Photos |‘I’m here 24/7’: Rohingya youths share their stories on social media
Mohammad Rafiq, 19-year-old budding photographer, who fled to Bangladesh in August 2017 after a military crackdown in Myanmar, uses his mobile phone to record the daily lives of nearly one million stateless Rohingya in a vast camp in southern Bangladesh. Rafiq is among some 30 Rohingya youths selected by the World Food Programme for its "Storytellers" project.
1/7
World Food Programme (WFP) official Gemma Snowdon (L) coaches Rohingya youth Mohammad Rafiq on methods to take better photos with his mobile phone at the Kutupalong refugee camp. The 19-year-old budding photographer, who fled to Bangladesh in August 2017 after a military crackdown in Myanmar, uses his mobile phone to record the daily lives of nearly one million stateless Rohingya in a vast camp in southern Bangladesh. (Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
2/7
When Mohammad Rafiq spotted two Rohingya refugee girls dusting their faces with circles of traditional thanaka powder under the warm morning light, he quickly took out his smartphone to capture the moment. “I loved the photo instantly as it reflects our culture and the innocence of the little girls who barely want to remember the crisis we are facing,” Rafiq said. (Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
3/7
Rafiq is among some 30 Rohingya youths selected by the World Food Programme for its “Storytellers” project. For two weeks, they are taught smartphone photo and video-shooting techniques -- such as understanding light, exposure and angles -- as well as writing skills. The refugees then share their stories directly with the public through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with audiences around the world posting comments and asking questions. (Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
4/7
“The idea behind it is to be able to hand back the narrative to the people that we are already assisting,” WFP spokeswoman Gemma Snowdon said. The Storytellers Page on Facebook has more than 30,000 followers and includes similar schemes rolled out in Chad and Uganda. All the Rohingya posters have a similar goal -- to share with the outside world the raw, emotional ups and downs they face living in the world’s largest refugee camp. (Munir UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
5/7