In the summer of 2012, I accompanied a medical student performing check-ups at orphanages in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In this city, it has been especially difficult to maintain sufficient resources for the orphans, especially with conditions intensifying post-earthquake. Many of them actually have parents that simply cannot provide. The orphanages I visited have done their best to take in these children.
The situations I saw were extremely moving. There were many cases of children with tiny rocks stuck in their ears- a result of play. A girl with a severe burn on her leg was using toothpaste as an ointment. Headaches, de-hydration, and hernias were all frequent problems. The older kids took on responsibility of caring for the infants, and the infants seemed to form attachments with their surrogate siblings. Even with the helpfulness of the orphans, the sheer number of them elevated the caretakers to superhero status.
I wanted to photograph the strength of these kids, who despite the medical issues, poverty and displacement, are resilient. I saw strength in their kindness, wish to learn and fearless desire to interact.
