Robert McPherson

Photojournalist

www.mcphersonimages.com

Countercurrent

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Monkey`sÂ navigate through the...r grids in Thamel, Kathmandu.Â

Monkey`sÂ navigate through the cityÂ on power grids in Thamel, Kathmandu.Â

An overview over Kathmandu bef...ned off for eight hours a day.

An overview over Kathmandu before sunset shows small, fragmented rays of light in the windows. Restricted use of electricity in the city is evident. At summer time the electricity is turned off for eight hours a day.

A rare view, this butcher in K...rking late hours in his shop.Â

A rare view, this butcher in Kathmandu uses a simple lamp for working late hours in his shop.Â

The temperatures are high duri...o cool off on hot summer days.

The temperatures are high during summer. Dipesh Yale and his friends stays nearby a river to cool off on hot summer days.

The boys are pro fishers, usin...fish and conserves it at home.

The boys are pro fishers, using ropes and stones and an unique teqnuice to catch the fish. Dipesh' mom smokes the fish and conserves it at home.

Dipesh and a neighbour relaxin...ste delicious homecooked food.

Dipesh and a neighbour relaxing in his home a few metres from the river. Khimti is a small village and neighbours stop by during most nights to drink rice liquer and taste delicious homecooked food.

At Odd Hoftun Square, right ne...limited access to electricity.

At Odd Hoftun Square, right next to the Khimti 1 power plant, the lit football field allows the children to play soccer until late at night. Before the power plant came, there was no electricity in Khimti. Now the village has unlimited access to electricity.

Dipesh and the family has a st... Khimti sells music supplies.Â

Dipesh and the family has a stereo in their house, but it doesn't work and is now simply a decorating object.Â One of the few stores in Khimti sells music supplies.Â

Dipesh' mother and grandm...r than the rest of the family.

Dipesh' mother and grandmother enjoys watching soap operas in the middle of the day. Dipesh prefers bollywood movies, because he understands Indian better than the rest of the family.

Dipesh' father turns on t...hts in Khimti are pitch black.

Dipesh' father turns on the lamp at night. It is 7 pm, but the summer nights in Khimti are pitch black.

Bishnu KkadkaÂ (14)Â is the ol... get maximum use of the light.

Bishnu KkadkaÂ (14)Â is the oldest child in the familyÂ and bears a lot of responsibilty when it comes to house chores. The family gets up at 5 am to start the work day to get maximum use of the light.

Mother Maiya KhadkaÂ is silent... she didn't get herself.Â

Mother Maiya KhadkaÂ is silent. She spends most of the dayÂ with their animals and looking after them. She works barefoot in their arables. She says she wishes an education for her children, that she didn't get herself.Â

Homework is performedÂ by the ...ar away to access electricity.

Homework is performedÂ by the window where there is natural light for the Khadka family.Â On the other side of the river she can seeÂ houses lit when it gets darker, but even though their house is only a few kilometres from Kirne Bazar in Khimti, they have been told it is too far away to access electricity.

From the top of their house Bi...f the riverÂ have electricity.

From the top of their house Bishny Khadka sees the Tama Koshi river, dividing their house from access to electricity.Â Her neighbours on the other side of the riverÂ have electricity.

The youngest daughter Any Khad...ttend the local public school.

The youngest daughter Any Khadka is working equally as hard as the others. Statkraft helped fund a private school in Khimti, but only the son in the house has the privilege of going there. The girls attend the local public school.

The power grid is useful as a ...ore hay for the Khadka family.

The power grid is useful as a place to store hay for the Khadka family.

Barefoot and in a traditional ...ght disappears around 7.30 pm.

Barefoot and in a traditional costume, Maiya the mother of the Khadka familyÂ works twelve hours straight in the heat, with hardly any breaks. When the father in the house comes home from work, the family eat a small meal together and go to bed as the light disappears around 7.30 pm.

A kersone lamp is of good use ...upper to her family at night.Â

A kersone lamp is of good use when Any Khadka Â is cooking supper to her family at night.Â

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Thumbnail of Monkey`sÂ navigate through the _er grids in Thamel, Kathmandu.Â

Thumbnail of An overview over Kathmandu befo_rned off for eight hours a day.

Thumbnail of A rare view, this butcher in Ka_orking late hours in his shop.Â

Thumbnail of The temperatures are high durin_to cool off on hot summer days.

Thumbnail of The boys are pro fishers, using_ fish and conserves it at home.

Thumbnail of Dipesh and a neighbour relaxing_aste delicious homecooked food.

Thumbnail of At Odd Hoftun Square, right nex_nlimited access to electricity.

Thumbnail of Dipesh and the family has a ste_n Khimti sells music supplies.Â

Thumbnail of Dipesh' mother and grandmo_er than the rest of the family.

Thumbnail of Dipesh' father turns on th_ghts in Khimti are pitch black.

Thumbnail of Bishnu KkadkaÂ (14)Â is the old_o get maximum use of the light.

Thumbnail of Mother Maiya KhadkaÂ is silent._t she didn't get herself.Â

Thumbnail of Homework is performedÂ by the w_far away to access electricity.

Thumbnail of From the top of their house Bis_of the riverÂ have electricity.

Thumbnail of The youngest daughter Any Khadk_attend the local public school.

Thumbnail of The power grid is useful as a p_tore hay for the Khadka family.

Thumbnail of Barefoot and in a traditional c_ight disappears around 7.30 pm.

Thumbnail of A kersone lamp is of good use w_supper to her family at night.Â

Public Project

Countercurrent

Copyright Robert McPherson 2024

Updated Jul 2016

Location Nepal

Topics Documentary, Editorial, Energy, Environmental, Nepal, Photography, Photojournalism

Nepal is the second richest country in water resource but they still meet challenges with building hydropower. Everyday electric current goes off for hours and people are compelled to live in the darkness. Norway is one of the countries who have earned a lot of money on building hydropower in Nepal, but the country itself still remains poor and undeveloped. After the earthquakes that struck Nepal in 2015 the situation is even worse.

Robert McPherson / Femunden

Mar 7, 2015

Project

Earthquake Aftermath

Robert McPherson / Nepal

May 1, 2015

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