At the Yafa Cultural Center in Nablus hard work is being put into changing the minds of the young that live within the confines of the Palestinian refugee camp Balata. The camp is infamous in more ways then one with its share of violence in the past, the time for a change is now. The camp is known for having the largest population on the smallest peace of land. 25.000 Palestinians within 800 houses live here on a one square kilometer of slum.
In 1948 when the camp was first established it consisted of rows of tents with only the most needed facilities. The electricity was installed in 1975 and this flourished the education amongst the young. Now they could study at night and, the old people in the camp can still remembers how the children was gathered around the lamps like mosquitoes at night. Studying and thus came the second generation of workers that the camp produced. Before the labour that the camp and its population could offer was focused on plowing or other primitive types of work, the next generations moved further and could offer work at a higher level.
Over the years like many other camps it has developed into an overcrowded community where over half of the population is below the age of 18. About 80% of the children here are under nurtured, and this kind of poverty seems to be one of the biggest struggles in everyday life.
In recent years UNRWA have cut down the rations of relief, that are sent to the camp. Now they come at 3 month intervals and this is fare from enough that is needed, Mahmoud Subur, one of the dedicated souls at the Center, says. A year ago the checkpoints that surrounded Nablus got removed and yet again the people from Balata could travel outside the city for work. But with a mere 3-5% of Balatas population that are able to enter into Israeli controlled areas for work, the situation is not looking positive. Some have accumulated enough money over the years to start there own businesses within the camp and now about 350 shops have been established.
The educational advance in the camp has acted as a catalyst, as Mahmoud, describes it. The desire for education has spread amongst the young. On the darker side Balata also catalyzed both the first and the second intefada. They spread from the camp like wildfire in the West Bank and a lot has to be done to ensure that a third does not come along. “The fist consisted of stone throwing, and in the second intefada, guns and bombs was introduced”, Mahmoud says, “no telling what a third will bring”. During the second intefada no less then 16 suicide bombers was derived from the young men of the camp, 230 lost their lived in battle with funerals every week. Today 800 Palestinians here still suffer from handicaps after being hit by bullets or fragments.
The team at the Yafa Cultural Center tries to stimulate the children in the camp to keep them in school and away from violence. It is the aim to make Balata the frontier of education in the West Bank. The most active participants at the center are being sent as exchange students around the world to experience life in other cultures and to make them able to advance further in life then the previous generations. But it is hard work especially with the poverty and low living conditions that the people of the camp face everyday.
Marhmoud hopes for the future is, that the third intefada will be peaceful and will come from the outside. “Now it is time for the rest of the world to protest agents that is happening here”.
Published on July 15, 2010 2:42 pm.
Filed under: Palestine / Israel, Photography Tags: child, intifada, palestinian, refugee, west bank
Still browsing my hard drives, and still finding old photos that sets a good mood around me.
Right after I was done with my work at the refugee camps around Aleppo, Ein El Tal and Neirap, I bumped into two German guys, Jan and Kris, that was traveling Syira and Lebanon. We fell into a conversation and ended up traveling to Latakia together for some days of relaxing. After that we split up, I went to Damascus and they went to Lebanon for a bit of an adventure with the Hisbollah. Taking photos in the wrong part of Beirut can get you into trouble if you don’t know what your doing.
We joined in Damascus after they got released in the Omayyad Mose, for a drink of water in the shade of the sun. Then back to my house for some food, a swim and yet again to be split up.
This photo here is at a buss stop in Latakia. We just arrived from a day of drive in the mountains. The view from up there was amazing.
Published on February 11, 2010 11:23 pm.
Filed under: Photography Tags: aleppo, damascus, refugee, Syria
A few days ago I went to get a few pictures from the demonstration held by “kirke Asyl” (Church Asylum) in front of the parliament in Copenhagen. The same morning yet a new set of refused refugees from Iraq was send home. Kirke Asyl is currently helping the refused refugees in Denmark to seek help.
Published on November 7, 2009 1:49 pm.
Filed under: Photography Tags: iraq, kirke asyl, refugee
A quick look in my stats show me that my “Close the Camp” series has had a lot of views. So I have taken the steps to make a dedicated page for it. Personally I think it shows a god days work. I was really up for it and have had a few telling me they thought they were great. If you haven’t seen them, give them minute or two. If you have seen them already have another look.
