Where Children Sleep
Dear friends,
This is a powerful book with powerful messages. Please share with your friends. Appreciating what we have and to not find excuses to fail is so important. This can be instilled in us now and better yet from a young age. When people understand what they have and don’t have, it helps them to focus on what is really important. This is a powerful book for your children. Don’t teach your children only about material comforts. Don’t perpetuate empty happiness. A happiness that is false based on materialism and selfish interactions with others. Perpetuate what matters like saving the earth, conserving water, being kind to animals, vegetarianism, spirituality, respecting the elderly, health, kindness to others, ethics, abiding by the law, creating peace, loving all human kind no matter their race or religion and the oneness of our needs as humans. How we need each other in order to truly survive. Just to mention a few. These are important.
I feel this book should be given to schools and explained to children and book reports should be done. Even a subject matter on it’s own. Give this book to your children or to adults too. Please care.
Please share this with other.
Tsem Rinpoche
Most children who live in North America have a very blessed life that they take for granted. They have access to clean water, food and the education they need to survive and prosper.
Children in other countries around the world are living very different lives. They lack the basic food, money and sanitation they need on a daily basis. Education is something only the well off can afford.
Award-winning photographer James Mollison was tasked with coming up with a project that would put a spotlight on children’s rights.
He started thinking about his childhood bedroom and how significant it had been for him and how it truly reflected who he was as a child and the things he had at the time.
His two-year project turned in to a book – Where Children Sleep – a diverse collection of stories and photos about children around the world and how their bedrooms reflect who they are and what they have.
1. Bilal, 6, Wadi Abu Hindi, The West Bank
2. Indira, 7, Kathmandu, Nepal
3. Ahkohxet, 8, Amazonia, Brazil
4. Dong, 9, Yunnan, China
5. Anonymous, 9, Ivory Coast
6, Alex, 9, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7. Bikram, 9, Melamchi, Nepal
8. Tzvika, 9, Beitar Illit, The West Bank
9. Douha, 10, Hebron, The West Bank
10. Joey, 11, Kentucky, USA
11. Lamine, 12, Bounkiling village, Senegal
12. Rhiannon, 14, Darvel, Scotland
13. Risa, 15, Kyoto, Japan
14. Netu, 11, Kathmandu, Nepal
Each photo inside the book has a caption that tells the story of each child.
It occurred to me that a way to address some of the complex situations and social issues affecting children would be to look at the bedrooms of children in all kinds of different circumstances.
From the start, I didn’t want it just to be about ‘needy children’ in the developing world, but rather something more inclusive, about children from all types of situations. James Mollison says on his website.
Please share these incredibly diverse photos with your friends.
I have reproduced this here to create awareness of the great message in this book. I recommend everyone to get this book for your children, the school library and for elementary school teachers to share this in class and have kids write their feelings. The Book Where Children Sleep can be purchased at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1905712162/
Source: http://www.thefizzle.com/seeing-these-14-childrens-bedrooms-from-around-the-world-is-shocking-number-6-brought-me-to-tears/
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It is heartbreaking to see many children in other parts of the world living in such conditions. We should be contented that we have all the good living conditions be it house, weather, safety, family, care from parents, clean water and etc. Therefore, we should remind ourselves to love and care for others and not just concentrating to things that only focus on our self and gaining more materials.
Thank you for sharing this pictures. I can imagine how suffer is their life. For those children who are living in a good condition, we can know their thought by observing their room, so is very important for the parents to pay attention on the children room. It is heart breaking to see these unfortunate young children living in such a harsh condition .Once again thanks for reminding us how important to appreciating what we have .
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post, I learned a lot of things for example not everyone is in a great country and not everyone is rich and has a comfortable place to live. I recently saw a video of the Syrian War and I saw a lot of sad, scared and unhappy emotions. I realised that it is because of our karma.
Our karma will affect our future life. If you do good things in your past life, it will be worth it in your future life. I am so glad that I am here now not everyone can live in such a beautiful and peaceful place all thanks to Rinpoche for building this wonderful place for us to learn Dharma. ^^
1. I have to do positive action, because positive action leads to positive result. I must have done some good things in the past that I am now in a very good condition.
2. I saw where the adults and the children live, I feel pitiful for them because they have to sleep on the floor and wooden bed. ????
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this blog post. I feel bad for these children having very small spaces to themselves. It pains me to see these pictures. Also believing that they living in such conditions hurst even more. Event though some are better than the others, I am lucky to have been born with my family. Thank you Rinpoche for helping me realise how lucky I am to be where I am now.
Thank you for sharing this article. It is very sad to see these kids sleep in such discomfort. I am grateful for the bed I have but I always end up on the floor in the morning.
