Another Chance

It was a story about prison inmates who was awarded with the Youth Achievement Award, for their reformative efforts in learning and education during their time behind bars. It was my first time in a prison, and all the security checks and emptying of pockets are did not piss me off this time. I had expected to see ex-convicts with bulging muscles and threatening looks after walking through corridor lined with metal fences and passing by numerous prison guards. We were led to a hall where the award ceremony would take place. As I entered, I saw the shaven heads of the inmates, and there was a row of female inmates wearing pyjamas-looking prison clothes. The male inmates looked like army recruits with shaved heads and black-rimmed spectacles. I could not comprehend what they have done previously to cause them to be in jail. The occasional tattooed arm reminded me of the fact that I these are people who have run afoul of the law. All of them looked young, in late teens or twenties. Some looked like they could just be any of my classmates in school.

I was eager to hear their stories when we got to interview them after the boring award ceremony. I tried to make interesting pictures given the constraint that no faces should be visible. It was tough, but gave the task an added challenge. I treat it as an excuse to try out-of-the-norm angles.

The 2 guys we interviewed could be the best examples of bad-turned-good the prison authorities found for us. I was a little skeptical initially, but I sat down to listen as they got interviewed. Both were imprisoned 5-6 years for drug trafficking and possession. Both were in their late teens when imprisoned and managed to retake their O Levels in prison. They spoke good English, smiled and talked gently and patiently. Was it a character developed out of years in a cell,  when one reflect on one's action? One of them even had his mother sit through the interview with us. The sad fact is that both came from broken families, with divorced parents.

They did not look a single bit like criminals. They looked and behaved like JC students who had shaven their heads in preparation for NS. The difference between myself and them is that while I spent my early twenties, which are among the best years of my life in University, where I pursue my passion and knew my wife, both of them were in prison.

They were deeply affected by their family situation and took the wrong step. If it was heroin instead of ice or ecstasy, they would not be around now. I thought they were unlucky to spent the best years in prison, but fortunate too, to be given another chance, to live and to lead a better life.

One will be released in a month's time. He intends to apply for a diploma course, having completed his O levels in prison. I do not think that either will commit the same mistake again, as they have too much to lose now. I wondered how many more young lives have been destroyed by drugs and crime.

They were lucky to be young offenders in Singapore, where there is a prison school for them to pursue their studies and learn new skills while serving time. Still, the 5 or 6 years of youth was lost and they may not be given equal opportunities in society again.

As a parent, I have seen for myself the long-term effects of our actions on the child.

Inmates waiting in line to receive their award from the Minister of Education.

Photo-Story: Ziyang City (Chengdu, China)

It was almost midnight by the time we arrived in Chengdu for the last leg of the trip. The local Lien Aid staff, Yang Peng fetched us from the airport. It felt abit weird to be sitting in a luxurious car travelling on the wide boulevard in the city centre and checked in at a comfortable hotel. Later, I learned that Yang Peng borrowed the car and the hotel was not too ex. As a journalist travelling on stories about the rural peasants, I did not expect to have such luxury. But it was because a donor for the projects in Chengdu was travelling with us and the project that we are visiting the next day is different from the previous ones. 
A Mr Khoo donated more than S$300,000 for the construction of new toilets for 5 schools in Ziyang City. The 2 schools that we visited had a opening ceremony for Mr Khoo where local government officials and media are invited. As a low-profile individual, Mr Khoo was willing to chat, but declined to be interviewed or quoted. I was told not to reveal my identity as a foreign journalist, and to say that I was a Lien Aid staff, as there was no approval for foreign journalist to cover this story and the restriction on foreign media arose from the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, during which there were bad press on the government relief efforts from foreign media. It was rather shocking to learn that the restrictions were still in place and even for a NGO community service project. I did not expect to gather much information or take many pictures from a official setting and hence would have no problem behaving like a Lien Aid staff. In fact, the story from this last leg is just not strong enough to make it the main piece. 
We were welcomed by rows of children shouting "欢迎,欢迎,热烈欢迎"(Warmly welcome) in unison. I could see that even Mr Khoo was not used to the VIP reception. The ceremony followed a strict sequence of events, from speech to presenting of flowers and donated books. Frankly, all I had in mind was a photo-story of the first 2 villages we visited, and I just could not figure out how this is going to fit into the story. Plus the restriction placed on me was not very encouraging. I thought this "hidden identity" thing was not necessary if clarifications were made to the local officials prior to our visit. What damage could a journalist with no hidden agenda do on such "official" opening ceremonies? I was told not to give away namecards during lunch even though I was seated with the local media. 
All was well and good during the 1st school that we visited. I just wondered around, taking unofficial shots for Lien Aid, and checking out the condition of a typical rural school. To make it a worthwhile trip, I asked for some quotes from teachers and students. At the 1st school, I had to bring them to a corner to ask my questions, whereas at the 2nd school, I was discovered by the official and a Lien Aid staff had to shield me from their view. Fortunately, these restrictions were non-existent in the villages, where I got the strongest stories.

The last night in Chengdu was spent eating the tongue-numbing Mala steamboat and foot massages. Luxuries before slogging to get the stories out in a few days. That was quite a feat given my limited ability in written chinese. I managed to finish half the story in 3 hours at the SPH library and it was published on a Sunday edition. Not too happy with the layout and size of photos though. I hope this will be the start of more such social stories to come. Even though the time spent on each place is short, I felt that I was doing what drew me into photojournalism years ago. Daily mundane jobs has taken its toil on the passion that I had, and Its refreshing to be able to feel it once again. 

The toilet built by Lien Aid and funded by a Singaporean donor.

Primary school students at Ci Xiang Pri Sch (慈祥小学).

Students at Feng Yu Jiu Yi School (丰裕九义校) checking out the Chinese dictionaries donated to their school.

Students at Feng Yu Jiu Yi School (丰裕九义校) getting ready to present flowers to the Singaporean donor and guests.