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© Copyright Erika Degoute 2020 // terms and conditions

Journal
Volunteering for empowering women in Jodhpur, India: get ready for a journey to the bottom of your heart

March 22, 2020

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Abstract  /  Journal
Ghosts are made of light

March 6, 2019
A Self portrait of Erika Degoute Photographer in Sydney showing her looking intensely at a knot of light in a dark room in front of her

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Abstract  /  Journal
Turbulences

January 6, 2019
An abstract picture showing large diamond shapes using light painting technique with vivid mixed rainbow colors on a black background

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Foodie  /  Journal
Food matters

August 6, 2018

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Journal  /  Travel
Myanmar

April 14, 2018

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Journal
WOWmen!

February 6, 2018
WOWmen Project - Faith

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Journal  /  People
Vivid’s Top Picks in Sydney

December 6, 2017
A picture of a person smiling with sunlight on their face at Well Co Cafe Glebe Sydney

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Black and White  /  Journal
Newtown, Funky Town

November 13, 2017
Newtown Festival – Cabaret Sasquatch Performer

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Event  /  Journal
Bring it on, Open Bank Project Hackathon!

November 6, 2017
A man's hands playing with Rubik's Cube

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  • Latest Posts.

    • Volunteering for empowering women in Jodhpur, India: get ready for a journey to the bottom of your heart
    • Ghosts are made of light
    • Turbulences
    • Food matters
    • Myanmar
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    Yesterday, despite the threatened skies and Corona lurking around the corner, 20 to 25000 people gathered at Munich’s Königsplatz to protest against racism. To protest in this very place with thousands of people, where took place the many Nazi Party mass rallies during the 3rd Reich, was very a emotional and symbolic moment. While there is no comparison with the horrifying statistics in the United States, the German society is still pervaded by racism and the topic is quite taboo. When freshly arrived last year in Munich, while we were having diner with my family and my husband who originate from South India, we had sauces thrown at the window one day, then eggs another, with offenders shouting “Hi Hitler” as we came out to see what the hell was it about. We were all extremely shocked. Only then, it hit me that the seemingly safe, clean city was still stained  with racism. 
But like many people present at the protest, I am a white person who never had to directly experience racism and will never truly understand how it feels to be attacked, talked down, fear for my life or discriminated just because of my skin colour. However I am deeply outraged at the injustice and strongly stand beside my fellow brothers and sisters who have to endure it every day.  When we don’t know if we are even entitled to speak up and are uncomfortable with the topic as a white person, it might feel easier to close our eyes and stay silent, in the comfort of our little privileged bubble. Thankfully many of us want to be good allies and if you don’t know where to start, @photographerswithoutborders is conducting a free workshop on the 9th of June - check the link in their bio or directly register via bit.ly/PWBStorytelling 
We need to be all united in this 💕✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
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#blacklivesmatter #storytellingforchange #morethanphotographers #photographerswithoutborders #munich🇩🇪 #munich #münchen🇩🇪 #königplatz #documentaryphotography #saynotoracism #icantbreathe  #justiceforgeorgefloyd #georgefloyd #breonnataylor #justiceforbreonnataylor #whitesilenceisviolence #istandwithyou
    Behind the empowered women of @sambhalitrust, there is an amazing man fighting tirelessly for the benefit of others: Govind Rathore. Here, getting popular street food pani poori and joking with the girls from the nearby Sambhali training center. I was upstairs with the girls when I heard the truck bell and the commotion that followed, driven by the girls to get the tasty snacks. An explosion of joy and funny banter followed..that precious moment and eating pani puri myself really made my day.  Govind’s the most inspiring person I met this year, hands down. Equally right next to @thedanielledasilva - CEO and founder of @photographerswithoutborders, whose organisation had continuously supported the trust and hundreds of other NGOs through empowering people like you and me to be better storytellers for change. These two truly filled my faith in humanity to the brim and beyond. For that, I am forever grateful. 🙏 ☺️ I shall also mention that Danielle is currently hosting amazingly insightful talks featuring big names in the photography/storytelling space, on a « pay what you can » basis. Photographer friends, you should definitely check out the next upcoming sessions @photographerswithoutborders 📸
