Working by natural light in a small studio, a Chinese calligrapher practices his traditional craft. A slower, more considered pace of life is found in the rural town of Shaxi, which rarely appears on tourists' itineraries.  The calligrapher hand-paints signs for birthday celebrations, weddings and festivals. His studio is as quiet as a temple sanctuary and the calligrapher works with a meditative deliverance, applying brush strokes with careful precision.

Demonstrations, street protests and political unrest in Thailand

A major, 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal at mid-day on Saturday, 29th April, 2015. Many houses, buildings and temples in the capital city of Kathmandu and across the country were destroyed, leaving nearly 9,000 dead and 22,000 injured. Emergency services and NGO Rescue Teams attempted to clear debris and rescue survivors. Regular aftershocks hampered initial recovery efforts and much of the recovery effort was done by hand. The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, which swamped Base Camps, killing 21. A huge landslide in the Langtang Valley completely destroyed homes and trekking lodges, leaving 250 people missing, presumed dead. Casualty numbers were minimised as the earthquake struck at midday on Saturday when schools were closed and many people were outside. Many thousands of homes were destroyed, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless and internally displaced. Temporary camps provided shelter for many of the homeless but slow delivery of relief funds, hampered by political disruption, has slowed the rebuilding efforts, leaving many in vulnerable circumstances.

Baak and Batjarjral Tulga are Mongolian nomads. The two brothers have travelled on the Steppe all their lives. Together with their wives, children and grandchildren, they move their traditional Mongolian ger tents four or five times each year, seeking out new pastures. The family spends much of their time tending to their livestock. Horses, goats, sheep and chickens all provide food and a source of income. They still travel on horseback and all are adept at riding but will use motorbikes when carrying goods into town for sale. The nomadic families live an uncomplicated life, close to nature and in harmony with the animals, which are a significant part of their lives.

The Social Development Division of the UN ESCAP agency works to promote the rights of vulnerable social groups, such as the poor, persons with disabilities, the elderly, young people, persons affected by AIDS and HIV, women and migrants. This assignment produced images which are empowering but which also convey the problematic issues of development work in the region.

Bangladesh's capital city, Dhaka, is the most densely populated city in the world yet remains one of the poorest. NGOs Splash and BRAC have formed a partnership which is providing clean water and hygiene solutions in urban areas with a particular focus on schools in slum neighbourhoods.

Seven year-old Lubina was badly injured during the 2015 earthquake and required expert medical attention.

Images from a personal project documenting railways and passengers

The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) is a Canadian NGO addressing the need for safe drinking water and sanitation. This assignment in a rural community in eastern Nepal documents the process of building biosand filters and illustrates their use in the local community.