A young girl’s gentle smile is seen through a few long-armed branches, exuding innocence and joy.

But the photograph of Jenny Paula isn’t just any depiction of a child’s walk through the woods south of Borgota in Latin America.

Paula once fought as a child soldier.

One of several pieces included in “Looking Up, Looking Out, Looking In: Photographs by Children on the Margins,” Café Dez Artz in Swissvale held an opening event Sunday showing the work of street children who have taken photographs of their own friends and environment through a program with the Shine A Light initiative.

“It’s a new way of looking at the realities of these kids,” said Mala Shah of Regent Square, who organized the art show.

Shah, 34 of Regent Square is a volunteer and board member with Shine a Light. She traveled to Brazil in 2000 to work with street children through a fellowship with the organization and supports the mission of spreading awareness of their lives.

“I just really admire the model and believe in the work,” Shah said of Shine a Light. “I thought it would be neat to highlight the work these children have done and I thought what better way than to show photographs and sell them for money that goes right back into the programs.”

Any money raised through the purchase of prints or the artwork will go straight to Shine a Light, which organizes digital workshops and programs for street children in impoverished nations and communities. The children create photographs, short films, comic books and other works of art in an effort to share their lives with the world.

“We all have pre-conceived notions when we think of street kids, and even in speaking with people in Mexico, the initial reaction is, ‘they don’t do anything, they don’t work,’ when really, they are social actors and capable of making decisions. They do work, whether it’s shining shoes, washing windshields and they work for one meal a day – and they work for something. Not all of them live on the street.”

Latin music filled the air of the café Sunday as owner Dave Green brought out different dishes for the crowd to enjoy and opened a bottle of wine. Shah made Mexican vegan chocolate cupcakes for the event. About 15 people filed in during the first hour as the opening was held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Shah said for some of the children who have lived in marginalized neighborhoods, working with cameras takes away their feelings of invisibility. For people who have a chance to see the photographs of children by children, Shah said she hopes they take away a few important lessons.

“It’s about learning to look at the world through different eyes,” Shah said.

Green said he loved the surprising quality of the photographs.

“They are wonderful photographs and what I love about them personally is that they are so uplifting,” Green said. “You’re thinking photos by street kids in Latin America and you’re expecting very horrific, depressing things and they’re not. That’s what I like about them so much – they make you feel good.”

Maya Groner of Swissvale attended the opening Sunday.

“The photos are really provocative and they remind me of places I have traveled,” she said.

Shah said if people would like to host a Shine a Light fundraiser in their own homes, they would be welcome to have copies of some of the short films and prints as well.

“There’s more than meets the eye and I believe everyone has a story,” she said.

The price range of the photographs is $50 to $75. They will be displayed at the café through the end of January.

For more information visit www.shinealight.org.