A Better Tomorrow: Poonam's Tale of Hope in Bhopal (40 images)

A Better Tomorrow: Poonam's Tale of Hope in Bhopal:

Poonam Jatev is a lively 9-year-old Indian girl from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Wide shiny eyes match a sweet cheeky smile, some attitude, and a lot of hope and trust in the future. She wants to become a teacher, like the ones practicing in her new school. Born ‘unlucky’, with a tiny sixth toe on each foot, her father superstitiously believed she brought misfortunes upon the entire family.

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A Better Tomorrow: Poonam's Tale of Hope in Bhopal:

Poonam Jatev is a lively 9-year-old Indian girl from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Wide shiny eyes match a sweet cheeky smile, some attitude, and a lot of hope and trust in the future. She wants to become a teacher, like the ones practicing in her new school. Born ‘unlucky’, with a tiny sixth toe on each foot, her father superstitiously believed she brought misfortunes upon the entire family.

I first photographed Poonam, refreshing under the rain on August 25, 2009, while documenting the legacy of pollution left behind by Union Carbide - now DOW Chemical - after the tragic 1984 gas disaster. Hazardous waste is still buried around the deserted industrial complex, causing severe disorders in the local population. Poonam’s oldest brother, Sachin, then 15, paralysed from the waist down, is one of such victim.

In April 2011, after my body of work began to reach an international audience, ‘The Photographers Giving Back Awards’, in Sweden, offered me a grant of USD 5000 to create and implement a well-thought plan for Poonam’s wellbeing, designed to help the family overcome extreme poverty and embrace education.

Poonam, 9, Jyoti, 10, and Ravi, 11, her two young siblings, are all attending Year 3, (2012-2013) at small private school within walking distance from their newly built home.

I aim to support their education until Year 12, and possibly beyond to college, while documenting their life changes towards the publication of an extensive book. Updates will also be regularly published on a dedicated blog: http://www.alexmasi.co.uk/poonam

I was gifted with the extraordinary chance of helping one of my subjects directly, but Poonam’s fairytale is far from over.

Year after year, I intend to witness her blossoming into a teenager, an emancipated woman, and later into a loving wife and mother.

( Bhopal Second Disaster: http://alexmasi.photoshelter.com/image/I0000ZVB49vsoL08 )
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