She sat on the plane, heartbroken
the faces of the girls she photographed
etched on her mind. Child brides. Girls
married off as young as eight. She knew
child marriage existed in India but now
it was there in front of her face.
A photojournalist living in Nepal, she traveled
back and forth between there and New Delhi,
using her camera to tell about the plight of young
girls forced into marriage due to poverty
and lack of education. Mothers, former child
brides themselves saw their daughters doomed
to the same fate because of lack of viable
options.
Girls too young to get married or to
have kids were forced to become women
before their time. How she wished she
could do more. She sighed, looking out
at the overcast sky. For now she would
continue to turn her lens on the communities
where this practice continued to flourish.
149 words
This was written in response to the flash fiction challenge, Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. For more information, click HERE.
Source: National Geographic
June 5, 2018 at 3:22 pm
I often feel photojournalism isn’t as powerful as it used to be, probably because there are so many images on the internet these days, but every so often a photo comes along that really makes a difference. Good take.
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June 5, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Thanks. It’s nice to see that there are photos out there that capture better what words alone can’t. And sometimes, what we see makes a greater difference.
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June 5, 2018 at 8:12 pm
So very sad – child brides. I hope the photojournalist can put a stop to it. Great story! Welcome to the FFfAW challenge!
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June 5, 2018 at 8:59 pm
Yes, it’s very sad. These girls are robbed of their innocence. They are taken out of schools when having an education is the best and probably the only solution to fighting poverty. I hope that someone or some organization will put an end to this practice. Thank you! I’m thrilled to be a part of this challenge.
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June 5, 2018 at 9:04 pm
I just watched a show last night about a religion in the U.S. that believed in child brides. It was horrible! I completely agree with you!
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June 5, 2018 at 9:08 pm
It’s hard to believe that such things are happening in North America as well. Children should be allowed to be children. There’s plenty of time for them to grow and marry when they are ready and of age.
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June 6, 2018 at 9:19 am
Fortunately, this particular religious cult was shut down. It is against the law to marry a child in the U.S. I agree with you. Children should be children and should not be marrying.
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June 10, 2018 at 2:47 pm
I really hope she continues her work!!
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June 10, 2018 at 2:54 pm
She will. This work is her passion and her purpose 🙂
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June 11, 2018 at 4:52 am
That is good to hear!! 🙂
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