Barefoot Children - Documentary about street children

Idea
Two students came to Santa Cruz, Bolivia with the dream of making a documentary film about street children. After 4 months of working with the children they got the opportunity to start planning the film. Inspired by their own experience, they got an idea:

If people can get to see that there is hope for street children, then maybe bad attitudes can be changed and people can be inspired to help.

Shooting
The film was shot under bridges, in parks and water canals. It was shot on hot middays and cold midnights, at the break of dawn and in the pouring rain.

The children were always explained the purpose of the film before any recordings were made. Some of them pulled away from the camera and made it clear that they were not to be filmed. That was respected. Others were very enthusiastic about getting filmed and interviewed.

After a while the situation became more natural to both the children and the film makers. The camera was not a threat, nor a toy anymore.

Approach
The film does not try to persuade people into doing something. It is simply an eye opener, made to wake reflections in people. It shows the dreadful hopelessness of living on the street. It paints a picture of the evil circles of poverty.

It speaks about how drugs, abuse and violence is brought upon innocent children. But it also shows how a small child can keep up hope in the middle of it all. It shows that children can pull themselves through it, and even leave the street for good. It is possible!

This is what inspired two students to work with street children, and that is what they hope will inspire you who watch Barefoot Children -the documentary.

[ShelzJ]

The glue sniffing helps with the hunger pains. This happens in many countries. They either sniff it out of a cup or a bag. It alleviates the hunger and helps ease the stress and the fears. It is easy to judge but the brain is effected pretty quickly and it is very difficult to function as the body craves it. The glue is much cheaper than food and I've seen children as young as 5 "sniffing". These are children and to judge them for using drugs to ease their pain is ridiculous. Some are barely more than toddlers and are doing the best they can and making decisions based on sheer survival. When you are starving, lonely and afraid you reach for whatever will give you relief. By the time a child is old enough to understand the consequences and long term costs, their bodies are already dependent.

[divasanddinosaurs]

My heart breaks for these boys, especially the boy that began sobbing and saying I love my mother, I love my mother!

[miaquinn]

Watching this video breaks my heart. I just became a grandma for the first time. My grandson has so much love from his parents and me. I can’t imagine him living like these kids.

[msmattina]

"For the 100 million street children around the world. That they may be seen and loved."

Beautiful quote and a great film. Having just worked in a school for street children in Tanzania for the past six months, it's amazing to see how similar the stories of street kids are, regardless of the culture or country. Their crippling fears and timid hopes are deeply touching and humbling, and in most cases they just crave to be loved and cared for.

[ericamae]

Children with broken hearts and broken souls my heart aches for them all, their life consists of hunger, hurt, loneliness, pain and all of them unloved. All they have to imbrace is the dirty pavement and not even a blanket to call their own. None of them have experienced a mothers love, glue is their source of escapism and keeps the hunger pains at bay. No hope no future no love, it would melt the coldest of hearts.

[jitenk]

Thank you, this brought tears to my eyes and was heart wrenching to watch but families should try their hardest to put a roof over their child's head and not to let them end up on the streets. I hope things change for the better.

[Theyluvh.Desire]

Where i live i the uk i dont tend to see street children, but its really sad that they dont get to see family and do things that a normal child really does, like the glue and stuff.

[marysmiles]

Some individuals just weren't made to be parents...its so sad...people that *hurt* or *abandon* their *own* children( Adopted or not...its so SAD!)

[AlyxAesthetics]

Being poor is horrible. But bare-feet is actually good for you so that’s not a bad thing. I always walk barefoot

[praamikhadka]

Why people are so evil? They just left children like wastes in street. So heartbroken. Nothing is sad than spending whole life in streets without family.😢

[rogermassey]

So many children from different countries are homeless. It's horrible to see the abuse of them.

[Iholdstars]

I would like to see a documentary that brings to light Homeless children in all countries like a compulation. Many people watch these videos and say Aw those poor kids or Oh my gosh why isnt the country protecting these children.. when reality is they prolly passed homeless kids on the street cept with everyday blinders of a fast pace life.. they didnt even notice.

[PeaceBeWithhYou]

Amazing... more people need to see these kinds of things

[smallsoldiersy]

17.31 - so beautifull eyes and beautifull childrens god give them strength

[ceciliafenner]

This need to be shown in schools so children
can maybe have some appreciation for what
they have!!!

[RiverofLife]

I'm so glad that I didn't give in to those bad friends (not even friends) like my best friend did. I am stronger than that.

[kimgardiner]

incredible to think how messed up and tragic this world really is those poor kids

[fulanichild]

It's astonishing that we humans have not mastered the art of birth control. Why have 6 kids when you can barely afford 2? In some countries they teach "baby spacing"---you don't have a second child until the first one is in school and so on. That way, mom can devote herself to the infant 6 or 8 hours a day while the older children are in school.

[rapid]

yes i agree, it is a damn shame that governments all over the world declare that we are all one human race and we should mix and mingle then behind the scenes and in plain sight they enforce this idea of difference and encourage a great division among the people

[pangeria]

These poor kids, gosh it's breaking me