Photo assignment. Rehearsals and shows, the Dakini, in 2012. The show was a dynamic and captivating fusion of cutting edge circus, acrobatics, break dance, martial arts, puppetry and theatre that brought to life traditional Nepali storytelling. 

Circus Kathmandu - Empowering change

In 2010 thirteen young Nepalese people who had been rescued from trafficking and the streets turned to contemporary circus to build their self-esteem and to chart a path out of stigmatism and poverty.

Circus Kathmandu model creates real life, inspiring success stories, helping young people to take control of their own lives and to also become human rights advocates. 

Acts

Circus Kathmandu is Nepal’s first and only contemporary circus company. They provide a distinct fusion of circus, theatre, dance and cutting edge art forms to create an exciting and modern form of entertainment. They offer full shows, ensemble acts and individual acts.

Their original, beautiful and spectacular work is all choreographed to an exceptional standard and presents some of Nepal’s greatest talent.

Photo assignment.

Radhako 

Radha Shrestha was seriously burned when a gas bottle exploded at her home, killing her mother and leaving her seriously injured. Facing severe adversity and ostracism after the accident, she decided to use her amazing strength to help burn victim survivors, adults or children.

She organizes workshops to give skills to women who suffered accidental or intentional burns. Together they create different ornemental products they sell at Kathmandu's Xmas markets. In addition, Radha makes delicious jams and pickles, which she sells along with the women's products every Saturday morning at Le Sherpa Farmer's Market, in Kathmandu.

Radha visits the Kanti Hospital (Children's hospital) on a regular basis to offer burnt children baskets filled with hygienic tools, toys and biscuits. She collaborated several times with Sylvain le magicien to organize magic shows in the burn victims ward of the hospital.

Sometimes, death strikes and takes children away, leaving parents in despair.

Photo assignments. Photography workshops during students vacation. Photography classes with Year 12, as a preparation for their Mass Media final school exam.

The NAG, Nawa Asha Griha, Home of New Hopes, is a home for street children, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

In the beginning

In 1992 Nicole Thakuri-Wick visited Nepal for the first time, she was 23 and wanted to help street children have a better quality of life. After working for a short time as a volunteer, she decided to start „Nawa Asha Griha“ (NAG). This was established in Sept.1993 with the help of Swiss donations and “Les enfants du Nepal” (France) who continue  to support NAG to the present day. Nicole started with 6 children in a rented room, and this has now expanded to become  the present day NAG.

Now with 200 boys and girls aged 1 to 20 years the home has become a thriving community. Up to 150 children from the slums are transported by the NAG bus to attend the NAG school, which is recognised by the state, on a daily basis. They also receive a nourishing lunch with the NAGers. 

Despite NAG’s growth over the years, the home still possesses a family atmosphere. The strong help the weak and the older children help look after the younger ones. A duty plan adds to the daily structures, e.g. washing dishes, sweeping the pathways, cleaning the grounds and common rooms. 

Furthermore, NAG supports an additional 350 children in various local government schools. 

Photo assignment for E&D communication tools. Photography workshop for the local staff.

Enfants & Développement intervene in Nepal since 2001 via the Vocational Training Project, and Reintegration of Street Children. Then they expanded their activities through the Family Support Project in 2004. In 2015, they started their new project Against Violence on Women. Through programs implemented in vulnerable neighbourhoods with their local partners, Enfants & Développement bring to the most vulnerable families in the Kathmandu valley practical assistance to access more autonomy.

Family support

Based on social workers identification of vulnerable families, this project aims to strengthen the capacity of the families to improve their living conditions. The social workers support the families through regular home monitoring, and guidance to the appropriate social services, according the identified problems.

Fight against violence on women

The project aims to reduce all forms of violence suffered by women Chepang into the Dhading District, one of the most disadvantaged and marginalized ethnic communities in Nepal. The activities aim at the empowerment of women by involving men, in behavioral change, awareness of young adolescents to gender issues, and improving protection mechanisms.

Vocational training

The project developed by Enfants & Développement and Voice of Children aims at empowering the most vulnerable uneducated or unemployed young people to enter the labour market.

Photo assignment for Image Ark (www.image-ark.com).

HIV-Prevention for the High Risk Group of Injecting Drug User  (Harm Reduction)

Objectives: The access of injecting drug users to high quality substitutional programmes, and HIV services is improved

Project partner: Ministry of Health and Population

Visual Project Manager: Concept of the exhibition, creation of the communication tools, setting up of the exhibition in each location. Photo of the exhibitions and workshops.

Radiant Women is a photographic journey presented by Planete Enfants and the photographer Natalie de Oliveira. The exhibition aims at raising awareness on exploitation and human trafficking in Nepal. It displays emblematic cases of women who once faced trafficking and exploitation, it highlights how it affected their lives and their families and it shares stories of activists combating trafficking. This body of work attempts to illustrate the reality of this disturbing phenomenon. It showcases defenders and local organizations protecting human trafficking survivors and advocates for changes in the Nepalese society. These portraits and testimonies also reflect the duty to acknowledge and remember the sufferings of women who managed to survive terrible ordeals and take control of their lives.

This exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the French NGO Planète Enfants, its local partners and Natalie de Oliveira who began documenting cases of human trafficking and exploitation in Nepal in 2011. Over the years, she noted significant changes on the women she has been photographing; from shy and reserved they became confident and radiant. The metamorphosis is mainly due to the different steps of empowerment programs designed by Planète Enfants and its partners – Shakti Samuha, SAATHI and Cap Nepal – to support survivors. It starts with alphabetization groups -in a country where most women are denied education- and it continues through different income generating projects to help them gain autonomy, and women protection committees to support them lodging a complaint or obtaining a divorce in case of domestic violence.
In today’s Nepal, women and girls are still vulnerable and discriminated, especially in rural areas or within the family circle. However, rehabilitation and empowerment programs largely contribute to (re)compose the image of survivors, and support them finding their new place in the evolving society: confident and outgoing, unrestrained and radiant.

About the photographer
Human rights specialist for more than 15 years, Natalie de Oliveira uses arts, media and new technologies to explore new avenues to advocate for human rights, and captivate a large audience. Photography is one of them.https://nataliedo.wordpress.com/2014/07/20/the-worth-of-women-the-anti- trafficking-project-

About Planète Enfants
Planète Enfants is a French non-governmental organization founded 23 years ago and established in Nepal in 1997. Its primary mission is to protect children and women against trafficking, exploitation and violence through comprehensive and holistic support (education, information, income generating activities, support to survivors to access justice, etc.)