Dorte Verner photographs and writes on development, including poverty reduction and climate. Dorte Verner is a photographer sensitive to social and environment issues and give voice to people who likely never would make it to the news.
Dorte Verner photographs and writes on development, including poverty reduction and climate. Dorte Verner is a photographer sensitive to social and environment issues and give voice to people who likely never would make it to the news.

The Wonder People

The Wonder People is a large series of photographs of children and adults caught in the global refugee crisis. Dorte Verner photographed refugees caught in 22 countries originating from Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kurdistan, Mali, Myanmar, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and more over the past three years. The photographs are a rare look into the life of “The Wonder People” around the globe. A series of 50 photographs will be exhibited at Photoworls Gallery from Jan. 19 to February 25 (see more on the Biography page).

The World's 66 million refugees are 66 million individuals, people. The global refugee crisis is a developing world crisis, with 90% of refugees living in developing or poor countries. Refugees are mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers before they are refugees. They wake up in the morning, wash themselves and their clothes, eat and cook, play and socialize with friends and family, and communicate with loved ones at home; and they miss and long to return back home to the place they were forced to leave. The wonder people are resilient despite hardship and adversity. They are people above all, including when forcibly displaced.

Syrian refugee child and man on a the beach in Lesbos, Greece, where they landed, are looking back over the sea to Turkey. Syrian refugee mother with her two children in the desert like area in Jordan and their UNHCR registration paper. Two Syrian refugee girls in Jordan. Afghani refugee boy watching the families drying clothes on the fence in the old airport in Athens, Greece. Afghani refugee child in the old airport in Athens, Greece Afghani refugees in Belgrade, Serbia are looking for a sidewalk to sleep on for the night. Refugee boy and a local dog in Belgrade, Serbia. Refugees camping in Athens airport in Greece. an early morning, Iraqi, Afghani, Syrian and Iranian refugees  are waking up on a square  in Belgrade, Serbia. Late evening, in a parking lot  Afghani refugees in a parking lot where they will spend the night in Belgrade, Serbia. many 100s of refugees camping in the old Athens airport in the old departure terminal in Greece Refugees in the hone charging area by the tents in the old Athens airport in the old departure terminal in Greece In greece, an Irani refugee pray  in the old Athens airport in the old departure terminal. Afghani and Syrian refugee children are playing In an old factory on Lesbos, Greece. Afghani refugee children in the make-shift camp are looking at the fence of the closed border crossing between the Hungarian and Serbian border in  Horgos Serbia. Afghani refugee girl is holding the racer-sharp wires of the fence to Hungary in her hand in the make-shift camp on the border crossing between the Hungarian and Serbian border in  Horgos, Serbia. Syrian refugee girl is standing by her "home" in an informal settlement in Jordan Valley, Jordan. Kurdish Syrian refugee child is leaving Lesbos on the ferry to Athens. Afghani, Iraqi and Iranian refugee children in the make-shift camp by the closed border crossing between the Hungarian and Serbian border in  Horgos ,Serbia. Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank African refugee in Kalobeyei refugee camp in Kenya. Dorte Verner/World Bank Informal refugee settlement in the dry desert area of Diffa, Niger
Dorte Verner/World Bank Nigerian refugees in Diffa, Niger. Dorte Verner/World Bank Refugee children 
South Sudan are having fun. They are enjoying the swings they have made out of discarded strings in the Kakuma refugee camp. With no money and no toy 
stores that have used their creativity and created their own jungle 

gym. 

Location: Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana county, Kenya Dorte Verner/World Bank Refugees from Congo swim in a little water hole close to the Nakivale refugee settlement in Isingiro district, South West
Uganda.  Dorte Verner/World Bank Syrian refugee dance in the makeshift camp in the square next to the train station in Belgrade, Serbia. Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank Dorte Verner/World Bank
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