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  • An Akha Puxo shirt 'button' made from aluminium, Ban Bounphieng, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  In the traditional Akha view art is something one wears and makes a statement which is ethnic, personal and aesthetic.
    A0020005cc_1.jpg
  • A woman drinking water in the relocated village of Ban Nongkinnaly, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields. <br />
In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation
    A0026192cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0026199cc_1.jpg
  • Tea plantation in the Phunoi village of Ban Phou Soum, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. For a long time, Komaen was the only important tea plantation Phongsaly province. However, since the 1990’s when the government decided to put an end to slash and burn rice and opium growing, tea was developed as a commercial crop. The Chinese demand for tea was great, and so tea became an important resource for Phongsaly province.
    A0026107cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0016920cc_1.jpg
  • The temporarily relocated Laoseng ethnic minority village of Ban Watai, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.  The village was relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro. The project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.
    DSCF5928cc_1.jpg
  • Child's fabric toy gecko made by the Akha Puxo women in Ban Papounkao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Akha Biladjo is an independent project set up in 2003 by Cecile Pouget in Phongsaly Province. Using traditional skills Akha women create modern designs, to gain a sustainable income.
    A0015136_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0027236cc_1.jpg
  • In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields.
    A0020804cc_1.jpg
  • A Khmu woman bashes riverweed collected from the stream on a rock, Ban Borhat, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. For families living away from the main roads and markets, food caught or collected from the wild, especially edible plants and small animals still make up fifty per cent of their diet.  Nature’s bounty in providing for the Lao may be plentiful, but this does not mean that the task of growing and finding enough food for family subsistence and maintenance is easy. It is a major preoccupation of rural families and takes the bulk of time and energy of every man, woman and child.
    A0020531cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    DSCF4616cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0026200cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0016935cc_1.jpg
  • The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields. In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.
    DSCF2008cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0024535cc_1.jpg
  • 'The Sea of Clouds', Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. Phongsaly Province is one of the remotest of the Lao PDR provinces and is dominated by rugged, mountainous terrain and an abundance of thick forests.
    A_11191cc_1.jpg
  • In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields.
    A0020831cc_1.jpg
  • The heads of opium poppies oozing sap in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    A0029073cc_1.jpg
  • A billboard showing the finished Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0027302cc_1.jpg
  • Tea plantation in the Phunoi village of Ban Phou Soum, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. For a long time, Komaen was the only important tea plantation in the province. However, since the 1990’s when the government decided to put an end to slash and burn rice and opium growing, tea was developed as a commercial crop. The Chinese demand for tea was great, and so tea became an important resource for Phongsaly province.
    A0026121cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a Vietnamese prostitute wearing traditional Tai Dam clothing and hairstyle at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0028065cc_1.jpg
  • Villager holding an alms bowl containing sticky rice to donate to the monks for their one meal of the day during the early morning Buddhist alms giving ceremony (tak bat), Ban Mouanghoun, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. This is an ancient, religious tradition and those who give alms earn merit for their next life, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Lao Buddhists are very devout and almost every Lao man joins a monastery, or temple, for at least a short period of time. Many men also become monks for the rest of their lives. The village will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower project Dam 5.
    A0027335cc_1.jpg
  • A fisherman repairs a fishing net outside his home in the Khmu village of Ban Seua-Thiek, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Seua-Thiek is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0027194cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026340cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a Hmong girl outside her home, Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0025838cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0024545cc_1.jpg
  • In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields.
    A0020807cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0016937cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    DSCF5905cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0027222cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026317cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0016940cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    DSCF5906cc_1.jpg
  • A view of the Nam Ou river and the remote and roadless Khmu village of Ban Phatao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Phatao will soon be temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    DSCF2841cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha woman illegally trading in wildlife from villages along the Nam Ou river, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.
    DSCF2190cc_1.jpg
  • View of the Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai which was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.
    A0026177cc_1.jpg
  • Child's fabric toy bat made by the Akha Puxo women in Ban Papounkao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Akha Biladjo is an independent project set up in 2003 by Cecile Pouget in Phongsaly Province. Using traditional skills Akha women create modern designs, to gain a sustainable income.
    A0015133_1.jpg
  • Portrait of an Akha Oma ethnic minority woman wearing her traditional clothing; Ban Sala Aebe, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. The Oma are one of Laos’ smallest ethnic groups with only a few villages in Phongsaly Province. Cotton growers, indigo dyers and exquisite embroiderers result in traditional clothing being both colourful and unique. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0013823cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0024551cc_1.jpg
  • 'The Sea of Clouds', Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. Phongsaly Province is one of the remotest of the Lao PDR provinces and is dominated by rugged, mountainous terrain and an abundance of thick forests.
    A0018925cc_1.jpg
  • In the Nam Ou river valley in Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The Phunoi village of Ban Komenmai was relocated to join with Ban Nongkinnaly in November 2013 to make way for the Nam Ou dam project. New houses come with water, electricity, a rice store, a kitchen, a toilet and two bedrooms. But nowhere to grow food and the villagers currently face a long trek of several kilometres back to their old fields.
    A0020835cc_1.jpg
  • In the remote Akha Nuquie ethnic minority village of Ban Chakhampa, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, women's first task of the day is to collect water and carry it back to the village in traditional bamboo water carriers. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0028936cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0026195cc_1.jpg
  • A Khmu man weaving a bamboo sticky rice basket whilst his wife smokes a homemade cigarette outside their home in Ban Phatao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Renowned for their superior basket weaving skills, the Khmu belong to the Mon-Khmer language group considered to be the original inhabitants of Laos and are the largest ethnic minority with many sub-groups resident in all provinces of Northern Laos. Ban Phatao will soon be temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    DSCF2828cc_1.jpg
  • The head of an opium poppies oozing sap in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    DSCF4746cc_1.jpg
  • A Khmu man weaving a bamboo mat outside his home in Ban Yangneua, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Renowned for their superior basket weaving skills, the Khmu belong to the Mon-Khmer language group considered to be the original inhabitants of Laos and are the largest ethnic minority with many sub-groups resident in all provinces of Northern Laos. Ban Yangneua has been temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    DSCF2948cc_1.jpg
  • A Khmu man weaving a bamboo mat outside his home in Ban Yangneua, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Renowned for their superior basket weaving skills, the Khmu belong to the Mon-Khmer language group considered to be the original inhabitants of Laos and are the largest ethnic minority with many sub-groups resident in all provinces of Northern Laos. Ban Yangneua has been temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    DSCF2927cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026236cc_1.jpg
  • The remote and roadless Akha Nuquie village of Ban Peryenxangmai village, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Lying in a cleared patch of the surrounding forest, typical Akha villages have houses which are made of bamboo and wood with thatched roofs and house 'horns' although increasingly houses now have corregated iron roofs. The Akha favour remote locations above the plains and valleys, generally 1000-1500 m high where there is plenty of forest cover.
    A0029006cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0027234cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0027233cc_1.jpg
  • A road sign depicting a winding road in a mountainous region of Phongsaly province, Lao PDR.
    DSCF2258cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0024536cc_1.jpg
  • An early morning misty forest landscape in Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Phongsaly Province is one of the remotest of the Lao PDR provinces and is dominated by rugged, mountainous terrain and an abundance of thick forests. In the 1950s, forests covered 70 percent of the land area of Laos; but by 1992, according to government estimates, forest coverage had already decreased to just 47 percent. Despite the dwindling forest, timber and other forestry products constitute a valuable supply of potential export goods. The forest has also been an important source of wild foods, herbal medicines and timber for house construction for local people.
    A0016694cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation. The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0027244cc_1.jpg
  • A fisherman repairs a fishing net outside his home in the Khmu village of Ban Seua-Thiek, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Seua-Thiek is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0027208cc_1.jpg
  • Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  In the Nam Ou river valley the first phase of construction on the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project by Chinese corporation Sinohydro has begun, the project will generate electricity, 90% of which will be exported to other countries in the region.  The project will directly affect several districts in Phongsaly province through construction, reservoir impoundment and back flooding resulting in loss of land and assets and village relocation.  The 425 km long Nam Ou river is a major tributary of the Mekong and is the lifeline of rural communities and local economies.
    A0016922cc_1.jpg
  • A fisherman repairs a fishing net outside his home in the Khmu village of Ban Seua-Thiek, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Seua-Thiek is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0027202cc_1.jpg
  • View of the Tai Lue village of Ban Hathin from the temple, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Hathin is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0025825cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a Vietnamese prostitute wearing traditional Tai Dam clothing and hairstyle at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0028063cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a Vietnamese prostitute at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0027312cc crop_1.jpg
  • A 15 year old married Akha Nuquie ethnic minority woman sewing outside her home in Ban Pang Hok Kao village, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR.  She is wearing the Akha Nuquie traditional costume made from hand woven cotton and dyed with indigo and decoarated with hand embroidery typical of the Akha Nuquie sub-group; the high headdress distinguishes her as a married women. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0013871cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman checking her rice whilst harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026352cc_1.jpg
  • The heads of opium poppies oozing sap in an upland field in remote Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. After the petals fall from the opium poppy, the heads are incised with a 4 bladed tool; the tool is used to score the skin lightly from top to bottom. During the day, the sap oozes out of the cuts and hangs in tears on the poppy head. The next day the sap is then scraped into a metal container. As recently as 1998, Lao PDR was the third largest illicit opium poppy producer in the world.  From 1998 to 2005, opium poppy cultivation in Lao PDR was reduced by 93 per cent.  In more remote areas where cash crops are not viable, surveys from UNODC have shown that between 2008 and 2011 the area under opium poppy cultivation has doubled and continues to rise.
    DSCF4747cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha Nuquie village with traditional grass roofed houses in remote Ban Peryenxangmai village, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Lying in a cleared patch of the surrounding forest, typical Akha villages have houses which are made of bamboo and wood with thatched roofs and house 'horns' although increasingly houses now have corregated iron roofs. The Akha favour remote locations above the plains and valleys, generally 1000-1500 m high where there is plenty of forest cover.
    A0028974cc_1.jpg
  • A Vietnamese prostitute applies lipstick at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0028070cc_1.jpg
  • A Vietnamese prostitute prepares lunch at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0027306cc_1.jpg
  • A Khmu man weaving a bamboo sticky rice basket outside his home in Ban Phatao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Renowned for their superior basket weaving skills, the Khmu belong to the Mon-Khmer language group considered to be the original inhabitants of Laos and are the largest ethnic minority with many sub-groups resident in all provinces of Northern Laos. Ban Phatao will soon be temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    A0027132cc_1.jpg
  • A Khmu man and his wife sit outside their home relaxing and smoking cigarettes in the remote and roadless Khmu ethnic minority village of Ban Phatao, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Phatao will soon be temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    A0027130cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026229cc_1.jpg
  • A portrait of an Akha Nuquie man in Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Whilst Akha women still often wear their traditional clothing every day, men usually wear Western clothing.
    A0029015cc_1.jpg
  • The daughter of a Vietnamese construction worker living in Ban Pakpok the closest village to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5 in Phongsaly province
    A0028099cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a Vietnamese prostitute wearing traditional Tai Dam clothing and hairstyle at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0028088cc_1.jpg
  • Hmong women harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026218cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a Hmong woman wearing her traditional clothes outside her home, Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0025834cc_1.jpg
  • A blacksmith makes a powder rifle in the remote and roadless Khmu ethnic minority village of Ban Kengvang, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Kengvang will soon be temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5.
    A0027178cc_1.jpg
  • A Hmong woman harvesting 'khao kam' (brown sticky rice) in the village of Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Slash and burn cultivation or ‘hai’ in Lao PDR consists of cutting the natural vegetation, leaving it to dry and then burning it for temporary cropping of the land, the ash acting as a natural fertiliser. Shifting cultivation practices, although remarkably sustainable and adapted to their environment in the past, have come under increasing stress in recent decades and are now starting to be a major problem in Lao PDR, causing widespread deforestation and watershed degradation. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along  Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026228cc_1.jpg
  • Early morning mist in the trees along a footpath through the forest between remote and roadless Akha Nuquie villages of Ban Chakhampa and Ban Peryenxangkao in Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Forest around an Akha village provides its inhabitants with a number of essential products including firewood, food and building materials.
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  • The villagers of Ban Mouanghoun rise early for the alms giving ceremony (tak bat) donating sticky rice to the monks for their one meal of the day, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. This is an ancient, religious tradition and those who give alms earn merit for their next life. Lao Buddhists are very devout and almost every Lao man joins a monastery, or temple, for at least a short period of time. Many men also become monks for the rest of their lives. The village will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower project Dam 5.
    A0027346cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of a young novice Buddhist monk wearing an orange robe before a ceremony at the 480 year old temple in Ban Mouanghoun, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Although there are several villages with temples along the Nam Ou river, the remote and roadless Ban Mouanghoun is the only village in this area with its own resident monks who are also required to perform ceremonies at all the local villages. Lao Buddhists are very devout and almost every Lao man joins a monastery, or temple, for at least a short period of time. Many men also become monks for the rest of their lives. Ban Mouanghoun will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower project Dam 5.
    A0027325cc_1.jpg
  • View of the Tai Lue village of Ban Hathin from the temple, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Hathin is situated along the Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0025827cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha Nuquie woman sewing her traditional clothing in Ban Phanghok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A0026051cc_1.jpg
  • Afternoon at the Nam Ou riverside in the remote and roadless Laoseng minority village of Ban Phoumeuang, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. The Nam Ou river (a tributary of the Mekong) connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. It is a place where children play and families bathe, where men fish and women wash their clothes. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into “the battery of Southeast Asia” by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0024740cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha Nuquie ethnic minority woman sits in a local boat waiting to travel along the Nam Ou river to the her home in the roadless village of Phou-Yot, three hours walk from the river, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR
    A0024679cc_1.jpg
  • A Laoseng ethnic minority man carries a piece of metal roofing material through the old village to his village of Ban Watai has been temporarily relocated away from the Nam Ou river, during the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. It is a place where children play and families bathe, where men fish and women wash their clothes. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into “the battery of Southeast Asia” by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0024588cc_1.jpg
  • Portrait of an Akha Pouli ethnic minority woman sitting inside her home in Ban Poulee Kow village, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals. Details down to the embroidery on a shirt, the colour of the trim and the type of skirt all help signify the wearer's ethnic and clan affiliations.
    A_11248cc_1.jpg
  • A Vietnamese prostitute puts on make-up at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0028072cc_1.jpg
  • A Vietnamese prostitute prepares lunch at home in Ban Pakpok, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Ban Pakpok is small collection of houses recently relocated near to the Nam Ou river due to the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 5. It is the closest habitation to the dam construction site, the local people rent rooms to the prostitutes who provide services to the Chinese construction workers.
    A0027311cc_1.jpg
  • In the remote Akha Nuquie ethnic minority village of Ban Peryenxangmai, Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR, women's first task of the day is to collect water using a gourd scoop and carry it back to the village in traditional bamboo water carriers. One of the most ethnically diverse countries in Southeast Asia, Laos has 49 officially recognised ethnic groups although there are many more self-identified and sub groups. These groups are distinguished by their own customs, beliefs and rituals.
    A0028968cc_1.jpg
  • A Phunoi ethnic minority woman with freshly picked tea leaves in Ban Komaen, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Phongsaly is famous for its tea and the ancient Komaen tea plantations are unique in the region. Its 48,378 trees are spread over 69 hectares, producing organic leaves which are rich in substances that are much appreciated both locally and in China. Tea is the main economic activity in Komaen, every family has its plantations and everyone takes part in the harvest. The famous '400 year old' Komaen tea is made into tea cigars when the leaves have not been sold to local tea manufacturers.
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  • A Phunoi ethnic minority woman grading young tea leaves in Ban Cha Phou, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. For a long time, Komaen was the only important tea plantation in the province. However, since the 1990’s when the government decided to put an end to slash and burn rice and opium growing, tea was developed as a commercial crop. The Chinese demand for tea was great, and so it became an important resource for Phongsaly province.
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  • A Phunoi ethnic minority woman grading young tea leaves in Ban Cha Phou, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. For a long time, Komaen was the only important tea plantation in the province. However, since the 1990’s when the government decided to put an end to slash and burn rice and opium growing, tea was developed as a commercial crop. The Chinese demand for tea was great, and so it became an important resource for Phongsaly province.
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  • An elderly Hmong woman weaving hemp outside her home in Ban Tatong, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Making hemp fabric is a long and laborious process; the end result is a strong durable cloth with qualities similar to linen which the Hmong women use to make their traditional clothing. In Lao PDR, hemp is now only cultivated in remote mountainous areas of the north. The remote and roadless village of Ban Tatong is situated along the Nam Kang river (an offshoot of the Nam Ou) and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
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  • Cooking sticky rice in a bamboo steamer over a wood fire in Ban Chalern, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The remote and roadless village of Ban Chalern is situated along Nam Ou river and will be relocated due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 7.
    A0026367cc_1.jpg
  • Using the boat paddle as a chopping board, local boatman/fisherman, Savath prepares fish for cooking over an open fire which he has just caught by electric fishing in the Nam Ou river, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into ‘the battery of Southeast Asia’ by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0026006cc_1.jpg
  • Local boatman/fisherman, Khamphao prepares fish for cooking over an open fire which he has just caught by dynamite fishing in the Nam Ou river, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. The Nam Ou river connects small riverside villages and provides the rural population with food for fishing. It is a place where children play and families bathe, where men fish and women wash their clothes. But this river and others like it, that are the lifeline of rural communities and local economies are being blocked, diverted and decimated by dams. The Lao government hopes to transform the country into “the battery of Southeast Asia” by exporting the power to Thailand and Vietnam.
    A0024735cc_1.jpg
  • An Akha Ya-er woman and her daughter from Ban Houay Phod, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR collect crustaceans from under the rocks with a net in the Nam Pa river (a tributary of the Nam Ou) in Pak Nam Noi. For families living away from the main roads and markets, food caught or collected from the wild, especially edible plants and small animals still make up fifty per cent of their diet.  Nature’s bounty in providing for the Lao may be plentiful, but this does not mean that the task of growing and finding enough food for family subsistence and maintenance is easy. It is a major preoccupation of rural families and takes the bulk of time and energy of every man, woman and child.
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  • Construction of the new village of Ban Sam Sang, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Four Laoseng ethnic minority villages will be relocated permanently to this new village before the end of 2015 due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6.
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  • A young Laoseng ethnic minority girl holding a baby mole at her home in Ban Watai, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR
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  • An Akha man from a nearby village working on the construction of the new village of Ban Sam Sang, Phongsaly province, Lao PDR. Four Laoseng ethnic minority villages will be relocated permanently to this new village before the end of 2015 due to the construction of the Nam Ou Cascade Hydropower Project Dam 6.
    A0031121cc_1.jpg
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