( CNN ) On the banks of river Nile , an old fisherman rests upon his rickety boat under the hot Khartoum sun . His gaze is strict , his chiseled features strong and commanding . Yet , as he slowly moves his scarred right arm to bring a cup of tea to his lips , his withered face softens into a gentle smile . `` He seemed very strong , but welcoming , '' says Qusai Akoud as he recalls the moment he approached the Khartoum fisherman to ask for a photograph and a quick chat . `` He and his friends , they come fish here every morning and sell their fish in the fish market . '' Last May , Akoud , a 27-year-old graphic designer from the Sudanese capital , set out to pay a tribute to the people living in his hometown through a series of artistic street portraits . Inspired by Brandon Stanton 's `` Humans of New York , '' a popular photo blog that was launched in 2010 featuring photographs of complete strangers in the American metropolis and has since been replicated around the world , Akoud trawled the neighborhoods of Khartoum and the banks of river Nile to capture the spirit of his city and the stories of the people living in it . `` I wanted to tell the stories of the humans of Khartoum and let the world know about the lives of the people of Sudan , '' says Akoud , who aptly named his project `` Humans of Khartoum . '' Read this : Global icons as you 've never seen them before . From old fishermen at the bustling El Mawrada market and shisha-smoking men relaxing in the gardens of Tuti Island to women selling tea in downtown markets and young upwardly mobile professionals strolling near the University of Khartoum , Akoud 's project provides a captivating and heartfelt insight of life in and around the Sudanese capital . The young photographer says it has n't been difficult to get strangers to open up to him , but admits to often having trouble to persuading women to allow him to photograph them . `` People are open to their pictures being taken -- it 's not as hard as it seemed in the beginning of the project -- however , women refuse to have their photos taken due to cultural constraints . '' Akoud says he is fascinated by every person he meets but has a particular interest in one specific group of people . `` Old people always attract me , '' he says . `` They have wonderful stories . '' Click through the gallery to read excerpts of Akoud 's blog that go with the photographs he 's taken . You can see all images and stories in the `` Humans of Khartoum '' blog or Facebook page . Read this : Global icons as you 've never seen them before . Read this : Intimate photos celebrate cycling culture .
Sudanese Qusai Akoud is the founder of `` Humans of Khartoum '' photo series . The project captures the spirit and life of people living in the Sudanese capital . Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos:Photos: