish child labour, one has to first make it visible. With this intent, he began his photo series ‘Angels in Hell’ and ‘Born to Work’ that created an uproar and the much-needed discourse in both national and international circles.

“My intention is not only to show the children at work as victims of bad bosses exploiting them, but I want to show the complexity of the situation: The parents who send their little boy to work in a factory because they are poor; the child who has to work to earn a living for the family; the boss of the factory who is being pushed by big garment companies to produce for less money; and the Western consumers as clients who buy cheap clothes,” says the award winning photojournalist, as he continues to tell some of the most poignant stories of child labourers.

For over 15 years now, with countless conversations with children working in hazardous conditions in coal mines, balloon factories, dumping grounds, textile, brick kiln and cigarette factories, he brings to the fore the real stories and nuances that reflect many childhoods across the world – Long working hours, exploitation and harassment by the employer, ill health due to working in hazardous conditions, drop out from the school, lack of a support system all ultimately lead to deprived childhood.

A master of his craft, his work not only reflects in his technical skill, but also his humanitarian heart, provoking the viewer to understand from a child’s perspective this dreadful reality.

Here’s a look at his Instagram feed that tells many a story of the world’s youngest labourers.

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A boy stirs a vat of dyeing liquid. Almost all of Bangladesh's 200 plus tanneries are concentrated in Hazaribagh, a densely populated, odious neighbourhood on the banks of the Buriganga River. Residents of Hazaribagh's slums complain of illnesses such as fevers, skin diseases, respiratory problems and diarrhoea. They blame the tanneries for polluting the air, water, and soil and therefore causing their afflictions. The lives of the tannery industry's estimated 20,000 workers are harsh with many dying before they turn 50. Everyday these factories discharge thousands of litres of foul-smelling liquid waste into the river. However, with almost one billion USD a year in export sales, the leather industry is one of Bangladesh's most profitable sectors and there has been limited progress in cleaning it up. For 60 years of operations an unrecorded amount of chromium sulphate, lead, organohalogens, lime, hydrogen sulphide, sulphuric acid, formic acid, bleach, dyes and oils have been discharged into the river. #ig_fotoclub #photographyeveryday #photooftheday #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #streetstorytelling #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #PortaritAmazing #ipofficial #ig_calcutta #portraitpage #kdpeoplegallery #life_is_street #streets_storytelling #indianphotographyclub #streetofcalcutta #thehub_portraits #ipofficial #zonestreet #world_photography_page #ig_hindustan

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Rahman (12) is being hit by the owner of the textile factory. Rahman’s job is to sew children’s t-shirts. During the course of this day he was working too slowly to deliver so he was hit by the owner. He earns $1 for ten hours of work in a day. Dhaka. Bangladesh This photo won the World Press Photo award in 2006 and has since brought a great deal of international attention to this issue. The photo begs a discrimination free world. In one word ‘Justice’. I was passing by a tailor shop where local garments produced. The child labor boy was little slow because of continual work pressure. And for his reason the owner of the factory was beating the boy with his roller. I didn’t think twice and kept the moment in my camera. After getting the award, the best thing is the issue focused to be discuss world wide. This photo went in many exhibition and people all around the world become conscious for this kind of situation. I went back with the publish photo of the factory owner and again treat him not dare to hit any more child again. He said sorry and promised this will not happen again! And later the local authority/ police took action against him! #ig_fotoclub #photographyeveryday #photooftheday #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #everydaypakistan #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #streetstorytelling #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #PortaritAmazing #ipofficial #ig_calcutta #PortraitsVision #portraitpage #kdpeoplegallery #spicollective #streets_storytelling #indianphotographyclub #streetofcalcutta #thehub_portraits #ipofficial #zonestreet #world_photography_page

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We come to work at 7 am. Because of working continually, we do not usually notice when it becomes dark outside. We work in darkness, under the yellow lightbulb. Sunlight does not enter our factory. Sometimes when the electricity goes out, we can go outside, but now we do not like to play anymore. We feel tired. Telling you the truth, we become very hungry at 3 pm, but rice is expensive. Our income is 1000 taka per month; how can we spend any for rice? We enjoy this free bread at lunch time; when you are hungry everything is delicious. We do not feel full after having it though. But after returning home in the late evening, mother will give us yummy hot rice with mashed potatoes! It’s good for poor people to eat once a day. Please take a piece of bread sir, it is not that bad. – Ador, Shohag Note: Shared 10 real life stories in my blog which will definitely melt your heart. For full stories and photos follow the link on my: #people #documentary #streetphotographer #traveler #travelling #travel #travelphotography #photojournalism #documentary #documentaryphotography #portraits#photojournalism #children #bangladeshiphotographer #colorphotography #instagram #ig_fotoclub #photographyeveryday #photooftheday #people_infinity #Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #india_undiscovered #rohingya #portrait #tribal #earth_portraits #portraitmood