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#involvemeilearn #sambhali #morethanphotographers #pwbindia #photographerswithoutborders #photodocumentary #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #india #girlseducation #photographyforgood #sambhalitrust #lenscultureportrait #india #sharingiscaring #stayhomestaysafe #documentaryphotography #volunteering #dowhatyoucan #faithinhumanityrestored
    Pooja is making Bajra ki roti for diner, treating her guests first, the Sambhali volunteers Lea and Leanna, as per the legendary generosity of Indian hosts. Bajra rotis are made from ground millet flour. Made the traditional way, they are made thick with the palms and then slowly roast over cow dung cakes in a chulha (open cooking stove). It gives the roti a delicious smoked flavor. The women will always cook first for guests, then for the men, and lastly for themselves. At my in-laws, it’s always been a challenge to share a meal with my mother in law. This is the way it is, the women more than often placing the needs of others before their own. In a country where Food is the utmost testimony for love and care, I’ve often found myself eating more than I needed, to show reciprocity and affection. In these troubled times, it really hurts to know that so many families don’t have enough to eat. The Indian government is officially issuing a 1000 rupees (12 euros) allowance to people holders of a BPL card (below poverty line) only, which many outside of urban areas don’t have. While this is something, this is very difficult to effectively reach the millions of people who would need it. Then the work of local NGOs like @sambhalitrust becomes a lifeline. Thanks to this family run NGO who identified families at risk in their own community, more than 240 families are able to eat properly until the lockdown is lifted, hopefully, in May.
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#involvemeilearn #sambhali #morethanphotographers #pwbindia #photographerswithoutborders #photodocumentary #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #india #girlseducation #photographyforgood #sambhalitrust #lenscultureportrait #covid_19  #covidindia #india #sharingiscaring #stayhomestaysafe #documentaryphotography #volunteering #dowhatyoucan
    So we’re here in #Germany being asked to #stayhome, and for a lot of us here, the impact is no greater than some inconvenience, some savings burning down the drain and sometimes reliance on the strong social safety net this country as put into place. But my husband being Indian and having spent part of last month documenting women empowerment in Rural Rajasthan, I am particularly aware and horrified by the consequences of the #lockdown situation in #India. People are stressed to the point of starvation because of this especially in the poorest parts of the country. India has 176 million people living in extreme poverty, earning less than €1.5 a day. They have little to no savings, a very poor social security net, and families in rural India are having fewer and fewer meals. They are borrowing money and braving the threat of police violence in order to go out and work. It’s easy to feel far away and disconnected from their issues, and think that it won’t solve the underlying issues anyway. But really it does make a difference to support local NGOs that are working hard to support families in need, right now, this is what’s needed. I know Sambhali’s work personally and I know our donations will directly help people survive these hard times... please share and donate, even small amounts make a difference. Check out @sambhalitrust profile to see videos of their work and how it helps more than 240 families in the desert already. —> donate via link in bio .
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#photographerswithoutborders #morethanaphotographer #involvemeilearn #rajasthan #india #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #documentaryphotography #volunteering #girlseducation #girlseducationmatters #storytellingphotography #storytelling #photographyforgood #rippleeffect #powertothewomen #covidindia #covidindiasupport #fightcorona #morethanphotographers #photographerswithoutborders #sambhalitrust #lenscultureportrait
    Empowered women empower others. Muses and mothers, fairies and fighters.  All united like sisters 💞 ♀💞
When I visited @sambhalitrust with @photographerswithoutborders last month, I was struck by the strength of the sisterhood. If like me, you think that access to good education is key to many privileges in society that we take for granted - such as going through crisis like #Covid mostly unscathed- consider supporting @sambhalitrust. This local Jodhpur NGO is currently sponsoring around 100 girls to get the education that will support them and their families for a lifetime 🙏
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#involvemeilearn #sambhali #morethanphotographers #pwbindia #photographerswithoutborders #photodocumentary #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #india #girlseducation #photographyforgood #sambhalitrust #lenscultureportrait
