THAT’S WHY I AM A PHOTOGRAPHER
July 2020
by: Muhammed Muheisen
I often get asked about my biggest achievements. Is it your Pulitzer prizes? Is it your experience travelling the world? Is it becoming a National Geographic photographer? And other similar questions.
Being a two-time Pulitzer prize-winner and a world-renowned photographer gives me global credibility which makes it easier for me to approach decision-makers and people who can make a difference as well, the voice of my photographs becomes louder and the reach becomes wider.
To answer your question, my biggest achievement in life is establishing the Dutch non-profit organization Everyday Refugees Foundation where through photography we manage to document, educate, help and empower refugees, local communities and internally displaced people by conflicts, poverty, discrimination and natural disasters in different parts of the world.
I’m a photographer not only to enjoy being a photographer; I’m a photographer simply to make a difference. That is what I signed up for from the beginning. Pictures are very powerful tools for change – that’s something I deeply believe in.
In 2015, thousands and thousands of people fled their war-torn countries and made their way to Europe in search for a new, safe place, I was there to witness and document it. I stood in Hungary, watching thousands of refugees making their way along a railway track, I decided it was no longer enough for me to only document their experiences, I wanted to do something about it.
I created an Instagram account called Everyday Refugees and started sharing what I witnessed. There is no better way to tell a story than with pictures. You witness something and put it out there for people to react to, to do something about. Pictures can change stereotypes and spread awareness. With the existence of social media, you have a very powerful tool that, in seconds, can reach millions of people. People from around the world started to contact me and ask: ‘What can we do to help?’.
A year and a half later, I registered Everyday Refugees as a foundation in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and it continues to receive donations. So far, we have helped thousands of people around the world – through photography. My biggest achievement in life is creating a foundation that makes a difference.
