This is four year old Roop Rhani, she lives in the little desert town of Pushkar, in Rajasthan, India.
Roop is now the main breadwinner for her family. Her Dad died of TB last year at the age of 37. Her Mum is heavily pregnant. Roop has twin baby sisters of a year old and a handicapped brother of 10.
Roop is an astonishing acrobat. She risks her life daily to walk high above the busy street on her makeshift tightrope. People throw down a few coins now and then in recognition of her efforts, and these few coins keep Roop and her family alive.
As well as being an exceptional acrobat, Roop is bright.She speaks almost fluent english and is developing other language skills.(pushkar is a popular backpaker destination) Her mother is so greif stricken from the death of Roops dad that she can hardly manage the skills of daily living. When Roop is not performing she carries her baby sisters, one on each hip. She knows how to cook, and taught me to cook chapatti's.
Her intelligence is simply staggering, if she could only afford to go to school (her dream) there is no telling what she could acheive.
A fiercely bright little spirit.
Tags: Photo journalism
Poverty
India
Acrobats
Child street performers
Hardship
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