May 2006 Archives

While involved in a furniture product photography shoot in Laguna, I found myself shooting informal children’s portraiture of the local kids, while I was taking a short break from the warehouse.

The local kids found me as soon as I walked outside, and it all started from there…

I had always taken the first street kids I’d met in Manila (Rosa & her little brother Edison) to breakfast & dinner every day I was in town in 2003 thru early 2005, and occasionally got them slippers & little things they needed, and I always felt good about doing that for them, but they needed so much more - and I was traveling on a budget.

I wanted to be able to do more for them each time I returned to Manila, but I never told anyone else - I mostly just kept it to myself, as my “special thing” I did for a few local poor children I’d grown to know.

Before my November 2005 trip to Philippines, I realized I just didn’t have enough of my own travel funds to use to continue to get random meals & clothing for the street children I’ve known & photographed there for the past 3 years - but I resolved to continue using my own money for that, and the only people who knew I was doing this were my own Family and a few close friends of mine.

Two days before I left for Manila in Nov. 2005, a close friend of mine was looking at images of these kids I shot in 2005 and asked if there was anything she could do personally, to help them.

I stood there, stunned - Mary opened her wallet & contributed $100USD; she implored a friend of hers to do the same, AND Robert Lariosa from California (who saw my pbase image gallery)

http://www.pbase.com/pauljames/manila_street_shots_portraits_children_in_need

…emailed & phoned me, and contributed additional money after I’d arrived in Philippines….I was completely taken aback, since I’d never asked anyone for anything, and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do too much for the kids at Christmas 2005.

The nickname I chose for my “project” was RICE…project RICE

With $350USD from 3 very special people who simply saw what I was communicatiing through my photography on pbase - we were able to feed & clothe Rosa & Edison, and aprox. a dozen other poor children (with 50kg sacks of rice @ $20 per, and a day long trip to a local clothing market in Manila, shopping for kids clothes, sandals, and baby outfits) - between Manila & Cebu, during December 2005 & January 2006.

To Mary and her family, and to Robert Lariosa - a thousand “Thank You’s” - Rosa, Edison & their Family, and the other kids & their Families in Manila know what you did for them, and have asked me to say Thank You from them all - and I take such pride in doing that here, publically.

Mary, her Family and Robert Lariosa have even pledged their support to continue Project RICE on my next trip to Philippines scheduled for November 2006.

Images comming soon - my street photography from 2003 through 2006 that led to my finding my calling to street photography & informal street portraiture, and to resolving to try to make a small difference in the lives of a few poor children & Families I’ve known & photographed in Philippines since 2003.
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts, and to look at my images.
Paul James