Photographed in a Buddhist temple in Waterloo Street, Singapore. The temple is dedicated to Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, the Goddess of Mercy. The ceremony was the young woman's coming of age ritual: she was 13. During the celebrations, she was given items symbolic of her needs for an adult life. The young boy was her guide and helped carry her new symbolic possessions: she had very poor eyesight.

I believe she was an orphan, and looked after by the temple, which also gives educational bursaries, and makes contributions to a national health screening programme. I was made very welcome by the Chinese people, and given a great deal of information about the life of the temple.