I’m really enjoying spending time rummaging through my image archive for this new website update. As a Malaysia based photojournalist I am always deeply interested in covering humanitarian work around the world. In 2008 I was in China when a massive earthquake struck the Sichuan region of the country. The quake measured 7.9 in the richter scale and levelled towns and cities in an instant. My agency at the time, Polaris Images, assigned me to shoot a reportage story about the work of The Veolia Waterforce team. I joined the team for several days near the town of Wei Schuan as they were constructing an emergency clean water supply for the town’s population.
Veolia Water’s humanitarian crisis response team, Waterforce, was created in 1998, prompted by Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua and the flooding of the Yangtze River in China. The Veolia foundation’s role is to provide drinking water as quickly as possible to affected populations during major disasters. These emergency intervention operations rely on a network of volunteers among the Group’s staff.Cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis.
These are all disasters that are terrifying at the time, with visible longterm consequences. Vulnerable infrastructure includes drinking water production and distribution facilities, which are often damaged or even totally destroyed. Drinking water is a vital priority to avoid epidemics in the days following a disaster. This is why twenty years ago Veolia set up an emergency task force charged with supplying drinking water to affected populations until the infrastructure is back in service.
In 2008 the Sichuan area in China was devastated by a massive earthquake. As such, Veolia Waterforce were tasked with helping areas cut off from their fresh water supply regain access to fresh water once again. In less than 24 hours Veolia can set up temporary clean water stations almost anywhere.
“These volunteers are part of a network of 500 Veolia employees who have expressed the desire to use their skills in the service of humanitarian causes. They are trained in crisis situations and are ready to leave within 24 hours, in difficult contexts if the situation demands it. I admire these volunteers who go straight back to their job in the company after three weeks on the ground giving 200% of their energy, using their skills to help impacted populations also recharges their batteries!”
- Damien Machuel, Project Manager at the Veolia foundation.
Scroll down for my photoessay with Veolia Waterforce in China.