In May 2012, the Thapathali slum in Kathmandu was totally destroyed by the Nepalese Government, leaving hundreds of children and adults in despair on the banks of the Bagmati River. In one day, five bulldozers, sent by the Department of Urban Development, tore down over 250 houses, including a nursery school. The settlement was inhabited by over 1,200 people called the "Sukumbasi", the landless of Nepal. Most of them sought no compensation and had no choice other than to stay in the same area, living under tarpaulins delivered by an NGO. One year later, the situation of most of the families remains unchanged and other slums in Kathmandu are threatened with destruction.
Before getting into photography, Didier worked for many years with refugees, homeless and victims of trauma. His professional path, as an anthropologist and a psychologist, led him to conduct researches in the Himalayan regions where he decided to remain. Since 2009, he lives in Nepal and acts as volunteer within a local group to bring support to landless families living on the margins of Nepalese society. His immersion in the slums, the dumps and the nomadic camps made him choose to dedicate himself to photography and in particular to long-term documentaries, with a focus on social issues that remain little-known. After having documented the daily life of an itinerant group, he spent most of the year 2015 among remote families affected by the Nepal earthquake.
Awards PX3 - Prix de la photographie Paris 2014
2nd prize. Portraiture Family
3rd prize. Portraiture Culture
3rd prize. Portraiture Culture
3rd prize. Portraiture Children
3rd prize. Portraiture Children
3rd prize. Portraiture Family
3rd prize. Portraiture Other
Les Photographies de l'Année 2014
2nd place. Humanist Category
PX3 - Prix de la photographie Paris 2013
People's Choice
1st prize. Feature Story Category
1st prize. General News Category
1st prize. Children Category
3rd prize. Portraiture Category
3rd prize. Feature Story Category
Les Photographies de l'Année 2013
2nd place. Humanist Category
3rd place. Portrait Category
IPA - International Photography Awards 2013
3rd place. Country Pick