Closing the Camp, or the link on top of the page.
Published on September 7, 2009 5:06 pm.
Filed under: Photography Tags: iraqi, refugee, sandholmlejer
The pictures have been taken down from the walls of the World Culture Center. I’m going by today to pick up the pictures. I think I will hang some up on my own walls to treat my guests to something else then white walls.
A really nice mid page have been printed in Dagbladet Arbejderen, with the essay and 4 of the pictures. The written part behind it served to be printed and I’m really happy with the result. This is my first written piece so it was a delight to see it in print. The next two article is being worked on. Pictures needs to be selected and the last things looked over, so There will be enough to look after in the last few days.
Returning Home is to be found here ‘Returning Home‘. I would be grateful for comments on it as I have spend a lot of time getting it done.
On another note I’m in between jobs right now. Meaning that I have stopped my previus job and is soon to start on another that will bring my hours down a good portion, so I will have even more time doing my photography. This will result in less new cloth and expensive food and more of what I need to focus on. I’m confidant that this is the right thing for me right now. I picked a job that was really easy to find, within my educated field that is working as a chef in a kitchen. I promise to give you the full story on a future post about how a chef gets into photography.
The picture above is from last weeks riot in Copenhagen. Teargas fills the street.
Published on November 6, 2008 4:15 am.
Filed under: Photography Tags: chef, education, essay, print, refugee, verdens kultur centeret
So Saturday I went up to the demonstration that I’ve talked about earlier. The activists that joined up, tried to cut open the fence that surrounds the camp to set focus on the problematics on this issue. Asylum seekers that spend a lot of time in the camps and the refused that are to return to unscented futures were but some of the headlines of the day. A thousand activists gathers at a train station three kilometers away. The first part was peace full, walking trough the forest roads, very little police in sight and the normal screaming and shouting.. No big deal.
When we arrived at the asylum center, an iron ring of police, police cars and trucks, and barricades that were placed in front of the center were present. When I say we, I mean the activists and us photographer. Everyone knew that there would be a big police presence. The activists had written online what they planned on doing, so everyone were ready. This seams to be the style these days; giving everyone a notice in advance.
It was a great day, not only a good photo opportunity but also a cause I feel like following for a while on. This is some of the pictures I got from this bout.
Published on October 27, 2008 2:09 am.
Filed under: Photography Tags: activist, demonstration, police, refugee, teargas
While doing some late night photo editing I stumbled over this very busy picture. Its must be the charm in the homemade look that smears my eyes. Nothing much more to say about this.
On another note, I just learned today that there will be some action going on at the ‘Sandholmlejeren‘ that I mentioned below in my abundance post. A group of activists will try and cut the fence and make some trouble, in favor of the refugees inside of cause. I’ll will be there all day with my camera ready for some nice shots. Knowing the police here they will be taking no chances, and this reminds me that I need to get a new holder for my press pass so I wont get into trouble myself. This all goes down on Saturday.
Published on October 21, 2008 2:08 am.
Filed under: Photography Tags: activist, police, refugee
Today I went to two different events. One was more of an event then the other, but never the less it made me see two different definitions of the word “abundant“. We started out in the suburbs of Copenhagen at a dog show hosted by a Danish dog magazine. It was vendors selling biscuits, collars, dog couches and handbags with dog motives. In the center there where a stage with dogs being judged and what ever else you would expect. After that we headed out to a Red Cross refugee camp north of Denmark, ‘Sandholmlejeren‘. Every Sunday for the past year a group of elderly Danes have been demonstrating outside because of the poor conditions of especially the children in the camp.
Both show just how much wealth we have here, both monetary and humanitarian. While some spend all their free time grooming pets, others work towards improving the living conditions of refugees in Denmark. At the dog show we got handed a flier from a dog dentist, at the camp we got lyrics to a song that was to be sung at the end of the demonstration.
Here is 4 collages that puts everything together.
Published on October 19, 2008 8:22 pm.
Filed under: Photography Tags: demonstration, dog show, refugee
