Nepal – photography feature

Nepal

In 2015, I spent some time in Nepal and travelled to the eastern region of Kanchenjunga to hike through the Himalayas near the Tibet and Sikkim borders. On April 25, while I was in the remote village of Ghunsa, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the country. Although many parts of the Kathmandu valley and other areas of central Nepal were badly hit, the eastern region was spared too much serious damage. However, with power and phone lines down we had very little idea of the situation at the time. After turning back, it took us five days to reach the nearest town with a working phone and internet connection. It was only then we understood the full extent of the earthquake damage.

Speaking with friends in the city, I decided to travel back to Kathmandu to join the grassroots organisations working in the worst affected communities. I spent the next month helping with independent relief work and delivering emergency aid to some of the people and places most in need. The independent group I was part of later became a registered NGO, and an organisation we collaborated with still run important sustainable development initiatives around the country.

The below is a selection of images I took in Nepal around this time, a few of which appeared in the collaborative photobook project Nepal 425. They serve as visual documents of my journey, and help remind me of the resilient communities I met in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

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An image showing the village of Ghunsa with snowy mountains in the background, Nepal.
The village of Ghunsa, Kanchenjunga at 3500m. The earthquake struck at around 1pm local time. Fortunately this area did not experience too much damage.
An image showing a man adjusting a radio signal at his house in Ghunsa, Nepal
A tea house owner adjusts his radio’s frequency to try and find a signal to receive updates shortly after the earthquake. Taken in Ghunsa.
An image showing a village in the Kanchenjunga region of Nepal.
Hiking through Kanchenjunga on the way back to Taplejung.
An image showing a typical meal of dal bhat is prepared in a kitchen in Taplejung region, Nepal.
A typical meal of dal bhat is prepared in a kitchen en route to Taplejung.
An image of a woman looking into the camera on a bus, with the driver in view, in Birtamod, Nepal.
A passenger looks on aboard a bus from Birtamod to Kathmandu.
An image showing a police officer resting in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, with the earthquake-damaged Gaddi Baithak in the background.
A police officer rests in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, with the earthquake-damaged Gaddi Baithak in the background.
An image showing a family assessing damage and clearing rubble from a house in Gerkhutar, Newarkot
A family assesses damage and clears rubble from a house in Gerkhutar, Newarkot
An image showing a person throwing a brick over a wall from inside a damaged room.
A volunteer clears rubble from a collapsed school classroom in the village of Gerkhutar, Newakot.
An image of a person using an SMS service on a mobile telephone.
A volunteer messages a friend following a particularly strong aftershock in the Kathmandu valley.
An image showing people preparing a community meal during a relief operation in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal.
People prepare a community meal during a relief operation in the Kathmandu valley.
An image showing children playing in a community garden in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal.
Children play in a community garden in the Kathmandu valley.
An image showing a view of Pokhara, Nepal.
Life goes on in the city of Pokhara.