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A Taoist monk assists devotees to preparing an offer in one the temple part of the Louguantai's complex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612274499-FRR74H7UQOH3L2CEUCOA/005-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). Solar panels are used to power lights in the courtyard of the Chongxi Wanshou Gong Temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612275484-4WPA8ZKP6O8FT2HTH8NS/017-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). A Taoist monk demonstrates traditional calligraphy at the Chongxi Wanshou Gong Temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612280419-UDNFH988JUQ3QIYACJMM/021-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). A view of one of the room inside the Chongxi Wanshou Gong Temple. Following Taoist's principles, the building was constructed around an ancient sacred stone, that it is used as a stair to reach the upper floors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612281471-JKUAWS2O9BVQWEPCQPRP/028-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). Tourists visit the Jiuxiao Wanfu Gong Temple built on the top of Maoshan Mountain. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612286298-3AN6OS2H2VWL7GCDOK17/033-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). Devotess burn incense sticks inside the Jiuxiao Wanfu Gong Temple built on the top of Maoshan Mountain. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612286685-Q4L6DEMD5CQWSO7SMUNJ/040-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). Tourists take a pictures at entrance of the Yuanfu Wanning Gong Temple. The religious complex includes a massive statue of Laozi, the founder of Taoism. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612289461-C2MYKB624GPXW0KGDLIV/044-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 10, 2017 - Jurong, Jiangsu (China). Taoist master Yang Shihua poses for a portrait together with some monks inside the Chongxi Wanshou Gong Temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612298598-AMMP3XMVAFS5FVJ8K9GD/061-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 12, 2017 - Tayu village, Shaanxi (China). A Taoist monk assists devotees to preparing an offer in one the temple part of the Louguantai's complex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612294018-T15XFXLON9OTCOMD8FXI/047-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 12, 2017 - Tayu village, Shaanxi (China). View of courtyard of one of the temple of Louguantai. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612296893-A2JNRS03XX13TUCSK60J/054-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 12, 2017 - Tayu village, Shaanxi (China). Devotees burn incense sticks inside the courtyard of one the temple part of the Louguantai's complex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612303856-5MNE29RR9XX49TWL7121/069-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 12, 2017 - Tayu village, Shaanxi (China). Aerial view of the massive statue of Laozi - founder of Taoism - erected on the hills that surround Louguantai's temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523612304558-44P5JTA3CJD5Q1MCBX6I/067-green_taoists.jpg Taoist Monks Find New Role as Environmentalists - Green Taoists January 12, 2017 - Tayu village, Shaanxi (China). Ren Farong (right) - one of the highest ranking Taoist master in China - chats with another monk in the courtyard of the Louguantai temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixthtone https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/cambodias-first-allfemale-demining-team daily 0.75 2018-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850003965-8KUE5XB2C0NXBA7GH1X3/012-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team takes a break between tasks. Most of the women are indigenous minorities from Ratanakiri province. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849772251-NCXV282QJ442W3IL4W2A/001-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan (right) and surveyor Ting Kachreb try to fix the engine of the team's Land Rover before heading out for a survey mission. The team is composed of five female members – four surveyors and one team leader – trained in different fields such as off road driving, first aid, dog handling, and mechanics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849772294-2NWIUG9E0NKBVFIHAO8F/002-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team have arrived at the assigned survey location and start preparing the equipment. The team is composed of 5 female members - 4 searchers and 1 team leader - armed with metal detectors and shovels. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849780305-U5UFLU4UCE8SVIQOHGQH/003-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan instructs the rest of the team before starting a survey mission in the outskirts of the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle. It was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Of the 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849779878-B8ABO8H53JFNPZVKO3R9/004-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Close-up of unexploded submunitions, also known as “bombies,” belonged to a U.S. cluster bomb discovered during a series of survey missions in the area. Each one of the cluster bombs contained 670 tennis ball-sized submunitions, which would disperse over a wide area as the bomb split open in the air before landing. It is estimated that 30% of the bombs didn’t explode and are now contaminating a huge area of Eastern Cambodia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849786941-CD4LSNSNW452Q7G7DI41/005-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team gets ready for a survey mission in the outskirts of the remote village of Phum Bei. Each day they receive a specific area of forest to survey based on maps with records of the bombing missions provided by the U.S. Air Force. