New hope in Aceh

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | 4 photos

This series of photos was shot in Aceh, western Indonesia, and tells the story of the rebuilding of lives after the devestating 2004 tsunami. Everywhere I went I saw not only reminders of the destruction, but signs of hope and happiness blossiming again.

The photos in order:

Skeletons of palm trees are an eery reminder of the devestation the tsunami wrecked on the province.

Three generations of this family tell a story of survival where they were able to get to a near by mountian before the tsunami wiped our their village on a peninsula at the mountains base.

Houses are rebuilt in a suburb that was completely flattened. As well as rebuilding houses, programmes are being run to train women, who have all had family members killed, in small business skills.

International aid money has been used to rebuild schools, and lives. All of these chuffed school boys had family members killed in the disaster but now have a chance to move on.

I have always had a passion for photography and have a lot I still want to learn. To be able to capture our amazing world that others may experience what would otherwise be impossible is a wonderful skill. This prize would be a great oppurtunity to learn lessons, gain some invaluable new experience and practice new skills.

On another note, through my reading, my studies towards a Masters in Development Practie and reading of Nat Geo I have developed a love of Bhutan as a nation. It is somewhere I have on my bucket list to travel to and I see this competition as a great way of also fulfilling that dream.

I am a fast learner and will give my all to this experience. I believe I have a solid base on which to add your lessons and I would love the chance to learn through this amazing experience.

Thanks,
Dylan