KOLKATA, INDIA
100CAMERAS X EK TARA
100cameras X Ek Tara is a part of a 8 class course that is custom designed by 100cameras to equip passionate creatives with the tools to empower youth in a community they care about with the opportunity to learn how to process their stories and create change. Pictured here are 100cameras students during the course.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
100cameras X Ek Tara was implemented during the Fall of 2021 and again during 2023 in Kolkata, India. Ek Tara is a registered social development organization located in Kolkata, India working with girls and women from the largest communities that are marginalized in the fields of education, skill-building, and livelihood generation. Ek Tara is currently working with over 1,300 beneficiaries as a part of its programs on Education, Health- Hygiene and Nutrition, Community Engagement, and Vocational Training.
“West Bengal shares borders internationally with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan and locally with five states – Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Assam & Odisha. Most of our beneficiaries are migrants from the neighboring state of Bihar who settled here for better job prospects when the tanneries were fully functional. However, the government crackdown on tanneries operating within city limits, and with most getting relocated outside the Green Belt, resulted in mass unemployment and poverty. The cycle of poverty and lack of education has kept the community outside the ambit of any developmental interventions. The aim of Ek Tara is to at least make sure that future generations can break out of it, by educating the children right from their formative years to college, engaging with the community, and making them partners in the process, empowering the families, and giving them the ability to make informed choices. We provide these children with not only quality education but also various co-curricular activities and exposure to participate in programs and workshops. Education has led the girls to be self-confident and has helped them to develop leadership quality, and improved their communication and interpersonal skills,” as shared by the organization.
“These girls who are with us, especially the adolescent girls we often sit on judgment regarding their capabilities. This program gave them the confidence and a way to express themselves. What made it more wonderful was that they actually created a story around themselves and identified themselves through this program.”
As reflects Anaggha Nethra, Program Educator, “As a SEL Arts educator, I strongly advocate the need for safe spaces for expression and creative independence - be it children or adult. With 100cameras, the reflections and revelations students shared transitioned into something so powerful than what I had witnessed previously - their passion, aspirations, resilience and hope for the future surfaced in every discussion and photograph. I first-handedly witnessed that children truly hold limitless potential. Through the program, we all learnt so much about ourselves, our contribution to the society, our future aspirations and our potential to be a catalyst for change within our community - all of which, I'm certain has left a long lasting impact on all.”
“Our girls have faced several hardships that only got worse in the time of the pandemic. During the Map My Story session - the girls openly shared all the adversities that life had thrown at them and their loved ones. As the course proceeded, I started to witness the girls begin to process their personality traits, strengths and shortcomings. They started to articulate their role of being a part of a community more concisely.
It was important that the girls get a platform to share their stories and acknowledge how strong they are. It empowered them to carry forward with resilience. Processing all the above along with the associated emotions, views, ways of expression is so pivotal to build the right skill sets needed to grow holistically and be self-aware.”
MEET THE STUDENTS
“The 100cameras Program was a great tool for the students to explore their views and artistic interests through photography along with learning more about their communities, their roles within EkTara, EkTaras contribution within their lives, their roles within their families, peers. With what I have observed, I could see that the girls reflected over all these aspects of their lives. Which has empowered them to acknowledge themselves in all the aspects and clarify their roles even better. It has enabled them to be even more confident, resilient and creative.”
ABOUT THE PROGRAM LEADER
Anaggha Nethra is a Social Emotional Learning - Arts educator working with Mumbai based NGO Saturday Art Class. She is a certified teacher coach and has applied training in Compassion Integrity. Her core purpose lies in building and ensuring that children have safe spaces to creatively express themselves and fulfill their potential. She advocates collective leadership to cultivate communities of positive change, generating ripples of wellbeing.
STUDENT IMAGE GALLERY
“I have learned many types of photography, many leading lines, starting point and symmetry. I have learned that there are many points of view. Many people may have the same point of view while others may differ. I had to go out of my comfort zone and take pictures of objects and people.
People in my community reacted differently and wondered as to why we were taking pictures as movement of girls is restricted. It was difficult for me, but it gave me the opportunity to use a camera and understand the whole concept of photography. This was a change for me. I have learned many types of photography and also realized how important it was to get out and be independent.”
Follow us on social media to see images from the field as captured by the 100cameras X Ek Tara team and the student photographers.