Poorest Collection

The largest slums, Korail, Dhaka, Bangladesh

A night shelter for the poor and homeless, provided by the Salvation Army in the 19th century (engraving)
1000853 A night shelter for the poor and homeless, provided by the Salvation Army in the 19th century (engraving); Private Collection; (add.info.: A night shelter for the poor and homeless)

Girl of Granada of the poorest class during the Islamic era, Emirate of Granada (1238-1492).. Handcolored copperplate engraving from Robert von Spalart's Historical Picture of the Costumes of

Korail, the largest slums in Bangladesh
Azim Khan Ronnie

The top three images show members of the Salvation Army who, described as slum saviours, went to live with the poorest London people to help and provide for them

A Night Shelter For The Poor And Homeless, Provided By The Salvation Army In The 19th Century, Aka " two Penny Hangover"

Boy crossing sweepers. Both adults and children of the poorest classes tended particular road crossings and, for payment, would sweep the road of dirt

Interior of a House at Fondi. Fondi is town halfway between Rome and Naples, Italy. A poor family sitting down to a meal of polenta which has been cooked in a saucepan of water suspended on a hook

John Pounds, provider of education to poor children
John Pounds (1766-1839), a Portsmouth shoemaker, teacher and philanthropist, who from 1818 provided free basic education for the poorest children in the town, by teaching them reading

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Amidst the labyrinthine corridors of Korail, Dhaka's largest slum in Bangladesh, a girl of the poorest class carries on with her daily struggles. The images of Korail mirror the grim reality depicted in Eduard Fuchs' "Illustrierte Sittengeschichte Vom Mittelalter Bis Zur Gegenwart," where the Salvation Army provided shelter for the destitute in the 19th century, charging just two pennies for a night's rest. Fast forward to present day, and the plight of the poor remains a pressing issue. In contrast, a boy from Fondi, Italy, a town halfway between Rome and Naples, tends to sweepers, while John Pounds, a provider of education to the impoverished, offers a glimmer of hope. These stark contrasts serve as a reminder of the vast disparities that exist between the haves and have-nots, and the ongoing efforts to bridge the gap.