The current digital wave means iPhones in the hands of three-year-olds, toddlers opening Snapchat before they can string together full sentences. In the summer, it means begging your children to pop outside for their daily dose of vitamin D. For social innovator Hannah Yang and filmmaker Shiv Tandan, it meant bridging the socio-economic gap through a simple medium: photography.
“They wanted to bring children from public and private schools together and photography seemed to be the perfect way to do that,” says Gayatri Nair, a member of the team at Clicking Together. The team set out to bridge divides on the streets of Ambala four years ago, and the response, they say, exceeded all expectations.
“We paired every private school child with a corporation school student, and while they were hesitant at first, they eventually made friendships that have lasted until today,” Nair tells us. The students photographed each other, entering their respective homes and worlds with eager eyes and an enthusiasm that pushed the team to bring the children back together three years later for another picture-perfect project.
“When we brought the students back in 2016, they were just heading to high school. It was amazing to see their growth as individuals. More than that, it was heartening to see that they had kept in touch over the years,” Nair says. The three-week summer camp had built a community of its own and Clicking Together was ready to take it to the next level.
Nair was partnering with Schools of Equality, a non-profit organisation with its own mission, when she was asked to serve as translator at the Ambala camp. She got involved, and a casual discussion has brought Clicking Together to Chennai for its first photography camp with a cause.
“It’s been a year of discussion and three months of intense planning. Now that the camp is here, we hope that children from schools all around Chennai get involved,” Nair adds. It’s a 10-day session that promises to show children the city of Chennai through a different lens. And for the families that have already budgeted for their holiday plans, Nair has some good news. The camp will be offered free of charge.
“There’s so much school pride in cities across India. While that’s wonderful, we want to bring children out of their comfort zones and let them meet other children from all walks of life. Who knows? The stories they find could be the beginning of something truly amazing.”
Clicking Together’s summer camp will be held at Dr MGR Janaki College, from May 8 to May 18. For details, contact 9940046599.
