Finally- a conclusion...and maybe a New Story

As this year is about to finish, I am happy to share the latest news on the project on helping Janviere with a new bed. The fundraising efforts were done in May. The planning took a little bit of time as I am based in Switzerland and this had to be organised in Rwanda. Friends who are based in Kigali and who knows Janviere were not available before January 1st- so we decided in the early fall to wait until early January. So- the plan is, next week will see the project come together! Some administrative issues seems to cause some problems- but I am determined to make it to Rwanda in order to meet with Janviere again as well as giving her the new bed and find out how the fund raising money can help her in the best possible way over the next few years. Please stay in touch for the updates next week!

From her bed, Janvier can see the corridor in the house where she lives. The little girl ofte come to play. Janvier was 11 in 1994, this girl is younger, but one can only imagine how different her life would have been without her injuries.

#genocide #neveragain #photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #ronorp #keystone #photobastei #reverienrurangwa #ibuka #100days #ronorp #storytelling

November 20th- The Universal Children's Day.

"On 20 November 1959 the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.^[6] The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 1989 and can be found on the Council of Europe website". Wikipedia.
So, today marks the day- the idea is to protect the rights of the children, perhaps more important then ever before.

Although Rwanda is making much progress, there are still 3 million people without access to clean water at home.

These children are staying in temporary refugee camps placed randomly on top of Sinjar mountain. There are no immediate prospects for them in terms of moving back home as most of the Sinjar city, as well as surrounding villages, are largely destroyed since the area fell in August 2014. Sinjar was liberated in November 2015 but it is not really possible move back. 

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga #sinjarmountain #universalchildrensday #rwanda #humanrights #water #un

World Food Day, October the 16th.

October the 16th is the World Food Day and FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United

Nations) have made the theme: "Climate is changing. Food and agriculture must too". It makes me think of the recent trip I made to Abidjan, Ivory Coast where I met people researching food and farmers making the most of their crops through tradition but also further training. 

Coffee farmers in the Ivory Coast.

Meat market in Abidjan.

Food market in Abidjan.

Local shopkeeper in downtown Abidjan.

Mobile coffee sales person.

#worldfoodday #ivorycoast #abidjan #climatechange #meat #food #research #nestle #maggi #fao #un

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2016

Every 3 years, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture is awarded.
A master Jury met in June decided on who were this years winners of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture- I had the pleasure to photograph one of the winning projects- Superkilen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Reuters.

The park is much appreciated and used by the local population in the area of Nørrebro in Copenhagen.

Superkilen is divided into three sections. The long green section includes a basket ball/ skatepark area.

This family from Iraq plays chess on this Sunday afternoon in April.

The park is surrounded by apartment buildings and the population is very diverse.

The design of the park is done by designed by BIG, landscape architecture studio topotek1 and artist collective superflex, ‘superkilen’ is defined by  three color-coded areas.

Children are creative in their game while using the basket ball court.

All the furnitures, toys and other items in the park comes from all over the world- the swings are from Iraq.

Bright neon signs from Russia and Quatar are placed in one of the main urban squares. 

The neon lights are lit up at night. 

The spirit is high and a little boy agreed to be photographed if he could photograph me!

#copenhagen #agakhan #photography #nikon #d5 #photojournalism #architecture #akdn #df #architectureaward #keystone #development 

Farmers, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

These cooperative farmers are exploring and preparing the fields which will later be used for cocoa and coffee. In the meantime, they are growing cassava. 

"Coffee production in Ivory Coast is important for the economy of the country as coffee is the second largest export commodity of the country... Cocoa is even more important and as of 2012, the country is supplying 33% of cocoa produced in the world." -Wikipedia. 

‪#‎photography‬ ‪#‎documentary‬ ‪#‎photojournalism‬ ‪#‎reportage‬ ‪#‎nikonpro‬ ‪#‎keystone‬ #‎ivorycoast #abidjan #‎marked #foodresearch #coffee #cocoa #cassava 

The Khanke camp, near Dohuk in Kurdistan/ northern Iraq.

Hajji Mirza is from Tel Azar. Now, he and his family live under a tent in Khanke camp, near Dohuk in northern Iraq. He is one among 2’908 families, or 16’611 people. “For 20 years I worked as construction worker in Tikrit. For 15 years I did the same in Kurdistan. We did not ask for government positions, we did not protest, all what we want is to continue our way of life. In spite of all that they keep killing us.”

Hajji Mirza is from Tel Azar. Now, he and his family live under a tent in Khanke camp, near Dohuk in northern Iraq.

Children stop to buy something in the shop of Hajji Mirza inside the Khanke Camp,
near Dohuk in the Northern Kurdistan Iraq.

Work is ongoing at the Camp Khanki, near Duhok, northern Iraq. The camp is large with 3120 tents. 2908 families and 16611 people.

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone

#yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga

The safe corridor that saved thousands of Yazidi's from the Mount Sinjar in Augsut 2014.

Sinjar fell on August 3rd 2014. Thousands were trapped on top of Mount Sinjar. Mahmoud, a former peshmerga soldier, helped with the 'coridor' that helped liberating many Yazidi people from the Sinjar mountain between 9th and 11th of August 2014. People could then walk into Syria and then later back in to northern Iraq on the north side of Mount Sinjar. The "corridor" was established from the mountain enabled 10,000 people to evacuate on the first day. Mahmod now works for Yazda, an NGO working on helping the Yazidi population in Northern Kurdistan Iraq. He is based in their office in Dogure, a village at the foot of Mount Sinjar.