Lately I have seen news of the Syrian War. President of Syria whose name I shall not state gased his own people. I am happy for those who managed to escape Syria and those who have not I wish them best of luck fleeing the horried place.
With folded hands _/\_
Looking at those pictures of those bedroom which they called room ,feeling sad
for those children. We are so fortunate to have a good place compare to those living condition of those out there. Thank you James Mollison a photographer for showing us how children from all across the globe and the diverse environments they go to sleep in.
Here we have air-cond, proper bed nice neat room and yet some still complains. We should appreciate what we have and not what we do not have . What I can see from those photos, there is a sad or untold story behind it. Bilal, 6, Wadi Abu Hindi, The West Bank
Anonymous, 9, Ivory Coast and Lamine, 12, Bounkiling village, Senegal looks like from a war tore place and stories of diverse children. I think nowadays children are lucky enough to have a comfortable bedroom all prepared by their parents.
For me I have to work hard to have one , I always tell my children to work for what you have and appreciate what you have.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post so as to create awareness of how children from across the globe living condition of a bedroom.
When I look at the pictures, I couldn’t help it but to keep reminding myself how lucky I am to have an air-conditioned bedroom, education, food, clothes, shelter and etc. If I were to compare my life with theirs, there’s no way I can ever understand or adapt to their lives because I am not used to working hard to earn a living for my family and the reason being that is I don’t have to, everything was provided to me by my lovely parents. I really respect and look up to these children who are hardworking and determined to get things done, they are truly an inspiration to other teenagers. I have not managed to read the book but will definitely read it soon, can’t wait to read more about their stories.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this. From their bedroom, we can see their living condition,the first picture is not even a room, is just a fenced empty space, honestly for me I can not take it, and I can imagine how suffer is their life. For those children who are living in a good condition, we can know their thought by observing their room, so is very important for the parents to pay attention on the children room and try to decorate their room with positive or good energy items instead of guns and cross bones.
Wow definitely powerful images! Where they sleep, their personal space really tells you how their character is being shaped. I guess their room is an expression of who they are internally. It is not their fault that their room is like that, it is the fault of their providers. However, in Dharma it is explained as “karma”. But whatever the case, this book has presented the harsh yet truthful realities of some children, how our society is being shaped through them, how we end up being better or worst adults and how they would go on to shape our future.
No doubt if this book is given to kids who are spoiled with maids and parents who picks up after them, will perhaps realise how fortunate they are and maybe learn to appreciate their lives better and become humbled beings. What is explained to them I think is also important. And yes it would be great if schools would explore this book further in class. It is very important children do not grow up thinking the world is a bed of roses without thorns, it is good for them to understand life as a whole, good and bad, negative and positive so that they don’t live in a bubble and take things for granted.
Sometimes I do think that kids that grow up in a harsh and hard backgrounds are better and wiser especially if their parents instil positive thinking in them. I guess it all depends on their karma I suppose on what kind of parents they have. But even if they have abusive parents, still some do rise above it all and turn out positive… just look at our Rinpoche as a classic example. So yes it is after all one’s choices and karmic conditions, but if we nurture them with the right values, it would help them make better choices. So yes it is always good for kids to learn the realities of life from a young age, what better way to let them experience this, then to show them examples, bring them out to see the homeless, expose them to helping others, animals and people, and from there imprint them with good valuesthey become better humans who can share and love others.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. Don’t waste our lives for material comfort. Don’t take everything for granted. Why not treasures our lives and do something beneficial, such as helping others or do things that benefiting others.
This is amazing!!! I cant believe that kida around the world live in this bad conditions. They even have to work and they have such a bad living area. Even 1 of those kids are bloody spoilt! They can do whatever the want to their hair. The japanese religion shows a lot and i retpect that. Having a shot gun in your room in Kentucky! woahh, that scared me!
This is a good book for children to read. Nowaday children always like to compare with other friends and request to their parents what they don’t have. Need to convey a important message to them that appreciate what they have now and don’t complaint so much.
To many of the fortunate ones , childhood might be the most happiest moment of one’s life, no responsibilities, no worries etc……By looking at the pictures of these children we might feel sad and pitiful for them, to have all the suffering and fear in such a young and tender age but upon contemplation on the other angle, maybe it does not bother them at all living in such condition !! We must not have the mentality of self-pitiness .For instance, I noticed the living conditions and public facilities in Nepal might not be promising but yet the people in Nepal are more inclined to the spiritual practice compared to those in the developed countries, or must I say that those living in better off and favourable conditions are more materilistic and self-cherished. Therefore, we must appreciate who we are and what we possessed at present and not to give reasons and excuses for not practising the Dharma. Thank you Rinpoche for giving me the opportunity to practise and learn the Dharma in Kechara .