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849788051-4PEPHFLNLCDHWIB1STUB/006-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team walks towards the first area designated for the survey in the outskirts of the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle. It was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Of the 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849794522-LVSCFYIT983OK6ZF1KHC/007-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). After arriving at the designated coordinate, team leader Phorn Chan, plants a stick in the ground and spread the searchers towards the four cardinal points. The task of the team is confirming that the area is contaminated with UXO and need to be eventually cleared. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849794932-L1ZPDSF6HPSGFUQSXZBA/008-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Searcher Hem Tith prepares her portable metal detector for the survey mission. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849801614-25FB6G2PGHDHL2NFZ4PW/009-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan geo tags with a GPS a cluster “bombie” found by one of the searcher. Finding a UXO in a designated spot means that it has to be considered contaminated and it will require the intervention of a clearing team to more thoroughly excavate the area and remove all the remnants. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849801226-BELFU1SW5SVBOWQLGS66/010-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Once a UXO is found, the team can move to the following “unit”. The survey area normally measures a 1km x 1km zone that is then divided into 400 units of 50m x 50m – each of which have to be checked individually checked by the team. This very long and tedious task has recently been speed up with the help of explosive detection dogs. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849808162-OD5XPWB8DIQUHPXFJDHW/011-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyor Thorn Chandoung uses her metal detector to survey an area outside the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle. It was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Of the 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849808579-SZLC7CC9W6Y34ZNOOJ3O/012-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team takes a break between tasks. Most of the women are indigenous minorities from Ratanakiri province. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849813140-9Q8C9ZXGPK7E8CAK65HJ/013-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). A painted stick is used to indicate the spot where an UXO (a BLU 42 - cluster submunition) was found and removed by a MAG (Mines Advisory Group) clearance team. The bomb was discovered in a rice field located just a few meters in front of the entrance of a house. This 40 year-old UXO is still extremely dangerous if it is hit with a plow or a how by a farmer. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849818691-F0ZNIF5NAYO9SDJOVZBE/014-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan collects her laundry after a day of work in the field. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849819453-HZCLAX7O0NSCGGMRFQKR/015-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Mao Neav (right), one of the explosive detection dogs handler, chats with a member of the Lao team (left) who is visiting the Cambodian centre for a training session. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849824283-FUT06GM9QAERIH4XCG5N/016-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyors Thorn Chandoung and Thy Chantreahery drive to the local market to buy food for dinner. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849829533-KZZYCD5MW9Q1BLBMWI71/017-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyors Thorn Chandoung and Thy Chantreahery visit the local market to buy food for dinner. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849834774-QMI43YF5J9HBKRZV8O6K/018-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan cracks a joke with the rest of the team at NPA’s headquarters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849835073-QO4HD8EORPJLA0M1MEL5/019-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyors Thorn Chandoung and Thy Chantreahery cook dinner in their bungalow. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849839381-22DCQKGBDLD4FNFSWTQB/020-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team heads out for a survey mission in their Land Rover. The team is composed of five female members – four surveyors and one team leader – trained in different fields such as off-road driving, first aid, dog handling, and mechanics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849843602-L6CMFAHI3FIL0L8M1PKR/021-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). A member of NPA cleaning team cuts the grass inside a bomb crater to facilitate the deming operations. Eighteen UXO have been already found in this cassava field right in the provincial capital, Banlung. Of the 2.7 million bombs dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849848063-DUKB2HLFO791WQ436XR8/022-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Mao Neav looks at her dog – a Belgian shepherd – J-Liv. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849848061-Y7AXJLTVEUNQO18KIWWS/023-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). J-Liv, a Belgian shepherd explosive detection dog, waits for instruction from her handler Mao Neav. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. It takes around a year to complete the training for the dogs and they’re instructed in Norwegian by the handlers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849857891-W19UB41PX5VR1NO57DY7/024-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Members of the NPA team clear an area inside a cassava field a few meters away from a group of houses in the provincial capital, Banlung. Estimates stat that around 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia by the U.S. between 1963 and 1975 and around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849857211-ST9YRFJ0IU2G6JNFATZ3/025-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). J-Liv, a Belgian shepherd explosive detection dog, is conducted by his handler Mao Neav through a contaminated dragonfruit plantation in the provincial capital Banlung. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. It takes around a year to complete the training for the dogs and they’re instructed in Norwegian by the handlers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849864747-YVS3SGP993IOZTEFLGL2/026-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). J-Liv, a Belgian shepherd explosive detection dog, was able to sniff a “bombie” inside a cassava field in the provincial capital Banlung. After the discovery, surveyor Sam Kol plants a sign to delimitate the contaminated area. The “bombie” will be later removed and detonated together with the other remnants found in the field. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849866932-LVYEP47388IJDA9UQZGF/027-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). One of the NPA dogs has a rest under an umbrella during a clearance mission in a contaminated cassava field in the provincial capital Banlung. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. It takes around a year to complete the training for the dogs and they’re instructed in Norwegian by the handlers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849869040-JO61YCE82DJUCE433DES/028-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Members of the survey team prepare the equipment to detonate the UXOs found in the previous days in the forest around the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle and was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Around 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975 by US forces and around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849872910-WAQLYEVA4IQR863Y6VL6/029-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). A member of the survey team prepares the electric wires to detonate the UXOs recovered in the last few days. During this delicate operation, the team has to ensure that no one gets closer than 200 meters to the blasting site near the remote village of Phum Bei, as fragments and shrapnel can be fatal. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849874277-IKV6YW8UOZ65964RRTNX/030-uxo_female_deminers.jpg Cambodia's first all-female demining team - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The blast from the explosion of two “bombies” that were recovered by the team in the previous days near Phum Bei village. During this delicate operation, the team has to be sure that no one gets closer than 200 meters to the blasting site as fragments and shrapnel can be fatal. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/usaid-cambodia daily 0.75 2018-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221493350-O2MJ3QTZGT08EZELWK7H/021-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok harvests coffee together with some indigenous women and Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221392681-RE7UKRRONEGZOOM5IN9W/021-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok harvests coffee together with some indigenous women and Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221400289-0N5G6XGXPW5RHPF8U7A8/009-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok harvests coffee together with some indigenous women and Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221399827-SHNPCRRKXF73PDBDJD0Y/011-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok has a coffee together with Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221397181-ID0LJG00QHPXQX6RJPA7/012-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok harvests coffee together with some indigenous women and Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221391370-2YSLYJML144RZYWRAZU4/033-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok prepares coffee beans for being dried together with Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221387087-FA6ZRQNGX8Z6LKQBJVF2/050-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 29, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Phalla at work in her coffee shop "Sun & Moon". © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221386882-OPR86VQUIKAFCISSWKAQ/055-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 29, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nanda and Phalla discusses how to improve her coffee shop. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221383360-AYHJUPUOZER8TXH5RKWE/060-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 29, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nanda and Phalla discusses how to improve her coffee shop. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1529221383345-QRI8MA1666J35JTKTB56/069-USAID_Cambodia_Nanda.jpg USAID Cambodia: Nanda's coffee - USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 29, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nanda Pok during a meeting with some women entrepreneurs. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/mekong-a-river-in-chains-2012-2018-on-going daily 0.75 2019-01-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597697992-RJOR0B28RT5OU9QBCNR9/001-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Copy of Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls. Experts say that the construction of the Don Sahong's dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the dam and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706848406-IVC8IK4OSDLT7H1RQOJZ/001-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls, the location designated for the construction of the Don Sahong Dam. Experts say that the construction of the dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the construction site and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706845243-XXJEFA63N3RLLOWRCQH7/002-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). An army helicopter brings food supplies to the remote village of Bane Pindong, flying over one of the affected areas by the fury of the floods caused by the failure of an auxiliary dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project. 