    Everywhere, women of all ages and walks of life support each other wholeheartedly, in greatness and adversity. The radiance of the love and the obvious strength of the bond between these two made my heart melt. Grand-mother and grand-daughter, in the Thar desert of Rajasthan. And as #Covid is wrecking havoc millions of lives in India,  these troubled times teach me once again how privileged I am to not suffer in any consequential ways from this crisis. However i am glad I now know how to support our underprivileged mothers, sisters and their families as they go through this additional hardship - by donating to @sambhalitrust. Sambhali is stepping in to help feed 200 families in the Thar desert. It is 90rps (1 euro) to feed one family of 5 to 6 people in one day. Sambhali’s plan is to take care of them for a month and if lucky with resources then for two. 900rps (10 euros) can feed a family easily for ten days with 10kg wheat flour, 3 kg mixed lentils, 2lts cooking oil, 2kg rice, 2kg sugar, 1kg jaggery, half a kilo tea, salt, red chilli pepper, turmeric powder, coriander powder, soap for hand washing. —> The Best way to donate for this initiative at the moment is to donate from the link in my bio. 
Stay safe my friends, and I hope you are in a position where you can help others too 🥰
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#photographerswithoutborders #morethanaphotographer #involvemeilearn #rajasthan #india #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #documentaryphotography #volunteering #girlseducation #girlseducationmatters #storytellingphotography #storytelling #photographyforgood #rippleeffect #powertothewomen #covidindia #covidindiasupport #fightcorona #morethanphotographers #photographerswithoutborders #sambhalitrust #lenscultureportrait
    The work of @sambhalitrust in the desert city of Setrawa is multi-fold. But one important aspect is their presence in 3 primary government schools, to reach the children who can’t visit the official empowerment center. There, women volunteers teach English to small groups of children, especially ensuring that little girls have a lot of support and attention - which they often don’t get otherwise. In Rajasthan, the ratio of male/female teachers is 2:1, meaning that little girls often don’t have a female representation as a teacher. 
Additionally, the volunteers are also able to provide alternative learning materials and methods to the official curriculum, which the kids enjoy very much - keeping them motivated to attend school and learn :) —> support Sambhali Trust work at Sambhali-trust.org .
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#photographerswithoutborders #morethanaphotographer  #involvemeilearn #rajasthan #india #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #documentaryphotography #volunteering #girlseducation #girlseducationmatters #storytellingphotography #storytelling #photographyforgood #rippleeffect #powertothewomen #morethanphotographers #sambhalitrust
    Epiphany strikes a girl student in Lea’s classroom, as she teaches English in one of the 3 government schools part of @sambhalitrust education programs in the desert town of Setrawa, Rajasthan. Sambhali Trust has its own women and children empowerment centres but not all children can or are allowed to travel to those. Therefore Sambhali started to bring interactive and inclusive methods of teaching to uplift girl education in the schools themselves. In government schools, girls are also often ignored, teaching materials and supplies inexistant and lessons delivered in a dry style. Without the work Sambhali does, there is little chance for the girls and women of the desert to break the cycle of poverty and discrimination. 
I just spent the last 2,5 weeks documenting the work of @sambhalitrust volunteers in Jodphur and the surrounding Thar desert with @photographerswithoutborders and feels blessed to have witnessed the amazing work Sambhali does, and deeply saddened at the level of poverty and abuse so many women and girls are going through in the region. I will be sharing more stories and the work volunteers to support the organisation over the next few weeks. support Sambhali’s work by donating or volunteering your time 👉http://www.sambhali-trust.org
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#documentaryphotographer #documentaryphotography #involvemeilearn #womenempowerment #womenempoweringwomen #girlempowerment #girlseducation #photojournalist #photojournalism #genderequality #powertothewomen #morethanaphotographer #photographyforgood #storytellingphotography #storytelling #lenscultureportrait #sambhalitrust
    Only one day before meeting this wild female Asian elephant crossing our path in Kaziranga National Park in Assam state - we made another incredible encounter. Karthik and I had the privilege to randomly bump into documentary filmmaker Sangita Iyer at our DFO guesthouse. She told us about her fight to end the abusive treatment of domesticated Asian elephants - who are both revered and abused. if you haven’t yet, watch her award winning film « Gods in Shackles » and refuse to support tourist elephant rides or temples with elephants. The only way to love these gentle giant is to let them be free and preserve their natural habitat.
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#wwd #worldwildlifeday #olympusomd #olympusinspired

    @erikadegoute



© Copyright Erika Degoute 2020 // terms and conditions