Dear Rinpoche,
These images have a very powerful message. We tend to think how things should be in our life but this is only a very small part of the picture.
Nothing is permanent and we don’t know what is around the corner. How fortunate we are to have all these opportunities.
The places these children live in are so different, each picture of the child and his bedroom brings us a closer look at his world. What could be important for this child?
Thank you for teaching us to a broader perspective.
This remind me what values we are going to pass down to our next generations? We need to share and teach them how to cherish what they have now .They should extend their love to those who in need.
It is heart breaking to see these unfortunate young children living in such a harsh condition with no proper hygiene in this modern and advanced age. Hope that they will be taken care of by their ministries of welfare or the NGOs in their respective countries so that they can have a chance to go to schools and the basic needs in their daily lives.
This book send an important message to those spoilt kids out there , count your blessings & luck that you’re not one of them
We might or might not know life of children whom have a lot and whom have very little can be heaven and earth. And this series of pictures of children from different parts of the world and their bedroom, visually demonstrated the difference..and the difference can be vast.
You can see a bedroom with guitar, rockstar poster and comfortable bedding, compare to another child with only a old sofa under the sky without a roof on top.
Not only these pictures tell what a child has, the financial situation of her/his family; but tells also how they were brought up with – what kinds of people around them, what are some of the philosophy of life they are having and even the future of the child. I saw a poster of militant groups holding weapons, Mao Ze Dong’s poster and camouflage pattern bedding, in some of the bedrooms.
We normally keep poster or photos of our heros, or someone we admire in our bedroom. From the posters and “design” of a bedroom we know a bit our a child’s upbringing. We might not be wealthy or live in a warring areas, but I still believe (it should be hard for those experiencing conflicts continuously) we should nurture or always try to remember to raise our children with love not hatred, make peace not war. After all, war or conflict never make our future better.
Dear Rinpoche & Blog Team,
Thank you so much for posting stories like this and animal care stories I appreciate and love so much. It heartens me that you give voice for those who do not have a voice on this website.
It would be too easy to take the easy option and only have nice stories that interest visitors and not stretch their awareness of other really important issues that affect all human beings (regardless of where they may be?).
In most cases and from my own experience in many places around the world…poverty and the the results are indeed alot more complex and different in most cases but the essence or root of the problems are essentially the same (a cycle that must be broken) is the most important action imho.
Poverty is in all countries around the world, it can be hidden or out in the open and the collateral effects can be as diverse as violence, oppression, abuse physically, mentally, loss of freedom and access to basic rights of education and health.
Questions we should ask ourselves should not involve our pity or thinking money can solve these problems but coming up with creative ways to make real change in these communities self-sustaining to benefit those in need.
We should be asking ourselves how would I feel in those shoes? How would I create a better situation for myself if that was me? Why should I do more if I have the skills or funds to do so?
There is no short or long answer for these problems or how I or you should respond however I feel that small steps to see the bigger issues involved and actually being involved is the only mechanism to make a real difference (and in whatever capacity you can is appreciated).
This is what it means to be human, you don’t need a label to help someone. I dont need to be Christian, Buddhist, Muslim or Atheist to help just a helping hand and an open heart.
Thank you again Rinpoche and Blog Team
Wishing you all the best in all your Dharma Works.
From someone who can appreciate from experience and receiving love and care from others to rise above the cycle of poverty.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing.After going through these pictures of children all over the world.I certainly felt that I should be very contented for what I have for my childhood here in Malaysia.
What a luxury to have a clean bed,ample water for bathing,free education and the most important a happy family.
But the most significant thing in my live is the chance to be introduce to Dharma by Kechara…..May all there others have the opportunity too.
Unlike the lucky children in America, children in poor countries around the World are seen to be living in very unfortunate different lives and conditions, lacking basic food and other very essential amenities; like good health services and educational facilities. Good health is intrinsic towards all good living conditions. Lack of good health facilities and services will lead children (even adults for that matter) more susceptical to common childhood infections, such as diahrhoea, tuberculosis and measles just to name a few, as alleged by world health organisation. Equally important is the question of Education as to good Health facilities! Education is considered a basic human right and a necessity for productivity for any country under the globe!!! But in many rich countries, certain high level of education is commonly exhibited as something where only the rich can have and attained, how aborminable, but true. A good level of education is highly essential for any country to have, and helpful for it to achieve its ambition to become “A first World nation” if it is moving in the right direction. It is actually a common right for all!
