This literally translates into - girls home.
We got to know about the Baale Mane charity through one of the UK trustees, a good friend who also has a passion for photography. Naturally, we became more aware of the charity and wanted to find a way of making a difference to the lives of these girls.
Firstly, a bit of history on the Baale Mane:
It was founded in 2001
Based in Bangalore, India
It started as a sheltered home for girls rescued from domestic labour
In 2008, the girls were moved to a permanent home in Gopalapura Village
There are up to 50 girls living at the Baale
The home supports 20 young women in the city
International Women's Day
On 8th March, the world will be celebrating International Women's Day and what better way of celebrating than doing something special for all the women out there, especially the ones who are in need of support and being uplifted. That is why from the 8th, we have chosen to donate all profits from the sales of the Westminster Skyline print to the Baale Mane.
Why this image?
We chose this image as it was the first we donated to the Baale Mane for one of their events. Since then, every time we look at the image, it reminds us of the girls. We were fortunate enough to have gifted this to the girls home, giving them a glimpse of a view of London.
Photography Workshop
We were lucky enough to visit the Baale Mane, where we ran a photography workshop with some of the older girls. It was amazing to see these young women learning new skills and picking up the basics so quickly! I have to say, some of the images they took could definitely give some of the best photographers some healthy competition :-)
One thing that I loved the most was how they called everyone "brother" or "sister". They considered us their family and had so much love to give. It was truly inspiring to witness how confident and happy they were in their surroundings and what an amazing job the staff and trustees have done in allowing them to thrive in a safe environment.
Here is a an image of the group that took part in the photography workshop, alongside some of the trustees and supporters of the Baale Mane.
How can you help?
We want these girls to become strong, self sufficient role models within society. To be able to return to the home long after they have left and built their independent lives, to develop and empower future generations using lessons from their own life skills. None of this is possible without the help and support from others such as yourselves.
By simply buying this print, you not only get to enjoy a piece of fine art but you also have the satisfaction of supporting some of these girls and young women who deserve the same opportunities that I had as a girl growing up. They are our SISTERS....lets make it our duty to help stand by them and show them our love and support.
Head over to the link to order your print today.
Links:
You can follow the Baale Mane on the following social media platforms and also visit their website for more information on their journeys.
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/baalemane
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baale_mane/
Website - https://www.baalemane.org