On the Streets - XII

In 1998 Eduardo was totally dependent on Crack, a devastating drug for the majority of São Paulo's street children.
Photo by Gregory J. Smith - CARF.

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Comments

petita says:

i love how the word FE (faith) is present in this picture.
i sincerely admire you and your work.
thank you.
:)
Posted 47 months ago. ( permalink )

carf says:

For sure *petita*.
We have to have faith in what we do and they have to have faith in us. Faith is important in our work.
Here is Eduardo a few years later to prove it:

Posted 47 months ago. ( permalink )

petita says:

thank you, greg.
after you manage to take them out of the streets, does it take a long time to take the streets out of them?
how do they deal with that past of them?
apart from eventual physical side effects, are the psychologic ones very powerful? do they last very long?
once again, thank you for your wonderful work.
:)))
ps: tell eduardo i said hi!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

carf says:

@*petita*
The streets are their toughest drug to get rid of, the rest are simple in comparism.

There is no inbetween when it comes to getting one's life back in order. You either leave the life on the streets behind you to follow new pathways or you never will lead a normal life again.
To make that decision takes time and requires new experiences. That's what we have the Hummingbird Centre for. These new experiences at the centre help the kids to gradually realize there is another life other than the hopeless one they lead on the streets, a life really worth living.

When a street kids get new life experiences, real and positive ones, he starts to make his own evaluation of the situation. Every time he feels he doesn't like the rules of the new life offered to him, he will run back to the streets, only to discover that he's back to hell again and yearns for the loving, caring and new experiences Hummingbird can give him.

Weighing this up at the end of a long trial period of self-experience, a street kid is apt to make the important decision of leaving the streets and that's when the real work begins. He will never be able to combine the new life with his old one. It's a choice he has to make and one that only he can make by himself. We are here to support him on that decision and assure him it is the right one.

After a life on the streets, their greatest battle is with their own egoism, created during the survival game on the streets. Street kids are extremely self-centered and it is very difficult for them to understand that a society has to take into consideration many other lives and not just theirs. This self-centeredness is their greatest social dilemma and the cause of many frustrations in their new lives.

Reaching maturity and a "normal" life again is a belated process and one with much trial and error from which they will always be learning. The gap in their own childhood is difficult to fill again because on the streets, a good part of that childhood has been lost.

Recuperation from drug abuse is no big deal, but recuperation from a life on the streets is nearly an impossible task.

I'm glad you ask such questions and hope my answers will enlighten you towards this very serious problem. - Greg
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

Janlove says:

quite impressive
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Rainbow vs. Unicorn says:

Wow, i wanna be a better person now and again.
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

constantia2 says:

this is very sad!!! such a young boy! pity!!!! thank god Eduardo survive from this,unfortunately this is the REALITY!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

tam_arroba says:

o_O
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

cheezemaster says:

I feel bad calling this a "favorite" but it is very powerful.
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

jeffdoolittle4 says:

Crack is very expensive, instead of spending all there money getting high why dont they use it to improve there quality of life. Maybe buy a new house, car, cloths, food
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Muiz Anwar says:

what a horrible portrait! how on earth did you get this shot?

Beautiful photo, beautiful work, I really do wish you all and every success my friend for the amazing work you are doing, and the priceless difference you and the team have made to all these amazing kids.

:D
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

A.Alves says:

Ótimo trabalho fotográfico e humanitário.
Posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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On the Streets - XII

Comments

*petita* says:

carf says:

*petita* says:

carf says:

Janlove says:

Rainbow vs. Unicorn says:

constantia2 says:

tam_arroba says:

cheezemaster says:

jeffdoolittle4 says:

Muiz Anwar says:

A.Alves says:

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carf's photostream

The Streets are my Home (Set)

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petita says:

petita says: