One of the girls that has come to every Kunst and Kijk, Hasma, has also shown a tremendous change in her demeanor. When I first met her, every picture I took of her, she would flip up her middle finger - without fail. She was disruptive and would often lead others in bad behavior. 
Now she is the girl who helps set up and clean up. She helps others when they need it. Now, when I take her picture, she smiles. 

Never underestimate the power of relationships, a positive message, and a safe space.

In this picture, she is holding her super hero picture with one of her friends. This was a special picture for them. Chamsa, her friend, had a difficult time with this assignment. They were to draw a super hero showing how they are responsible to use their powers to help the community. Chamsa, sat and looked at her paper for a long time. She asked the adult helpers to draw for her. She was so scared of doing a bad job. She even cried a bit. After we sat and encouraged her, Hasma, spoke encouraging words and was bubbling over with empathy. She waited for Chamsa to finish and asked if I would take their picture together. 

Providing a space for Chamsa to work through her insecurities, to create something she didn't think she could, really boosted her self-esteem. It was so great to see this smile. It was well earned.