In October I traveled to the Sahrawi refugee camps in western Algeria on a fellowship with the International Women’s Media Foundation. This was a follow-up trip to our visit to Western Sahara in May. The IWMF asked me to produce a photo essay from the trip, which can be seen here. I will produce a video from the trip for The Washington Post sometime soon as well.
The five Sahrawi refugee camps are located in a remote stretch of the Sahara Desert. The land is arid, dusty, dry and seemingly uninhabitable. But many of these refugees have lived there for almost 40 years since some of them fled Western Sahara during the armed conflict there with Morocco. Morocco now occupies and controls Western Sahara. Nearly all the food the Sahrawis consume comes from aid organizations managed by Red Crescent.
While we were there in the most remote camp, Dakhla, the FiSahara Film Festival was taking place. The festival is held by a Spanish group that turns the desolate desert into a space for film screenings. They also hold workshops to teach Sahrawi activists how to use filmmaking to further their cause, among other things.
It was an eye-opening week. I’ve never seen any place like it. And the passion and resolve these people maintain in the fight for an independent Western Sahara is unfettered. I look forward to sharing more when I complete my video story.
everymansanangel liked this
thejamalthings liked this
medossalemos liked this
en-eh reblogged this from whitneyshefte
freelance-anthem liked this whitneyshefte posted this