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“If my images bring to life the haunting realities that millions of children face each day then this is fulfillment of my work. And if mine is the hand that blocks the scorching sun from their eyes – bringing shade for just a single minute, then there’s value in the work I do. I am talking about 7.4 million children who are risking their life each second to rescue themselves from hunger and poverty, a tale of those for whom we rarely care about. I keep asking: Who is there to bring them in the light from their working- living-hell? Who will save these innocent hearts which will decline with time! Is there any one? ” #documentaryphotography #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #kdpeoplegallery #life_is_street #zonestreet #world_photography_page#wpa_ #bangladeshphotography#myfeatureshoot #worldcolours_people #people_infinity #theBest_capture #streets_unseen

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A boy from the Ulingeros family works in the toxic charcoal area in the North Harbour of Minila for a few pesos. Many of the workers in Ulingan are small children, some as young as six or seven years old, unable to attend school because of poverty. It is estimated that 60 percent of the population have tuberculosis while other lung problems, due to the ever present smoke, and water-borne diseases are commonplace. Manila, PHILIPPINES #ig_fotoclub #photographyeveryday #photooftheday #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #streetstorytelling #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #PortaritAmazing #ipofficial #ig_calcutta #portraitpage #kdpeoplegallery #life_is_street #streets_storytelling #indianphotographyclub #streetofcalcutta #thehub_portraits #ipofficial #zonestreet #world_photography_page #ig_hindustan

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I have to work with a lot of attention. This is not easy to find usable stuff from garbage. Sometimes after whole day I found one thing to sell in the recycle shop. And in a good day I can find biscuits. Not ordinary biscuits, the one which has cream. That’s my favorite. Some days I find biscuits which tastes very sour but my dog like to have that, so I give him without eating those. And in a very bad day, I cut my feet. I think people do not know that children work in the garbage on bare foot. They throw away broken glasses which often scratch our feet. Sometimes it bleeds heavily. It hurts a lot. I and my dog have had many scars in our legs. That’s why now a days I am keeping clothes with me. If it bleeds I tie and continue to work. – Jesmine (7) #ig_fotoclub #photographyeveryday #photooftheday #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #everydaypakistan #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #streetstorytelling #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #PortaritAmazing #ipofficial #ig_calcutta #PortraitsVision #portraitpage #kdpeoplegallery #spicollective #streets_storytelling #indianphotographyclub #streetofcalcutta #thehub_portraits #ipofficial #zonestreet #world_photography_page

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I was born here in this brick field. I am accustomed to this hard work from being in the womb of my mother. When she was pregnant my father disappeared. My mother tried to find him for years but she could not. No one knows if he is alive or dead. I have worked with my mother every day since then so I understand about work. Every day from early morning to evening, I carry bricks. If I carry 3000 bricks in a week then I get 300 taka. Each brick weighs 2.5 kilograms. I can only carry 6 bricks at a time. After that I collect coal for my mother for our cooking. I help with the cooking and doing all the household chores with my mother. Boys of my age laugh at me calling me, “Maiya” (woman). I don’t feel ashamed about this. But rather, I feel proud when their mothers compare me to them saying how much I help my mother. – Mobarak #ig_fotoclub #photographyeveryday #photooftheday #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #streetstorytelling #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #PortaritAmazing #ipofficial #ig_calcutta #portraitpage #kdpeoplegallery #life_is_street #streets_storytelling #indianphotographyclub thehub_portraits #ipofficial #zonestreet #world_photography_page #ig_hindustan #wanderlustfilms

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“If my images bring to life the haunting realities that millions of children face each day then this is fulfillment of my work. And if mine is the hand that blocks the scorching sun from their eyes – bringing shade for just a single minute, then there’s value in the work I do. I am talking about 7.4 million children who are risking their life each second to rescue themselves from hunger and poverty, a tale of those for whom we rarely care about. I keep asking: Who is there to bring them in the light from their working- living-hell? Who will save these innocent hearts which will decline with time! Is there any one? ” #documentaryphotography #people_infinity_#Humanity_shots_ #world_photography_page #rk_photography_hub #ir_aks #humanity_shots #earth_portraits #portraitmood #portraitpage #spicollective #thestreetphotographyhub #portraitfestival #portraitsofficial #globe_portraits #PortaitVision #kdpeoplegallery #life_is_street #zonestreet #world_photography_page#wpa_ #bangladeshphotography#myfeatureshoot #worldcolours_people #people_infinity #theBest_capture #streets_unseen

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