Christian Bobst Photography

Uganda's first AIDS control program was set up in 1987 to educate the public about how to prevent HIV infection One of the first community-based organizations to be formed was TASO, the AIDS Support Organization, which was run by 16 volunteers who had been personally affected by HIV/AIDS. TASO developed into the largest indigenous AIDS service organization providing HIV/AIDS services in Uganda and Africa. This story was assigned by TASO during a photography workshop in Uganda's capital, Kampala. Year: 2018

A series of artistic impressions of my very first journey to Senegal in the year 2012, where I travelled to the coast of Dakar to the remote areas in the Sahel zone, which is called the Ferlo Desert. Year: 2012

To be able to practice Aquagym at a public beach, Ndiambé Samb, the founder of the Aquagym club "Les dauphins" in Dakar, first had to overcome quite a lot of resistance. In Senegal, 94% of the population is Muslim. Samb first had to convince the Islamic clergy in the neighborhood to allow Muslim men and women to exercise together in the water, which is absolutely not a matter of course even in Senegal, which is known for its tolerant view of Islam. At the aquagym club in the Ngor neighborhood of Dakar, coach Ndiambé and his teams repair heart and pulmonary patients, stroke victims, those suffering from nerve and back problems and more. In addition, the Dolphin School also offers classes for healthy people of all ages who simply want to keep fit. Word has spread about the school's sensational healing successes. Meanwhile, not only politicians and doctors, but even Islamic clerics and healers participate in the Aquagym activities. The association has about 650 members and receives 100 to 150 people every day. 60% are sent by their doctor. But despite the success, the club is not a commercial enterprise. The ten thousand CFA (aboout 18 Euros) that the association charges as membership fees must be paid only by members who can afford it. All trainers work on a voluntary basis, and the relatively high cost of materials is partly paid for by the public purse. In addition to the health benefits, the members of the club also value the many social relationships that are forged in his school. These, along with the salt water of the sea and the minerals of the volcanic rocks on the beach of Ngor, may also contribute much to the healing successes of the "Dolphins" association.

Two is one too much: in Senegal almost half of all wives share their husband with another woman. Polygamy drives many to despair, including men, but some women find it also liberating. The West-African state, where 95% of the population adheres to the Muslim faith, is considered a tolerant and cosmopolitan country. Nevertheless, the public discourse on polygamy is mostly a taboo topic. Although women who are engaged in a polygamous marriage do not live under the same roof with their husband and their competitors in most cases, disputes and marital dramas often occur, because women are exposed to enormous competitive pressure. They often get played off against each other by their husbands in their struggle for his favour. While Men are free to take several wives at any time, women have hardly any means to hinder the men to do so, nor can they get married to a second husband. For this reason, many women in Senegal often rely on two trusted strategies in order to fight back: being ultra-seductive or seeking the help of shamans. Year: 2019

The Simb is a Senegalese tradition also known as "Les Faux Lions" or "The False Lions". The captivating performances of the Simb are deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Senegal. It's a dance that has its origins in a legend. According to the legend, people who were attacked by a lion became possessed by the spirit of the beast. To exorcise the spirit of the lion, an exorcism ritual was performed in which shamans chanted an incantation that caused convulsive spasms in the possessed and forced them to dance until the spirit of the lion left the victim's body. This dance is called "Simb". Today, the Simb is not only a source of entertainment, but also a means of raising funds for various charitable causes. With its blend of entertainment, folklore, music and dance, the Simb embodies the rich traditions and community spirit of Senegal. During the festivities, the streets come alive as men dressed in intricate lion costumes, meticulously crafted to resemble the majestic big cats, take to the streets with tremendous energy and enthusiasm. As they charge forward, their regal manes flowing, they playfully interact with the spectators, especially the children. The "lions" roam the streets, chasing and catching children and dragging them into an arena made of cloth and sturdy poles. Spectators must purchase tickets to see the performance, as funds raised from ticket sales help support various charitable initiatives and community projects. Those caught by the lions without tickets are doused with cold water from a vat and theatrically beaten until someone takes pity on them and buys a ticket. The performance is accompanied by traditional rhythmic drumming and chanting, which puts the dancers in a trance-like state. The dancers develop breathtaking agility and strength as they perform acrobatic leaps and twisting dance moves. With each leap, spin and somersault, they blur the lines between reality and myth. In addition to its captivating performances, the Simb also serves as a vessel for the preservation and promotion of Senegalese folklore and cultural heritage. The dancers traditionally dress in lion and panther costumes made from pieces of fur, wigs, colourful fabrics and small shells, which are believed to have magical powers. As the Simb dance is based on an ancient shamanistic ritual, there are many elements related to elation and the supernatural, reflecting ancient traditions and beliefs passed down through generations. Many Senegalese saw the tradition of the false lions threatened to disappear a few years ago, but now the spectacle is becoming increasingly popular, especially among young people and children. In recent years, the Simb has gained international recognition, attracting tourists and cultural enthusiasts eager to immerse themselves in the vibrancy and authenticity of Senegal. The Simb is a testament to the power of tradition to unite people and transcend boundaries.

