Humanitarian Photojournalist Journey to Nepal

I am Connie Frisbee Houde, a humanitarian photojournalist who has been asked to document the work of the Inner Ocean Empowerment Project's 2022 journey to Nepal. Its mission is to heal trauma, restore health and build resilience by bringing integrative healthcare and education to places in most need. Combining Western and Eastern styles of medicine, Inner Ocean utilizes volunteer health care providers, donated supplies and financial support from generous donors. We will be heading to remote areas of Nepal ravaged by the earthquake a few years ago. Inner Ocean has been working in the same community in Nepal since 2013. They train and certify locals in basic healthcare and equip them with their own medical supplies, so they are not dependent on others. They stock eight different village clinics with medical supplies each year and sometimes twice each year.

I am looking to raise funds to help with supplies and assist with my expenses for the trip. I wish to encourage people to donate directly to Inner Ocean https://www.inneroceanempowermentproject.org/donate/medical materials or to support this campaign to raise $2000 toward my equipment and expenses. As we will be in remote areas without electricity, I need to have enough batteries and memory cards to run my cameras and save images. One battery costs $80, and memory cards range from $50 to $150, depending on size and quality.

Some of you may be familiar with the travel documentation I have done in the past. I have worked to document the work of a particular organization and the culture of the area where I travel. When I return, I share my images and experiences through photographic exhibitions and illustrated presentations to various groups.

When I have traveled previously, I have been fortunate to have my husband at home to maintain our home and our cats. This last year has been challenging as my husband is now in a nursing home. With this life change, my expenses have increased. I need to pay for the care of my cats and house plants at $30 per day.

I will send a print from the trip as a thank you to individuals who donate to this project.