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In an environment rife with uncertainty and limited access to formal education, photography has emerged as our voice and purpose. More than just a publication, our project is a powerful platform for visual storytelling, offering a glimpse into our community's life in the refugee camps through the eyes of Rohingya youth. As a testament to the transformative power of photography, Rohingyatographer gives a voice to the stateless. We enable self-representation and foster understanding, preserving the collective memory of the Rohingya refugee community. In this act of creation, each photograph is not just an image but a powerful statement of identity and self-assertion.

Rohingyatographer has evolved into a vital resource for those interested in the Rohingya experience, community-led documentary photography, visual anthropology, human rights, and refugee studies.

Our journey began with a virtual exhibition, supported by the Spanish Cooperation Agency in collaboration with Casa Asia in Barcelona. This initiative captured the attention of UNHCR, leading to their backing of our second issue. We achieved a milestone with our third issue, which is entirely crowdfunded on GoFundMe. Our publications delve into a range of themes including identity, resilience against natural elements, food, creativity, and human rights. A highlight of our journey is Unseen Courage, the first monograph by Rohingya female photographers, supported by SEA Junction and unveiled at the Asian University for Women. In 2024, we supported the Rohingya historian Aman Ullah in publishing A History of Rohingyas to 1948. Ahtaram Shin and Ishrat Bibi presented their curatorial projects at the Photovoice Conference Aiming for Impact organised by Photovoice Worldwide in October 2024. Rohingyatographer is a member of Alliance Against Genocide.

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MISSION STATEMENT

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Rohingyatographer is dedicated to empowering the Rohingya community through photography, providing a platform for self-representation and storytelling. Our mission is to foster global understanding and empathy for the Rohingya crisis, preserve collective memory, and advocate for human rights and dignity. By empowering Rohingya individuals to document their own narratives, we aim to challenge perceptions, inspire change, and contribute to a world where art acts as a powerful catalyst for social justice. These are our objectives:

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• Enhancing creativity: Developing storytelling and content production skills among the team members, strengthening Rohingyatographer as a Rohingya-led content creation platform.

• Preserving cultural identity: Engaging Rohingya youth in preserving their own identity, history, cultural heritage, and collective memory.

• Facilitating education: Producing educational assets that can be utilized by Rohingya individuals engaged in teaching and learning within their own community.

• Empowering livelihoods: Supporting practice-based learning, self-expression, and skills development as livelihood and income opportunities for talented Rohingya youth.

• Advocacy and visibility: Using project assets to raise visibility for the Rohingya community and support advocacy efforts for their hope to return home.

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ENGAGEMENT & COLLABORATIONS

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Beyond publications and exhibitions, Rohingyatographer offers a range of services, including ​photography and videography, stringer support, research, translation and transcription as well as workshops. We welcome assignments, collaborative proposals, and media engagement opportunities. If you're interested in sharing authentic Rohingya stories, we invite you to connect with us. For more details about our collective, exhibitions, collaborations, and our presence in academic and global media, please explore the links below:

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