My name is Karthi, and I am the Creative Lead in Photography at the Children's Hubs.

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Growing up, my life felt very small. In my village, there was no talk of education—only the cotton mills or the sugar factories.

 

The community tells you that you are a "small person" and you must do what you are told. Success meant being the "big guy" in a gang, drinking and feeling disappointed. I bunked off school because I couldn't see a future there.

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Everything changed when I joined the youth program that Paper Boat's local partner runs. I’ll be honest: I didn’t come there to study. But then I discovered photography, and it changed my whole attitude toward learning.

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"My life was so small. Now, after coming to the Children's Hub, I can see the whole world."

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I eventually earned a film diploma on a scholarship, but the real shift was internal. I chose to stay in Madurai because, in my hometown, people don't yet understand that a subject like photography can be a career. They don't see that you can go out and do something good with your life.

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Art—whether it’s photography, drama, or painting—is often kept away from children like me. It is often taught  where only certain people are given the chance to learn. At the Hubs, we give that chance to the children society excludes.

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When these children come to me, I see myself at the same age. I know their struggle because it was mine.

 

Now, I have the freedom to teach them and help them realise their own potential.

 

I am teaching myself the hard process of filmmaking because I want to tell stories that bring change. I want to make sure the next generation doesn't have to stay "small."

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By supporting Paper Boat, you help us provide the opportunities and the "hope" that Karthi now shares with the children of Madurai.

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Give the gift of a Summer Learning Camp for a child today.