I have been in India for a week now, and the trip with the International Reporting Project is winding down. Having been all over Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Balkans--not to mention my home, the San Joaquin Valley--I have seen poverty. But the poverty I have witness here has struck me; it is one thing to read about it and see it in film or video--but it is another to experience it when you actually travel to that place.

At the same time, it has been inspiring to meet the doctors, business leaders, volunteers and activists who are making a difference in the lives of those who have been brushed aside and forgotten. And you appreciate these people’s sacrifice when you look into the eyes of the children for whom they are working. Many of the children we encountered were just like children in our hometowns and abroad: they are happy with what they’ve got, they are just as mischievous as anyone else, and they want to play, be protected and enjoy the companionship of others. Oh, and they like to have a little PSY-inspired fun, too.

Here are some pictures of kids from the past week, from M Ward in Mumbai and nearby Bhiwandi. It has been humbling being around them; at the same time, I really understand why India has become a hub of innovation: its people have to do amazing things with few resources. As anywhere, a society’s future lies in its children, and these kids deserve even more good work than what is underway now.

Just being human in M Ward, Feb 18

Sweltering afternoon, M Ward, February 18

Sadly, I don't have as many pictures of girls--they tended to observe from far away.

Bhiwandi, February 19

A few pals in M Ward, February 18

Hamming it up in M Ward, Feb 18

Bhiwandi, outside of Mumbai

About The Author

Leon Kaye

Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event. His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, Inhabitat and now The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine. Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.