Mahmoud, former peshmerga soldier,  now works with the NGO Yassda at their office in Dogure village at the foot of Mount Sinjar.

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga

The fire, near Chamchamal/ Kirkuk, continuous to burn.

Around a year ago, an attempt to find water caused this strange phenomena. While drilling for water, one man lit a cigarette and the water source caught fire. It has continued to burn since. Chamchamal Kirkuk, Iraq.

The location of the fire is close to the motorway.

It is located in a very dry area

It is a spectacular sight to see fire and water coming from the same source... 

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga #sinjarmountain #Chamchamal #fire #kirkuk #water

Coffee and cocoa production in the Ivory Coast.

Looking for the coffee field in the Ivory Coast. Great experience meeting with people working for a cooperative in order to optimise their coffee and cocoa production.

Green and grey conditions during the rain season in the Ivory Coast.

‪#‎photography‬ ‪#‎documentary‬ ‪#‎photojournalism‬ ‪#‎reportage‬ ‪#‎webster‬ ‪#‎nikonpro‬ ‪#‎keystone‬ #‎ivorycoast #abidjan #‎marked #foodresearch

Refugees, Sinjar Mountain, Kurdistan Iraq.

Many Yazidi people who fled Sinjar when the city fell on August 3rd, 2014 have stayed in temporary or random camps set up on top of the Sinjar mountain in the north of Kurdistan Iraq. It is still not safe to move back to Sinjar, which is only about 20 minutes drive away. Sinjar region, June 2016.

A Yazidi child living with her family in a temporary camp on top of the Sinjar Mountain.

Several temporary refugee camps have been set up on top of the Sinjar Mountain.

Shwan Omar Isa runs a small convenience store on top of the Sinjar mountain.

Young Yazidi men playing pool in one of the random road side camps on top of the Sinjar Mountrain.

Children at one of the temporary camps. 

A child is staying the shade.

Some agriculture is attempted on to off the mountain.

Sinjar city can be seen in the background as you approach the top of the Sinjar mountain. 

These Yazidi chilédren are currently living at the Camp Khanki. They were preparing for a football competition between children from other camps in the Duhok area in northern Iraq. The camp is large with 3120 tents. 2908 families and 16611 people.

The last town before reaching Sinjar. Duhok is about an hour and a half from Sinjar. It was never atacked by ISIS although ISIS rached very close, after Sinjar fell in August 2014.

In order to have documents written in Duhok, you need to stop by a print store.

Kurdish people enjoying the evening witgh games and tea. Duhok, Northern Iraq/ Kurdistan.  Here, Sherzad, the owner of the restaurant, is playing with his friends.

Kurdish men enjoying the evening with games and tea. Duhok, Northern Iraq/ Kurdistan.

Lalesh, in northern Iraq, not to far from Duhok, is the spiritual village or the Holiest place for the Yazidi people. 

A shooting position used by ISIS inside the hospital in Sinjar. 

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga #sinjarmountain #worldphotoday #fifdh

The hospital in Sinjar

There was only one man in the hospital in Sinjar, apart from the pharmacist who showed us around. The man in the picture is cleaning the dishes after lunch. Most of the hospital was damaged. Sinjar city on June 2nd 2016. 

The canteen at the hospital in Sinjar city. The hospital is badly damaged as well as vandalised- but still functioning for some basic treatments. 

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga

Sinjar city: the tunnels.

As Sinjar was liberated in November 2015 Peshmerga soldiers continues to keep what is left of Sinjar city safe. Networks of tunnels between the buildings were found by Peshmerga soldiers after international air strikes helped liberating the city. This photo is from my visit to Sinjar, with colleague Vicken Cheterian, on June 2nd  2016. 

A Peshmerga soldier is showing a tunnel made by the opposition
 inside a building in Sinjar city. 

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga

The Yazidi people.

"Who remembers the Yazidi people..." excellent and important story in Agos by my colleague Vicken Cheterian from our visit to Iraq together in June. More pictures coming soon...

The tent of a brave Yazidi woman and what is left of her family. 

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga

Sinjar City, Kurdistan Iraq.

Sinjar city, the destruction of the city of Sinjar is massive. Sinjar was "liberated by the international coalition and local Peshmerga forces in November last year but us still difficult to access and it is mostly destroyed. Peshmerga soldiers tries to protect the city. The destruction of Sinjar is massive- it will take a long time to rebuild.

The destruction of Sinjar is massive- it will take a long time to rebuild.

#photography #documentary #photojournalism #reportage #webster #nikonpro #iraq #keystone #yazidi #refugee #sinjar #peshmerga

Marit Strømøy, A professional F1 powerboat racing driver from Norway.

It is always fun to catch up with old friends. And, particularly when they are someone like a professional power boat driver! Marit Strømøy was racing in Evian, France last weekend in the F1h2o. She won the last race of the last season and is one of the favourites as well as the only female pilot. She came 6th which is excellent for the conditions in Evian- next race is in Portugal- lets hope for even better results there! She was also in France where her watch, made by B.R.M. was launched. B.R.M. is partnering with F1h2o.

Marit Strømøy in Evian for the F1 race as well as the launch of her new watch from B.R.M.!

It was a beautiful day in Evian for the F1h2o race last weekend. 

Marit and her husband Andrea Colombo (R) after the race.

Marit Strømøy in Evian for the F1 race.

#reportage #photography #photojournalism #nikonpro #norge #watch #d810 #nikon #documentary #maritstroemoey #stromoyracing #f1 #boatracing #brm #revolutionmag #revolution