Photo Project Documents Life in Post-Earthquake Nepal · Global Voices
Sanjib Chaudhary

A date none of us will forget, sketched on a wall in Pokhara. The quake spared Pokhara, but aftershocks have hit in the form of cancelled bookings and empty hotel rooms. Photo by @paavan11 via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Three catastrophic earthquakes have devastated Nepal in the past few months. More than 8,000 people have been killed, twice as many are injured, 2 million people have been displaced, and an estimated total of 8 million have been affected in some way. (For more information, see Global Voices‘ special coverage page.) The Nepal Photo Project is working to capture this historic catastrophe in pictures.
The project belongs to a team of ten photographers in and around Kathmandu, led by photographer Sumit Dayal and writer Tara Bedi, who launched the initiative shortly after the April 25 earthquake. So far, it has more than 61,400 followers in Instagram and more than 7,600 followers on Facebook.
Using crowdsourced photos, contributing photographers retell the story of life after the earthquakes: the devastation, rescue, relief, reconstruction, and the rays of hope for the future.
The increasing popularity of the project is due primarily to its simplicity: contributors merely add a hashtag to their images, writing #nepalphotoproject, and include a short caption about the photo's context and characters. Organizers want to keep it more functional and personal in nature.
The project's recent posts show how life in Nepal is returning to normal and how people are rebuilding.
This is Manju Gurung. Whenever I try to take her picture, she giggles and runs away. She and her family have been living together with two more families in a chicken shed since April 25. At least the school is on for her and she is happy to be with her friends. She told me they have no classes, they only play to pass their time. From next week she is hoping the regular school will start. Photo by @sachindrarajbansi via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Sikrighyang, Nepal. Mann Bahadur inquiries from Bilong the dimensions of wood required for the frame work of his house. Bilong, 31, is from India and has a seven year experience in building bamboo houses. In spite of the difference in their linguals, they understand each other well and are working together to build Mann Bahadur's house which was destroyed by the earthquake. Photo by @ujwalgarg0412 via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Now, finally after 46 days of constant threat of tremors, it seems the ground is settling down. We got one 4.1 magnitude tremor today 2 in the morning after two days gap. People have started to live their lives normally now. People are now sleeping in peace, switching off lights in the night time. Traffic is back. Kathmandu is getting back to normal. Photo by @saagarchhetri via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Memories in the rubble – As I was walking through a rubble filled alley of Sankhu, I came across this photograph. Looking closely, I saw people basking in the sun. These were the scenes and habits of local people you could see everywhere along these village towns. Now seeing rubble all around, the photograph surely is a distant memory. Photo by @sachindrarajbansi via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Students of Dibya Jyoti School in Bungamati inside a makeshift hut prepared by KUArt ‪#‎RebuildingBungamati‬ team. Some of the classes are still running inside old school building and team is preparing for more such shelters nearby.
Most of the schools in Nepal re-opened last week after devastating earthquake of April. Since many school buildings are not safe, classes are run out in the open and in some places, even inside risky buildings. Photo by @kishorksg via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
As if pulled from a Steven Speilberg movie scene, I saw this boy pushing his hand made toy designed from a simple stick and two metal wheels through the rubble and carnage that was once his neighbors home. I watched him push his toy through the rubble and rock. Photo by @kevinkuster via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
During the Nepal Tibet war between 1855 to 1856 lots of lives were lost on both fronts. After the war the soldiers of Haibung returned to their village and planted this tree to remember their fallen warriors and to mend their sins of killing thousands of their counterparts. The tree still stands on the edge of ward no. 1 of Haibung village. Photo by @sachindrarajbansi Used with permission
Making a small ‪#‎dharahara‬ at ‪#‎sahidgate‬. Two men working to build small dharahara in memory of the fallen one. The historical dharahara was broken down by earthquake on 25th April. Photo by @inspiredmonster via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Sulochana Maharjan, 16, spins wool in Chapagaon, Nepal. At the time she and her family were sleeping in a tent near their home, uncertain whether their home was safe to stay in after the quake. Amidst rubble and grief, life goes on. Photo by @eliegardner via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Nepalese are pitching in all possible ways to rebuild their country. And artists are using their talent to campaign and raise funds. These are artists associated with an eclectic group called Art Lab that's based in Kathmandu. And they're using the public walls to spread the message of hope, peace, compassion and courage. This is also part of their effort to use art as therapy for all the people who are in trauma after the earthquake. Photo by @prach_is_here via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Schools reopen this week in ‪#‎Nepal‬ after the 25 April ‪#‎NepalQuake‬. This one, under the cool shade of a majestic banyan tree in Salyantaar, close to Gorkha. Photo by @mikaness via Nepal Photo Project. Used with permission
Police constable and judo player Pramila Khadka gives self defence classes with her team to women and children at a camp in Kathmandu. “Living in a camp is not like living at home, there are so many strangers around us. But now if a boy teases me, he won't be safe,” a participant tells me. Kudos to Nepal Police! Loving their work. Photo by @paavan11 via Nepal Photo Project