Vacha Charitable Trust organized a unique photo exhibition titled “Gully Tales: Her Lens, Her Story” at P. L. Deshpande Kala Academy, Prabhadevi, today. The exhibition featured photographs taken by adolescent girls living in bastis where Vacha runs its ongoing health, education and leadership programmes, offering an intimate glimpse into their everyday lives, dreams, and challenges.
The event was inaugurated by Ms. Vidya Kulkarni, respected photographer and writer known for her feminist camera lens and work on women’s lives and grassroots realities. The inauguration and the event was attended by community members, educators, artists, and youth leaders.
The hall was creatively decorated by the young photographers themselves, along with Vacha staff who have mentored them over the years in the community centres. The exhibition space came alive with the presence of the participants, their parents, and the Vacha team, celebrating their collective journey.
The photography mentors, Ameya and Pratik, who trained 25 Vacha participants over a 12-week course, were also present to witness their students’ growth and confidence. Visitors had the opportunity to interact directly with the young photographers, listening to the stories behind each photograph. One participant shared, “The place where I work asks me to click photos for them now.” Another added, “Sadness is not the only emotion you will see in our basti. Our basti has all the colours that exist, and we have captured and shown them here.”
Speaking at the event, Ms. Vidya Kulkarni said, “I am reminded of the times when, to capture the lives of women in rural areas, I would go and live with them in their villages.” She emphasized the importance of honesty and transparency in the art of storytelling.
Ms. Lalitha Dhara, the Guest of Honor, expressed her appreciation for the initiative and shared her interest in encouraging Vacha to continue celebrating and elevating girls’ achievements, taking their work to even greater heights.
For over three decades, Vacha Charitable Trust has worked for the rights, education, and leadership of adolescent girls and young women in Mumbai’s urban slums. The exhibition aimed to highlight the voices of young girls who are often unseen in mainstream media and to initiate conversations on gender, social justice, and access to opportunities.
The exhibition remained open for public viewing from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. About 250 visitors attended the exhibition, encouraging the girls to tell their stories with the same raw honesty and integrity reflected in their photographs.
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Amita Jadhav
Project Coordinator, Vacha Charitable Trust
Phone: +91 9029331060
Web : https://vacha.org.in/
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