A displaced Iraqi boy leads his animals to safety after escaping from Islamic State controlled village of Abu Jarboa during clashes with IS militants near Mosul, Iraq November 1, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)

An Afghan boy looks through the scope of a toy gun, as other children ride on swings during the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Kabul, Afghanistan June 25, 2017. (Photo by Omar Sobhani/Reuters)

Just a few hours’ drive from the Belarus capital of Minsk, many villagers still live off the land. Nearly 80% of the country’s 9.5 million citizens live in urban areas, but for the rest, being close to nature can outweigh the hardships of country life. Here: Boys play in the Stviga River on a hot summer day near the village of Pogost, Belarus, August 16, 2017. (Photo by Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters)

A young boy scavenges for re-sellable items from garbage on the streets, runs past a sign showing incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, left, and local party official Mustapha Dankadai, right, in Kano, northern Nigeria Friday, February 15, 2019. (Photo by Ben Curtis/AP Photo)

Local residents dressed in costumes perform during celebrations for the Malanka holiday in the village of Krasnoilsk in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine, January 14, 2016. The Malanka traditional holiday is more popular in the western regions of the country and is also known as the Old New Year celebrated on January 13 and 14 – St. Basil's and St. Melania's Day, according to the old Julian calendar. During the celebrations, youngsters and adults wear traditional carnival costumes and masks, and visit local houses while singing carols, playing pranks or performing short plays. (Photo by Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)

A group of colourful dancers from the Kumari Shiksha Dance Institution light colourful clay lamps in preparation to celebrate Diwali during the two day Diwali (Festival of Lights) Hindu festival celebrations at the old Drive-Inn in Durban, on October 19, 2019. The two-day festival attracts over 100,000 visitors. The festival celebrations include, parading of floats, chariots, singing of devotional songs, dances, games, face painting, food stalls of vegetarian food, clothing, display of toys and jewellery. Young people also get the opportunity to showcase their cultural and spiritual talents. A billion Hindus worlwide will officially celebrate Diwali on 27 October 2019. (Photo by Rajesh Jantilal/AFP Photo)

These beautiful photos capture the tender moments between two young boys who share a unique bond with animals. Elena Shumilova, from Andreapol, Russia, began taking pictures of her sons Yaroslav and Vanya in early 2012 when she received her first professional camera. The pair were immediately accepted by the animals from a young age and their incredible bond continues to strengthen as they get older. Elena, 32, was able to capture images her boys playing with such animals as rabbits, dogs, cats and ducks as they become totally immersed in their communication with their furry friends. (Photo by Elena Shumilova)

Indian boy Hassan Malik works in a leather shoe factory at Topsia in Calcutta, eastern India, 19 November 2013. The leather industry occupies an important place in the Indian economy. It is an employment intensive sector with a vast potential for growth and exports but also a pollution intensive industry that relies on cheap labor. One of the major production centers for leather and leather products is located in Calcutta, West Bengal. Hundreds of tanneries are operated in the city’s Tiljala, Topsia and Tangra districts. They are mostly run by local families living and working under poor conditions. (Photo by Piyal Adhikary/EPA)