Combatting Plastic Pollution:
UNOPS - Plastic in Rivers & Oceans
Locations: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan
The Challenge
Plastic pollution is a transboundary crisis that threatens the health of South Asia’s rivers and the vast ecosystems of the Indian Ocean. For the PLEASE (Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia) project—implemented by UNOPS and SACEP with World Bank support—the challenge was to visualise a complex regional strategy aimed at transitioning toward a circular economy. Spanning Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan, the assignment required documenting diverse interventions, from high-level policy shifts and innovation grants to community-led waste management, all while capturing the common thread of environmental urgency.
The Approach
To document this four-nation initiative, I focused on the lifecycle of plastic and the innovative human solutions designed to intercept it. In the mountainous terrains of Bhutan and Nepal, the photography highlighted the logistical challenges of waste management in remote regions. In the sprawling urban and riverine landscapes of Bangladesh and Pakistan, I captured the scale of the plastic burden and the resilience of the communities implementing new circular models. I utilised a cinematic, documentary style to elevate the subject matter, using natural light to find beauty in the grit of recycling plants. By blending wide-scale environmental shots with intimate portraits of "innovation grantees" and local workers, I created a narrative that moved from the systemic problem to the tangible, human-scale solution.
The Impact
The resulting visual library serves as a critical evidence base for UNOPS and its regional partners. These assets have been used to showcase the success of the PLEASE project’s first call for proposals, illustrating how regional cooperation translates into local action. By humanising the "circular economy," the imagery provides a powerful advocacy tool for international donors and policymakers, proving that a plastic-free future for South Asia is not just a policy goal, but a visible, growing reality.
Photography Gallery
