Ulan Bator Ger Community Photo Studio
© Laura Liverani
Ger districts are shantytowns surrounding the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar. More than half of Ulaanbaatar residents, i.e a quarter of the whole population in the country, live in ger areas. In the past years an increasing number of Mongolians abandoned their nomadic lifestyle in the countryside to live in the city, in search for better opportunities. Most migrants have settled in gers, the traditional portable homes of nomadic families, in the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar.
In ger districts basic infrastructure, such as running water, sewage and heating systems, is insufficient. Poverty, unemployment and alcoholism rates are high. In the winter, when temperatures fall well below zero, home coal burning makes the environment unhealthy, turning Ulaanbaatar into one of the most polluted cities in the world. Environmental, economic and social issues in ger areas have been addressed - and partly tackled - by local residents and government,
as well as non governmental institutions, including international and local cooperation organizations.
The main objective of this photo essay is to meet the people behind the statistics, and to hear the stories of the women, men and children who live, work, study, play, love and hope in the ger district community of Ulaanbaatar. My first idea was to set up a temporary photo studio, where ger residents would come and sit for a portrait while sharing their stories. This first concept then developed into something more collaborative: with the help of local youths, the project could become a collective self-portrait of a community. After liaising with Mongolian Youth Development Services Center, a local NGO active in youth development in Chingeltei, we involved a group of ger resident teens aged 12 to 16.
Laura Liverani is a documentary photographer based between East Asia and Europe. She holds an MA in Arts and Media at the University of Bologna and in Photography at the University of Westminster, London. She has also been involved in photography-related educational projects for arts centres, secondary institutions and universities for many years. To see Laura's work please visit www.lauraliverani.com
In ger districts basic infrastructure, such as running water, sewage and heating systems, is insufficient. Poverty, unemployment and alcoholism rates are high. In the winter, when temperatures fall well below zero, home coal burning makes the environment unhealthy, turning Ulaanbaatar into one of the most polluted cities in the world. Environmental, economic and social issues in ger areas have been addressed - and partly tackled - by local residents and government,
as well as non governmental institutions, including international and local cooperation organizations.
The main objective of this photo essay is to meet the people behind the statistics, and to hear the stories of the women, men and children who live, work, study, play, love and hope in the ger district community of Ulaanbaatar. My first idea was to set up a temporary photo studio, where ger residents would come and sit for a portrait while sharing their stories. This first concept then developed into something more collaborative: with the help of local youths, the project could become a collective self-portrait of a community. After liaising with Mongolian Youth Development Services Center, a local NGO active in youth development in Chingeltei, we involved a group of ger resident teens aged 12 to 16.
Laura Liverani is a documentary photographer based between East Asia and Europe. She holds an MA in Arts and Media at the University of Bologna and in Photography at the University of Westminster, London. She has also been involved in photography-related educational projects for arts centres, secondary institutions and universities for many years. To see Laura's work please visit www.lauraliverani.com
