Going to school is a normal way of life for so many children around the world, but not in Bangladesh. Over four million children have had to grow up too fast and are forced to work to support their families from an early age. They are often put at risk of health issues and exploitation, but most importantly, they are missing out on their bright future and the right to be kids.

An award-winning photojournalist, GMB Akash, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, uses his voice to highlight the lives and stories of marginalized people of his homeland. He has been working on the child labor situation in Bangladesh for over 15 years and has been making small steps that bring huge change in the lives of kids who have had to give up their childhood. GMB Akash uses his own money to free children from grueling routines at work and send them to school. The photographer is on a mission to improve the lives of people he captures and takes full financial responsibility for it, so he contributes almost all his income, leaving out only his own minimal living expenses.

Here are some of his heartwarming pictures to illustrate how the lives of these children have transformed for the better.

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