UK Landscape Peter Coles

Peter Coles

About the photo:

I took this photo in rural Rajasthan (India) as part of work I was doing for a feature on the 'Barefoot College' there, for New Scientist magazine. It shows a science lesson for young boys and girls from the poorest families in Kotri village.

These unorthodox classes are taught by 'barefoot teachers', themselves from the poor, rural communities, and who often only have secondary education. This school is part of an initative started over 30 years ago, called the 'Barefoot College', a Ghandi-inspired initiative to empower the rural poor and landless, to teach them skills using technology relevant to their needs (like repairing hand pumps at wells, making and repairing solar energy equipment, carrying out analyses of blood and urine samples, etc).

In these remote villages of rural Rajasthan, like much of India, society is still feudal and even the layout of villages reflects the caste system, where 'untouchables' - although the Constitution forbids this discrimination - have to live in a separate area. Teaching science to these villagers is a revolutionary idea, and especially for girls, who often are not sent to school.

Sitting in a circle around the teachers, the children were spellbound. And when they got to try the experiments for themselves they couldn't hide their joy and surprise. This joy in discovery, it seems to me, remains a significant motivation for grown-up, professional scientists all over the world, but is not often portrayed.

For my journalistic work, I am especially interested in documenting the dignity and successes of people in so-called 'developing' countries, using their traditional wisdom, but also integrating new technologies. I also have an interest in the relation between urban life and nature.

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About the photo:
	I took this photo in rural Rajasthan (India) as part of work I was doing for a feature on the 'Barefoot College' there, for New Scientist magazine. It shows a science lesson for young boys and girls from the poorest families in Kotri village.
	These unorthodox classes are taught by 'barefoot teachers', themselves from the poor, rural communities, and who often only have secondary education. This school is part of an initative started over 30 years ago, called the 'Barefoot College', a Ghandi-inspired initiative to empower the rural poor and landless, to teach them skills using technology relevant to their needs (like repairing hand pumps at wells, making and repairing solar energy equipment, carrying out analyses of blood and urine samples, etc).
	In these remote villages of rural Rajasthan, like much of India, society is still feudal and even the layout of villages reflects the caste system, where 'untouchables' - although the Constitution forbids this discrimination - have to live in a separate area. Teaching science to these villagers is a revolutionary idea, and especially for girls, who often are not sent to school.
	Sitting in a circle around the teachers, the children were spellbound. And when they got to try the experiments for themselves they couldn't hide their joy and surprise. This joy in discovery, it seems to me, remains a significant motivation for grown-up, professional scientists all over the world, but is not often portrayed.
	For my journalistic work, I am especially interested in documenting the dignity and successes of people in so-called 'developing' countries, using their traditional wisdom, but also integrating new technologies. I also have an interest in the relation between urban life and nature.


	:Back to Hall of Fame
	:Photographers page