Show how water scarcity impacts daily life
in a powerful photo story.
The Marai Photo Grant is designed to inspire the passionate youth of South Asia to share impactful photo stories on important and urgent themes, through the mentorship of the international news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP).
© AFP / Shah Marai
The Marai Photo Grant 2026 is out!
This year's theme is: Water Scarcity
Find out the application details here.
Show how water scarcity impacts daily life in a powerful photo story.
The Marai Photo Grant is designed to inspire the passionate youth of South Asia to share impactful photo stories on important and urgent themes, through the mentorship of the international news agency, Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Information
- October 31, 2025
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The Marai Photo Grant 2026 is here! We are inviting participants from across South Asia — including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives, and Bhutan — to submit project proposals documenting how water scarcity has impacted their local communities. Applications will be open from November 17th until January 15th.
- June 18, 2025
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Take a look at messages from judges Ami and Aparupa congratulating this year's winners here.
- April 30, 2025
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The Marai Photo Grant 2025 winners are in! Discover their work and stories on the Winners page here.
- January 6, 2025
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Entries for the Marai Photo Grant 2025 have closed on January 6, 2025, 17:00 (Tokyo Time)
- December 13, 2024
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Entries for the Marai Photo Grant 2025 have been extended until January 6, 2025.
- November 15, 2024
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Marai Photo Grant 2025 is now open for entries until December 13, 2024.
- October 22, 2024
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In 2025, the Marai Photo Award will be relaunched as the Marai Photo Grant, inviting passionate young photographers from South Asia — including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, the Maldives, and Bhutan — to submit their photo project proposals and bring them to life with AFP's mentorship.
About the Marai Photo Grant
On April 30, 2018, Shah Marai, chief photographer of the AFP Kabul Bureau, was tragically killed in a suicide attack. Throughout his career, Shah Marai dedicated himself to showing the reality of life in Afghanistan in the midst of terror. To honour his legacy, AFP established the Marai Photo Award: My Afghanistan in 2019, supporting Afghan photographers and celebrating his work. Starting in 2025, the award became the Marai Photo Grant, which inspire and support young, passionate photographers from South Asia to share their vision through compelling photo stories. Winners receive grant funding and mentorship from AFP to help bring their projects to life.
If you would like to find out more about Shah Marai, please visit this blog.
Concept for the Marai Photo Grant: "My Reality. Now."
2026 Theme: Water Scarcity
"My Reality. Now." reflects Shah Marai's belief in capturing the often overlooked, human side of life in Afghanistan amidst the prevailing narratives of violence and tragedy. During his tenure, Marai championed the importance of showcasing these rarely reported aspects of daily life, believing that significant stories exist beyond the headlines.
To further honour his legacy, we invite young photographers from South Asia to submit proposals for photo stories that document their urgent realities. The Marai Photo Grant 2026 seeks project proposals focusing on how water scarcity impacts daily life and communities to raise awareness of this critical issue. Apply now and let your vision be seen and heard. We look forward to seeing your work.
Contact
If you have any inquiries, please contact us by e-mail here.