The skatepark at Janwaar in rural Madhya Pradesh is a spark of hope for the many who are trapped in the rural patriarchal and caste system of Indian society. Three Indians and a German built this skate park in 2015 with a vision to provide a new hope to the children of Janwaar. And indeed, skateboarding has provided children with the motivation to rise up every time they fall. It gives them reason to attend school, to respect girls and above all to thrive.
One interesting rules of the skate park is their slogan ‘No School No Skateboarding’. It has proved to become a successful campaign on education where school attendance is a compulsory criteria for entering the skate park.
Initially, I was associated with the skate park to document the initiative. Spending my days in Janwaar and the skate park, I fell in love with the children and their enthusiasm. Therefore, the documentation took a serious turn and I captured the unbreakable spirit that was observed among each child at the park.
Over the years, the village has transformed greatly; its upper caste and tribal children share the skate boards, girls are allowed to pick the skate first and above all, the children are travelling to countries and returning with bigger dreams.
These images portray the hope that awaits to be awaken in each child‘s heart and the possibilities of change that each village in rural India is deeply longing for.