The Colours We Left Behind
Humanitarian project with Fondazione Francesca Rava (NGO), documenting the revitalisation of outdoor spaces and daily activities with the children — NPH Home, Guatemala
In Guatemala, at the NPH home, I followed a project in collaboration with Fondazione Francesca Rava focused on revitalising the outdoor spaces where the children gather to eat, play, and spend their daily moments of community life. The aim was to breathe new life into areas that, while central to the children’s routine, had become worn out and neglected over the years — places where meals were shared, games were improvised, and afternoon laughter often turned into spontaneous group rituals.
Our team worked directly on refurbishing benches and tables, carefully stripping away layers of old paint and repainting them with colourful, joyful designs that inject a sense of play and imagination into the environment. Beyond the furniture, we contributed wherever needed — trimming vegetation in the garden, helping with basic repairs, supporting in the kitchen, and lending a hand in any task that supported the home’s daily operations, from cleaning common areas to preparing for group activities.
Alongside the practical work, we spent time with the children, engaging in games, storytelling sessions, drawing activities, and shared moments of play that unfolded naturally as the days went by. Through my photography, I aimed to capture both the physical labour and the emotional life of the home: the energy of the volunteers at work, the watchful curiosity of the children observing the transformation of their space, and the pure, unfiltered joy that emerged in their everyday interactions.
The images document the gradual transformation of the space — from a faded, worn‑out courtyard into a brighter, more welcoming environment — and the bonds that formed over the course of the project: between the children and the volunteers, among the volunteers themselves, and between the community and the people who came to support them. They highlight the impact of collaborative efforts that combine tangible improvements with human connection, showing how freshly painted benches and reorganised outdoor areas can become symbolic of something deeper: care, attention, and the simple act of giving time and presence.
This visual record shows how dedication and care can enrich both the environment and the lives of the children who inhabit it, turning a functional outdoor space into a more meaningful place of gathering, play, and shared memory. It also underscores the role of photography as a tool for documenting change — not only in walls and furniture, but in the small gestures, smiles, and relationships that quietly transform a home.
