TITLE: Thirst for plainness

Thousands of people are trapped in areas controlled by vicious gangs, which are funded and armed by Haitian oligarchs in Port-au-Prince. Not in Jalousi, the hillside slum has been liberated by police since 2019. Jalousie has been a target neighborhood for earthquake camp depopulation with no access to running water, no sewage, no power systems. The sewage flows in open canals where houses are linked by narrow stairways and alleys. Women and children going up and down stairs to find water with plastic buckets on their heads. And the waste is dumped in open sites in the shantytown. It is the centre of deadly cholera outbreaks when heavy storms flood and become a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes. But the estimated 80,000 residents having an undeniable thirst for plainness and for life. They set up beauty salons, laugh and play amongst piles of plastic rubbish. One can find dignity, hope and a sense of community.

AUTHOR: Philipp Schmieja (Germany)

Self-taught photographer and passionate traveler. I discovered my passion for photography during traveling African countries. I had developed a fascination for tribes. This has been underpinned by my passion for photography. Tribal people are those who have unique customs. They often have a symbiotic bond with the environments in which they live. I am using photography as a medium to capture candid moments as well as community spirit and portraits. And in that moment, through my lens, I am seeking to portray the soul of the places by blending intimate people photography with striking imagery of cultural heritage.