"Cottolengo" is a centre for abandoned mentally handicapped children in the Philippines capital, Manila. Due to the economic situation of the country and the overpopulation issues, some families with handicapped children find themselves unable to raise them so they abandon the kids when the handicap is discovered.
In most cases, when the children arrive to the centre they are nameless, so they get usually the name of the place where they were found.
The majority of the children spend the rest of their lives at "Cottolengo" as they are admitted indefinitely but the capacity of the centre is quite limited.
Thanks to the humanitarian help of various volunteers, the charity support and the Spanish priest Julio Cuesta, who founded the centre, children get healthcare, education, food and affection.
Their portraits represent the first time they face a photographic camera. Their looks do not only show the drama of their situation but also an attitude towards their lives.