The first day that we met with the kids at KM (another name for Operation Shanti shelter) was Indian Independence Day. We had the chance to visit one of the schools some of the KM kids attend. They were having a celebration and an exceptional performance was put on by the students.

After the performance we went to KM, which is located in a village on the outskirts of Mysore. We met the kids, all 46 of them, they were all so welcoming and well behaved. Kendra was pleasantly surprised that some of them remembered her. Tracy told them that we had a big “prize” for them and that we would be back on Sunday…..

With the donations for our project, we were also able to create a photography program for Shanti! We bought 4 digital cameras, two for the boys and two for the girls. We hope to show them the power of photography and how it can be used as a way to capture, express, create, remember, and see things in the world around us. Our goal is to have each child at KM exposed to this wonderful medium. We hope that over the next month they grow more comfortable with the camera. We want them to have the freedom to choose what to take a picture of and experience the sense of pride that brings. Our dream is that the photography program continues on in full force after we leave and can be a fun means of self expression for the children at Shanti.