The Children of Rio: Capturing Changes through the Lives of Young People

The Children of Rio: Capturing Changes through the Lives of Young People

At the 1992 Rio Earth Summit world leaders signed up to a series of agreements intended to create a greener, fairer world – a world that would guarantee future resources for our children. That same year tve started filming the lives of 11 babies – born in 10 different countries around the world.

The idea was simple: to track the impact of the Rio pledges on the lives of our children as they grew up, documenting the changes globalization and development were bringing to their lives as well as to their families and communities – in a series of films that would be broadcast on global, regional and national TV channels and distributed for ongoing educational and campaigning outreach.

Over the last 20 years tve returned to film key moments in the children’s lives. On the eve of a new Earth Summit, their lives, hopes, fears and ambitions for the future provide a multifaceted look at what it feels like to grow up in our fast-changing world.

Several of the films were supported by UNFPA and capture specific ways in which our mandate impacts the lives of individuals.

For example, Rosamaria was born in Rocinha, one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest, most violent slums. When first interviewed, at age 10, Rosamaria was in school. She talked about wanting the roof of her family’s shack fixed and why she thought education was important. In the latest film, we discover that she did not stay in school because she was disruptive in class. She became pregnant. Her boyfriend left her and she is a single mother. Her hopes are now invested in her child.

Panjy (Panjarvanam), born in the village of Manachpuram in Tamil Nadu, southern India, into a family dependent on the local fireworks industry. In 2011, we find that although Panjy really wanted to continue with education, her family could not afford her school fees and needed her to work to pay off loans, for her and her sister’s dowries. Now married, Panjy is still hoping to escape the firework industry, and has ambitions to become a tailor but can’t afford the cost of a sewing machine.

Erdo is one of 16 children born into a family of nomadic cattle herders in northern Kenya, a region hit by frequent droughts that are predicted to increase with climate change. After his father took a third wife and refused to help out any more with his school fees, Erdo as a young teenagers left his family and joined a street gang in the local town. But his mother did not give up on him. Despite her commitments to 15 other children and her cattle, she tracked him down, and administered some tough love. Erdo is now back at school, where he has big ambitions to become a lawyer and fight corruption in Kenya.

Kay Kay is an only child, born in the sprawling and now prosperous city of Guangzhou in southern China.

Today she is emblematic of China’s economic miracle over the last 20 years. Her parents have worked hard to pay for her schooling and provide a comfortable home. She’s just completed major exams, is waiting for the results to see if she can get to university, and is meanwhile looking for part-time work.

The idea was simple: we would track the impact of Rio and our rapidly changing world, through their lives and their stories. Over the last 20 years we’ve returned to film key moments in our children’s lives. In 2012, we’ve caught up with our children again, and find out how they have fared and their hopes, fears and ambitions for the future – a unique diary about what it feels like to grow up in our fast-changing 21st Century world. The result is three 45-minute documentaries, released to coincide with the Rio Earth Summit 2012.

In this first episode, we travel to Brazil where Rosamaria was born within yards of the Summit. To Papua New Guinea where Angela was born just as a new gold mine was being opened. To Latvia, newly free from Soviet rule, where Martens was born. And to the north of England where Hayley was born just as her dad was being made redundant.

Twenty years after we started filming we’re back in Rio where it all began with the Earth Summit. What’s become of Rosamaria, the little girl from a broken family in Rio’s Rocinha? Rosamaria now has an eighteen month old son of her own – Gustavo. And the father? He’s gone. Like her father before her, he’s abandoned them. Rosamaria now has a new partner. Wallace is the new father figure for her son. And she’s pregnant again. But, this time it’s different.

“Wallace is the father of my new baby. He is a great man. He is someone that God put in my life. I’ll do anything to keep him.
Whatever he can do he’ll do for me.”

The shanty town of Rosamaria’s childhood is looking increasingly like a normal town. Investment from state authorities and private companies have brought new housing estates, a twenty four hour health centre, and yes, even a swimming pool. That’s something that ten years ago she could only have dreamt of.

We’ve also returned to Papua New Guinea to catch up with Angela born on the small island of Lihir where a new gold mine promised to bring development. Angela’s now 19 and a student at the National High School of Excellence where she is sitting her final exams. Angela was well nurtured by her parents who helped her meet the challenge of getting to her country’s most prestigious school. But now she’s here she finding it hard going. “The courses that we’re taking are a bit harder than my ex-school. At home, if I needed help, I used to go and ask my dad to assist me in doing my homework. But when I came here there’s no one I can go to.”

Exams are finally over, and Angela is heading home. But the island she was born on nearly twenty years ago has seen big changes. Lihir is home to one of the biggest Gold Mines on the planet, producing around 22 tons of gold per year. Originally given just a 25-year lifespan, the amount of gold has exceeded expectations and the mine is expected to operate for decades to come.

Says Angela: “Before the mine came my ancestors had a vision. They said in the future Lihir would become a city. I think the mining is both good and bad. On the good side, they’ve made the road, and provided infrastructure and schools. But as for the environment, the mining has caused a lot of damage… I hope in the future that I will become a doctor. That’s what I always wanted. I want to get married and have children. But I’d like to get a job first.”

On the opposite side of the world in Latvia, Martens is also now 19. He lives in the same room he had as a baby. Latvia’s joined the European Union which is helping to fund the clean-up of the Soviet era factories. Long years of Russian rule have sharpened the sense of National identity. Something to be celebrated. But a quarter of Marten’s generation are unemployed. The economy’s been in recession.

Martens isn’t put off by the recession. He wants to open a business – and thinks he knows what. He’s gone to catering school. “The plan is to have my own restaurant. But I have to get experience first. I am serious – I will open it. I’ve had obstacles in my life – I have always overcome them. I won’t let things stand in my way. We’ll fight, improve, and survive. And we’ll overcome this crisis and make Latvia a better place. In time we’ll get there!”

Back in St. Helens, UK, what’s become of our first Earth Summit child, Hayley Turner? In 2003 Hayley’s parents separated. Not long after, Hayley’s mother became seriously ill when doctors failed to diagnose her condition with water pressure on the brain. As a result Lynne is partially blind. Says Lynne: “She’s had a lot to cope with and she basically turned from being my little girl with her own life and friends into my carer. And that’s also made her have to grow up rather quickly. In essence I suppose she’s been robbed of her childhood.”

Just as Hayley was born, the coal pit her dad Brian and the town of St. Helens depended on was being closed. Since then Brian managed on a string of freelance contracts. He worries the future may be harder for Hayley. “For an eighteen year old now who’s struggling to find work… I think it’s a very hard and a very difficult time for them.” Years of economic decline have had an impact on Hayley’s generation. Many of her friends already have children and living off benefits. But as for Hayley, “I’d rather fight for it all. Go to university. Get a decent education and a decent job.”

Just four of the eleven lives we’ve been following across the world since birth. An epic endeavour. When we started we had no idea how events would unfold in their lives – some looking very much up, and others marred by tragedy.

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SEVERN SUZUKI – WOMAN of ACTION

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