• Light of the Children

    We are on a mission to connect and empower children
    with the aim to build a more diverse and united world.

    Learn moreContact Us

“We give children analog photo cameras, train them on the basics of photography and invite them to share their stories.”

Press release

Enjoy reading our last press release published thanks to Flanders Today. It talks about how our project started, our recent workshops in Bolivia to children with disabilities and how Light of the Children teaches kids to reflect before they click the shutter of an analogue camera.

Nelson, a young boy holding a baby goat in his arms
A young student smiling in front of the camera, of the school of Abra Colorada, Jujuy, Argentina
Portrait of Anahi with a hat which is typical for the region, student of the Quebralena school, Jujuy, Argentina
Portrait of a child holding a photo camera in his hands, school of Abra Colorada, province of Jujuy, Argentina
Portrait of students of the school in Quebralena, province of Jujuy, Argentina

About us

Portrait of Ariel and the students of the school of Quebralena, province of Jujuy, Argentina

Light of the Children
wants to contribute to a world:

  • Where children can fulfill their potential through art, have access to a creative form to express and empower themselves, which results in more self esteem, value for their lives and way of living, more empathy towards each other and responsibility towards their own families and communities.
  • Where communities exchange, learn from each other and understand each other’s culture better.
  • Where the wider public is more aware of diversity, feels united with other communities and where a common sense of the world is built.

CHILDREN + COMMUNITY + WIDER PUBLIC

Mission Statement

The vision and experience of each child is unique, yet similar. We rely on the rights of children as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child when undertaking our activities.

An-Sofie LeenknechtHuman Rights Advocate

Our work focuses on children who have less opportunities to express themselves such as children from minority groups, refugee children, children with disabilities or children living in remote regions.

Ariel PascualiFounder – Light Of The Children

How we work

Select

We select the schools where we will develop the project

Learn

We introduce children to photography and technical camera use and maintenance and then let go, giving them total freedom to use the camera how they wish

Use

Each child is given a camera for a certain period

Return

The cameras are collected once the children have finished taking pictures

Feedback

The photographs are developed and distributed amongst the children. We lead workshops where the children and teachers can exchange their opinions on the content and form of each image

Publish

Professional photographers and curators select photos from each workshop to be displayed in a photo exhibition. This step allows the children of the different schools and countries to exchange their images and share their visions of the worlds they inhabit

Thank you for your support and giving children this opportunity

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Our Story

Portrait of Ariel and An-Sofie, picture taken by Nelson, student in the school of Piscuno, Jujuy Argentina

The organisation was created by Ariel Pascuali from Baradero, Argentina, in his project called ‘Iluminados por la natural’ in 2009.

Ariel received his first analog camera from his parents when he turned 13. This marked the beginning of his lifelong passion for photography.

Back In 2009 while travelling to the north of Argentina for the first time, he came up with the idea of donating materials to boarding schools at the border with Bolivia and Chile. Upon his return, Ariel recalled the love and sincerity of the people of that region living far from urban centres. Now sharing his passion for photography with the children of that region to transmit their authenticity through their photos to the rest of society.

Authentic tree called Churqui, alongside the road and with offerings at the bottom of the trunk
Portrait of Claudio and his friends in front of the house

Since then Ariel took several trips to give workshops, bring donations and exchange experiences with children and teachers. In one of his last trips, he met his future wife, An-Sofie Leenknecht of Belgium and together they visited more schools.

In January of 2016 for the first time one of his students came to Buenos Aires with him. 10-year-old Nelson from Pizcuno, Jujuy, who got the opportunity to know another part of his country, returning with a greater sense of responsibility to his community.

Travelling back to Baradero, Ariel presented the project and organised an exhibition in September 2016 with images taken by his students.

In June of that same year, Ariel and An-Sofie gave a workshop at the Multicultural School of Sint Albert, Molenbeek, Brussels. 15 twelve-year-old students were enthusiastic about working with analog cameras and to see and experience how children of their same age in Jujuy, Argentina lived their lives.

Together they founded the organisation in Belgium and named it ‘Light of the Children’ with the aim of growing the project to reach more children in more countries. The dream to continue fostering the creative development to children of Argentina, Belgium and the world, sharing and uniting cultures across the global.

Northern Argentinian landscape, mountains and cactus reflecting the sun rays

Places we visited

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We love to hear from you.

Ariel and An-Sofie with the students of the school of Saint Albert, Molenbeek in Brussels

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