Ephraim Meister alias Effi Mer Delamaskis and Leon Schneider alias Klaudia are the punks among the Swiss drag queens. Both love provocation. While Klaudia plays the naive dummy, the art student Effi is an intellectual artist. The two met at the 2015 Heaven Drag Race, a "beauty" contest for Drag Queens in Zurich, Switzerland. Klaudia installed a toilet on stage during her playback performance for Jane County's song "Toilet Love" and threw chocolate mousse around her, Effi threw bandages soaked in red paint into the audience and performed Nina Hagen's song "Unbeschreiblich weiblich". The drag community was shocked by the two performances . Effi and Klaudia, who did not know each other before, connected right away and became friends. As part of the Heavens Drag Race 2016 on 24 September, the two went to perform at an All-Stars Show on the stage of the Zurich Theater Neumarkt once again. Klaudia dressed up as the Pokemon character Jessie, Effi appeared as a mix between Alice Cooper, Jack Sparrow and Nina Hagen and performed a song of her drag-idol Alaska Thunderfuck. The audience and thé other drag queens found the performance at best a bit weird. The title "Miss Heaven 2016" went to Odette Hella Grand, a perfectly classic Drag Queen. Photographs assigned by "Die Zeit".

Since Times Square has been transformed into a pedestrian area in 2011, the number of costumed characters that pose with tourists for tips had increased dramatically. Most of the people behind the masks of American icons such as Spiderman, Mickey Mouse, and Lady Liberty are immigrants from South America. Many of them worked up to 12 hours a day to support their families in the United States or in their home countries. After a violent confrontation between a man dressed as Spiderman and a police officer, followed by a string of other unpleasant incidents, the police started a clampdown in August 2014 by putting up signs that inform tourists that tipping costumed characters is optional. And since June 2016 costumed characters and street performers are now even restricted to special zones, lowering their incomes from tips significantly. This pictures were taken in 2014, when the monsters and superheroes were still allowed to roam free in New York City’s Times Square, but when the skies already started to darken over the performers.

The mission of SOS-Hermann Gmeiner International College is to provide a school of academic excellence for students from SOS Children's Villages across Africa – together with students from the host country, Ghana – and to help them gain admission into the best international universities. The school’s philosophy embraces internationalism in its widest sense, a commitment to uplift Africa. The educational mission is holistic in nature with the aim to develop all students into confident adults, capable of facing the challenges of a fast-changing world and inculcate in them critical and analytical abilities.

At the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic, health experts feared that a devastating catastrophe would occur on the African continent. The fact that the predicted catastrophe failed to happen in Africa and hit Western countries much harder was a surprise to many. Nevertheless, Covid-19 had a catastrophic impact on millions of people on the continent-curfews and government restrictions severely affected their livelihoods, even though the virus spared most people.

At the beaches of Dakar, surprising scenes take place every morning and evening. One can see mostly men but also women between the age of 15 and 60 years come to the coast of Senegal's capital to work out. From the beaches of Ngor to the neighbourhood of Fann, thousands of residents use the long coastal strip of the city to strengthen their muscles. In Fann, sports enthusiasts on the Corniche benefit from fitness equipment donated by the Chinese Embassy and Chinese companies, but various sports courts are also available for a wide range of sporting activities. The crowd is here for physical exercise, especially at the end of the day when the heat is less intense. They do gymnastics, jog in the sand, play soccer, volley ball, basket ball, squash and even wrestling, which is the national sport in Senegal. All this with a view on the beach with the sea and a rising setting sun. Only one may expect to see these images on certain beaches in large American cities rather than in an African country, where 95% of the population are Muslim. In some Muslim countries sports are generally forbidden. Perhaps it is the reason that so many Senegalese are enjoying exercising on the beach, well aware that the religious tolerance in their country offers privileges that people in some neighbourhood countries don’t have.

A series of street photographs from the city between east an west, taken on two short trips in May 2008 and 2009. The series will be continued in May 2010.

"Situated at the confluence of three great rivers - the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers - Phnom Penh is a city of more than two million people, the capital of Cambodia and the country's economic and political hub. It is still a relatively fresh travel destination. A port and trading village and occasional capital in the post-Angkorian period, the city came under French colonial control from 1863-1953, flourished in independence in the late 1950s through the 60s, was besieged and then evacuated by the Khmer Rouge in the 70s, repopulated in the 80s, and revitalized in the 90s. It is now a center of diverse economic and urban development. These days bistros and boutique hotels line the riverfront, smart little silk shops and art galleries dot the side streets and the city still enjoys a heady dusk-to-dawn nightlife. Phnom Penh is fairly young, but still a city steeped in tradition and history, offering several cultural and historical sights." ((source: www.canbypublications.com)). After an assignment in Cambodia I spent 36 hours in Phnom Penh, trying to capture the atmosphere, the sights, hotels, nightlife and markets as well as the vibrant streets to give an impression of what awaits first time visitors to this rapidly developing south asian city.

In 2009, the Tibetan community "celebrated" 50 years of Tibetan exile in India, where Tibetan refugees are allowed to have their own settlements, administration, schools, temples, monasteries, and medical system. These pictures were taken in Manali and Dharamsala at a photojournalism workshop 2009.

These images show the process of cheese making on an Alp in Grindelwald, Switzerland in 2006.

These images were taken between 1993 and 1995 in an abandoned steel & iron foundry in Balsthal, Switzerland.