Photos

I'd photographed this child before in 2003 on my first trip to Manila, and on Jan.1 2005 I'd left my place early in the morning to get some coffee.

As I rounded the corner of the sidewalk, she immediately recognised me and came running over to me with a hug.

She's one of the hungry ones there, and also sleeps on the street, so it's hard to stay clean - and I noticed that most foreigners aviod her in spite of the fact she doesn't beg; I had some hopia cakes (sweetbreads) in my pocket, and I gave them to her (she's holding one in her left hand, in this image)

She's another child from the growing list of kids I know there, who don't have at least a bed mat or pillow to sleep on - she sleeps right there on the sidewalk.

I don't know her name, and she doesn't speak any English, yet she can talk a blue-streak in Tagalog!
...I don't understand much Tagalog, but I'll sit with her & chat a bit with her Family there on the sidewalk.

She has this beautiful, toothless smile - and there are a few more images of her in my pbase Gallery:
www.pbase.com/pauljames/manila_street_shots_portraits_children_in_need


Latest images of Gina published on ProjectRice.Org

Thank you for looking,
PJAMES