Aiding Humanitarian Project’s with Photography

October 2021. Sharya Camp. N. Iraq (Kurdistan).

Here, around 18,000 displaced Yazidis shelter in 4,000 tents. Home to approximately 3,000 internally displaced families. Endless lines of fabric structures. These peoples lives have been devastated.

Its inhabitants are mostly Yazidis drawn from the Sinjar region of Iraq, having fled Islamic State’s (IS) genocidal campaign in 2014. The younger children seem typical of children here in the UK, but it was evident to me they are unaware of the experiences of their parents and elder siblings. Experience’s which include, rape, murder, torture, destruction and theft of lands and property.

Revenge is not what these people seek. But if revenge were to be on the horizon, I know of no people more deserving. A return to their homeland, within a safe secure environment is all they ask. They are a beautiful, humble and kind people. Surely they deserve to be protected and helped in securing back their lands and properties, which have been destroyed. Once they return, I hope to God they do, it will take time for them to rebuild. For now they have each other and, I’ve no doubt, there will be a few politicians to have to please and overcome before that day.

The opportunity came my way to do my little bit to assist with some photography. Images were not set up. All were captured whilst walking through the camp, as I saw it.

I hope the images I managed to capture have the impact required to touch the hearts of those they need to effect and speed up their move back to their homeland.

Around 140 tents were burned down and destroyed by fire in the summer of 2021. The aim of some of the aid, for now, is to replace the tents with more permanent and homely looking structures built from concrete breeze blocks. It will afford them more dignity, allowing them to plaster, paint, decorate and feel somewhat safer… for the time-being.