10. Joey, 11, Kentucky, USA This is the poorest of all. Weapons only cause accidents & eventually selfdestruction. Very impressive, I thought there weren’t boys like this only the children of drug capos.
The above pictures may look “Surreal” to some kids or even adults. They might thought this only appear in the movies. But hey, these kids suffer from basically everything and it’s real. Reality bites. Kids nowadays (not all) are so spoilt by material comforts, mainly because the upbringing is kinda misleading.
They are instilled wrong perception in life that is damaging for their future. The heroine Malala Yousafzai is one of the young kids the world respect a lot for her determination & dare to make a change in her life. I hope people could give a little more concern to these less fortunate young ones. Next time when your kids throw tantrums because you don’t get them an ipad or smart phone, paste all these pictures in their room and tell them the value of an ipad could actually get these poor kids a proper sheltered room with simple furniture. How embarrassing.
Malala’s speaks at UN:
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/do-not-miss-malala-yousafzai.html
These photos are really powerful and a great lesson to many of us who have it good our whole lives. Some may be a choice of living but most are (sorry to say) unfortunate people born in their respective environments. It helps many of us reflect and appreciate what we have, focusing on what we have rather than what we don’t have. Material things gives us the false presentation of comfort and security, but immediately/instantly all that can disappear when we die and we won’t be able to bring it with us. What is the point living our whole lives just to build our false security, our selfish comforts and just working till the day we die without extending that wealth out to those who need it. After much awareness has been brought to me over the years I believe that education is the only way out of poverty so kids should not only just look at it as just to appreciate food, clothes and a roof over their heads but also the given opportunity to go to school everyday and learn. Thank you for shairng this out to all of us Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing all these picture with us. I fully agree with what Rinpoche has mention we should educate our children with all the non material value like appreciate what they have be kind to animals take care of them if we are able and most important is to help others and benefits others not being selfish I guess to teach them all these good value we as a parents must set a good example we need to show them how to do it because children do learn from their parents.
As i look at all the children who are under no proper shelter or care, i look to myself as lucky. I am lucky to be born in a good family that provides a roof above my head. And i am lucky to be in touch with the Dharma. And as i see all these children sleeping in these areas, i can only hope that they too come in touch with the Dharma.
Thank You for the previews Rinpoche, some children are so fortunate to have a big house to live in and do not have to worry about their meals; whereas some who are less fortunate will have to suffer a lot. This must be a really awesome book, can’t wait to get one.
3 poison are being have deep impacts apply in our daily life, we are always influence from previous generation to next generation continuously. We will never satisfied and always wanna go to chase for more.
Thanks Rinpoche with folded hands to bring Dharma to beautiful Malaysia hence setup Kechara House to let more and more peoples able taste the Dharma to lesser and lesser down their ignorance to be a better person toward Peace… Hopefully with the power of 3 jewels, many of us can be lesser down our 3 poison hence teach and influence the next generation in the better way.
This makes me appreciate what i have and even though my room only has a curtain, it has a good bed and a roof. Some people don’t have that. Everyone who have luxurious live better appreciate it because when something happens that takes that away, they will really fall.
I have always lived a life of luxury. Always with a roof over my head and always a full stomach. It is amazing to see the contrast of different situations of living across the world. Some are rich, some are poor, they all make me feel more grateful to be where I am. Fortunate to live without much suffering, fortunate to meet the Dharma.
Where most children sleep with a roof over their heads,and some even have plush and comfortable beds to lie on, nine year-old Alex of Rio de Janeiro sleeps on a worn-out sofa, with the sky over his head. What if it rains? What if a dangerous animal wanders over?
So much worrying to do, and so many fears, for one so young.
I have a “kampung” life style in my younger age. All are precious experiences for me to see these days. I don’t have so much funs of modern technology like today. We run to the wild with bicycle a few km a day during the weekend. Just like the wild kids run from forest. Experience the wild life. I’m late home for dinner, and mom scream with holding a cane in hands! Everything to search for funs are all come from nature. At night, we sleep with “minyak tanah” lamp after we switch off the generator by 8pm. Only the insects will sing for you in the night. LOL..
Then, we are modern and improve now. Of course we can’t back to 30 years ago. But, kids lost lot of nature funs. Like Rinpoche said, we are more close to material comforts. A happiness that is false based on materialism and selfish interactions with others.
So i think the programs we run in KFR is much more close to back to nature and teach our kids to see the nature kindness. To find the inner peace. All go around and comes around. So, be kind to the earth and we need/depend to each other very much.
Thanks rinpoche for reminding us how important to appreciating what we have and to not find excuses to fail is so important.