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Born in a small village in Maungdaw, northern Rakhine State, Myanmar, Omar Salma has been a living in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh since 2017. In 2018, a turning point arrived when she earned a full scholarship to the Asian University for Women (AUW).

 

‘This isn’t just my achievement; it’s a source of pride for my family and my hometown,’ —she says.

 

Omar recently completed her BSc in Public Health from AUW and has been actively volunteering with organisations like WFP, BDRCS, and most recently, UNHCR, all within the Cox’s Bazar Rohingya refugee camp. She currently serves as a research assistant and translator for various projects in the camp.

 

For Omar, photography is more than just a hobby; it’s her lifeline to an often-overlooked world. ‘Through my camera, I capture more than images; I capture the essence of my community, the stories, the struggles, the resilience,’ —she explains.

 

Each photograph she takes is a testament to her commitment to spotlight the harsh realities her community faces. ‘I don’t just engage in photography; I’m consumed by it. It’s my way of giving a voice to the voiceless, of being a beacon of hope in a sea of despair, and of fighting against the shocking injustices I’ve witnessed,’ —she strongly declares.