Highlights from the Collective Lens Flickr group.

Mercy Corp recently posted a slideshow of powerful images of the earthquake, the survivors, and efforts to rebuild.

The river has become so polluted that the water has literally turned black and has a glue-like consistency. With failing infrastructure and little investment in systems, thousands of people living on the bank of the river have little or no choice but to continue to use this highly contaminated water to wash, bath and even to drink.

Zoriah is a freelance photojournalist who recently lost his permissions to be an embedded reporter due to his reluctance to remove controversial photos from his blog.

Thousands of children are being sold or trafficked within and across national borders in South Asia. According to United Nations, more than one million children are subject to sexual exploitation in Asia alone.

Horrible as all this may sound, it is important to understand that for many children, earning a living or supplementing their family’s income is a matter of survival. Slogans like “Stop Child Labor” embody romantic and ultimately impractical notions when it comes to places like Bangladesh.

Julien Harneis’ photos from the Democratic Republic of the Congo tell us a story of hardship and hope. He is in Eastern DRC, near the Rwandan border, as UNICEF Chief of Field Operations working to alieve the problems of displaced populations, including child soldiers, sexual violence, poor education, unclean drinking water, and health and sanitation issues.

The Big Picture’s Faces in Sudan displays some very well done photographs of some the people most affected by the tragic events over the last few years in the region.

For many photographers, traveling offers not just a vacation, but an opportunity to expand one’s photographic knowledge, experience, and portfolio.

Ty Fischer, photographer and founder of Eyes Wide Open Worldwide, has developed a passion for engaging children with photography.