10 days after the accident, most of the villages were still cut off and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles or tractors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706853522-5X1XI5FSZQTNVCXPMWF0/003-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Dorn Bann (47), deputy head of Anlung Cheauteal River Guard Post, poses for a picture inside his house. The particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by the workers building the Don Sahong dam, has forced the dolphins into unprotected waters threatening their survival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706857772-6QVNTT507H8CN6QHS8HK/004-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 08, 2012 - Ben Tre (Vietnam). A woman rows her boat through the intricate canals outside Ben Tre in the Mekong’s delta region. As the world's 3rd largest delta and one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, the Mekong Delta provides both ecological and food security for its million of inhabitants. According to International Rivers, “dams could significantly reduce fishing, restrict the flow of sediments and elements for agriculture, impact food security and jeopardize the Mekong Delta, in addition to forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to relocate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706858539-P5RTW8PS9JC9GO0A9KRW/005-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains February 14, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). A group of divers exercises on the shore of Independent beach. They are part of Cambodia’s first batch of salvage divers trained to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. A potential of 300 ships were sunk in Cambodia’s in the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers in the 1960’s and 70’s, when the former regime received U.S. supply from South Vietnam before being toppled by the Khmer Rouge. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706869425-7MW93EHK7RCR0QON3099/006-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains October 16, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). Villagers clean and pick fishes to sell to the local market. Along the Mekong’s long path, over sixty million people rely on its waters for rice crops and as a resource for the fishing industry. But in the last decades, the construction of over 39 mega dams along its pathway is putting at risk the delicate ecosystem and the livelihood of million of people. According to International Rivers, “dams could significantly reduce fishing, restrict the flow of sediments and elements for agriculture, impact food security and jeopardize the Mekong Delta, in addition to forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to relocate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706866847-N6N4O8HURXF7E2BTV1U5/007-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 24, 2018 - Kratie (Cambodia). A team of WWF personal performs an autopsy on the carcass of an Irrawaddy dolphin found dead on June 29th. The mammal was found by local fishermen in the protected area of Kampi and the cause of death was determined as bruising caused by an illegal fishing net. Experts say that the construction of dams will further jeopardize the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish and other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — like the Irrawaddy dolphin. @ Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706873608-ER8PCHK9J38NETRFRBOR/008-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a check point inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706876180-DZ9IGS1G4HD6SEP38E20/009-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vaste area that will be soon flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706877050-R247224FP94M8L04B3PS/010-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 26, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A fisherman checks his net in the water in front of the controversial $800 million, 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The project, a joint venture between powerful Cambodian businessman Kith Meng’s Royal Group and Chinese state-owned Hydrolancang International Energy Co Ltd., has been controversial from the start, with experts raising concern about the environmental impact on fish stock and sediment flow, but also because of the thousand of indigenous people whose lives have forever changed when dam’s 50-megawatt turbines went into operation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706882319-SWIHV7LUB7ZKR2AGS649/011-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of Kbal Romeas’ school, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. Thousands of indigenous Phnong families have been forced to relocate in the process. A 2009 report, released by the NGO Rivers Coalition in Cambodia (3 years before the project was formally app­roved by the Cambodian government), stated that more than 38,000 inhabitants of 86 villages “would lose access to the vast majority of their fisheries resources” were the dam to be built, while 78,000 people would lose some access to fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706886219-7PC00OEWOSIETRLVS6EM/012-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the relocation village built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.— displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and put at risk the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706901273-BS7Y7PMY7J9GRXD8P0VP/013-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains Dec 16, 2016 - Srekou II Village, Cambodia. Thom Ne's husband sits with one of his children. He recently suffered a stroke and he's slowly recovering. The family was relocated from her village in Srekou to make way for the Lower Sesan II dam. They currently have no income in her new location and they already spent all the 6000 USD they received as compensation to move and renovate their house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706915163-QLB860H98P0HE3FJN7UQ/014-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). A group of phi bob take off running through the pond, where they must cover themselves in mud, before continuing to the banks of the Mekong, where they will swim and bathe. The phi bob is a demonic spirit that invades an individual and it is believed to proceed to cause untimely death in humans and livestock. Someone accused by their village of being a phi bob is at best socially ostracised by the community although they may also be threatened with violence or even killed – unless they can get to Nakasang. Since at least the French colonial era, the village has accepted phi bob and rehabilitated them with a special ceremony run by the local spirit mediums. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706921334-YTK96FIMH8UQATH55M3H/015-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls, the location designated for the construction of the Don Sahong Dam. Experts say that the construction of the dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the construction site and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706929956-GOXBL09WXD9NF4KJ5Y3C/016-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A mother and her daughter catch small fishes in front of the wall built to block the water of the Don Sahong in order to prepare the 308 acres reservoir for the massive hydroelectric dam. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls), less than 2 kilometers upstream of the Laos-Cambodia border. According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706929042-3HSLEERORMAIRHUHPT22/017-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A truck carries rocks inside the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the Laos - Cambodia border. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls). According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706944153-4BDOPRPQV5WCYT521TIT/018-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). A group of young villagers walks through the main street of the small village of Kokkong, on the edge of area affected by the floods caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam. The village has been partially submerged but most of the houses are covered in mud but still in good condition. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people were confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others were displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706949374-VC1H0XF3OT5DZ9F9A3XW/019-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Aerial view of Mai village, one of the affected villages by the fury of the floods caused by the failure of an auxiliary dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project. According to the measurements made with an European Union’s satellite, the tide of floodwater reached 10m in the village and uprooted trees, power lines and collapsed most of the houses. 8 people lost their lives in the floods just in this village and many are still missing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706951872-VMYJ1B6ZK75DU28UGO6N/020-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Food supplies and medicines are transported with an army helicopter and distributed to the people of the remote Bane Pindong village. 10 days after the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, most of the villages were still cut off and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles or tractors. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people are confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others have been displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706961453-VFU78S5R6YCSIH1H81YF/021-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). 6 bodies of people that lost their lives during the floods caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, and that were recovered in the previous couple of days, are cremated during a Buddhist ceremony. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people are confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others have been displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706963765-X0ASTFY97FXC7KJX2K6J/022-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People queue for a Christmas draw at Aeon Mall, one of the biggest and more modern mall in the capital. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706965114-57AUIA1GY9J3LVK001RG/023-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 13, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A worker has a cigarette break while cleaning a kiln from broken bricks and ashes. Cambodia is in the midst of a construction boom. The building of high-rise office blocks and housing is pushing the capital city upwards but the country’s vertical drive into the skies and status as one of Asia’s fastest growing economies hides a darker side to Phnom Penh’s ascent. Building projects demand bricks in large quantities and there is a profitable domestic brick production industry using multigenerational workforces of debt-bonded adults and children to supply them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706971913-AFCPYGPFCSKUUWPMCBIS/024-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Fish vendors at the local market of Stung Treng, located where the Mekong and Sesan rivers join together. Fish experts have long warned about damage to fishing stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706971067-HDGWDNARD9H8GKI2CYOL/025-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 22, 2018 - Phnom Penh. A Chinese man look through the windows of the gym built on the 39th floor of the Bridge, a massive mixed-developments costed around $300 million and built by the Chinese company Sino Great Wall. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706983175-EMN0ZK3SIQI1KTLCW6WM/026-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A solar powered light illuminates Sreui Lang (19) and her small baby in the house they rebuilt a couple of km from their ancestral village Kbal Romeas, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in October 2017. Sreui Lang belongs to one of the 58 Phnong indigenous families who decided not to leave their village and continue fighting to preserve their way of life and identity. Struggling to find clean water and surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations the families resettled to an elevated area, a couple of km away from their ancestral village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706982310-IF5UAA2M0L0HIWIKLR2O/027-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel (Cambodia). Floodlights across the Mekong river, the particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the 3 dolphins left into unprotected waters. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls). According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706990295-XMWUX80DSYCF3TIMXZX0/028-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains July 19, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A single window has seen lit in newly built condominium in central Phnom Penh. In the last years, Cambodia’s real estate sector has seen a boom in high-end investment especially by Chinese buyers and has stoked concerns that they are pumping up a market in a country where the median household income is only around $11,000 per year. Half of the buyers are Chinese and most of the purchases are made for investment purposes by people who neither live in Cambodia nor rent the units. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706992371-X6AGIOYAQICVKTHQOHTR/029-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Thousands of people gather on the river banks to enjoy a firework show for the closing ceremony of the water festival. “Bon Om Touk” or the Water Festival, is a Cambodian festival celebrated in November and marks the unique reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap River (one of the Mekong’s tributaries) Visitors from every Cambodian province travel to Phnom Penh to watch boat races and attend free concerts and fireworks shows. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706996075-GQWC7W7WOA3L0F9E49Z7/030-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains 2012 - 2018 (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Locals enjoy an evening stroll at "Hun Sen Park" in central Phnom Penh. Behind them, the building of "Naga World 2" - the only casino licensed to operated in the Cambodian capital. Owned by the Malaysian multi-billioner Chen Lip Keong, the casino specifically targets Chinese clients. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/usaid-peru-zika-fighters daily 0.75 2019-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1548736800013-O5Q47UBLYR8P53XTK5UM/Screen+Shot+2019-01-29+at+09.04.56.jpg USAID Peru - Zika Fighters https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/maggio-accettura daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217506497-IZYEM0D38F8J52OUBVCC/001-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). View of the small town of Accettura where the festival is held every year. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217508740-E5BB6E0M2R0J55X8GFG5/002-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals rest during the transportation of the "maggio". Fifty pairs of oxen transport the old oak cut from Montepiano forest for a 10km ride to Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217538419-3405JFNCX5VZ0KIB6OJC/003-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Fifty pairs of oxen start to transport the "Maggio", an old oak cut in Montepiano forest - a 10 km away from the Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217536999-P0ZY5VY4WPEYQY9DBTSU/004-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals rest during the transportation of the "maggio". Fifty pairs of oxen transport the old oak cut from Montepiano forest for a 10km ride to Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217553678-CTTTQMRLL9TTSYLXWU55/005-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Wine and local specialities such as "zeppole" - a traditional deep-fried dough ballfood - and fried codfish are consumed along the route of the "cima" into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217553720-FIILMT9IMUZNOSV5HOO5/006-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Anna Podetta put the finishing touches to a "centa", a traditional head dress made of candels and flowers, paraded by the local women to pay homage to Saint Julian. Since she moved from the north of Italy to Accettura in 1982, she's been building the "cente" every year for different families of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217572561-UOW0QO9K41XSAFQ1NQO1/007-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers are transported by trucks to the forest of Gallipoli Cognato - 20 km away from Accettura - where they will cut the "Cima" and carry it on shoulders into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217573981-ZDJ8BJC8S3RCXOV4II2N/008-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Wine and local specialities such as "zeppole" - a traditional deep-fried dough ballfood - and fried codfish are consumed along the route of the "cima" into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217608490-H9GW19AQILFURMHK6FVH/009-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers are transported by trucks to the forest of Gallipoli Cognato - 20 km away from Accettura - where they will cut the "Cima" and carry it on shoulders into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217634794-M5ZZKUI2ZQND9PSPKZB3/010-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers start to carry the - recently cut - "cima" on their shoulders for a 20 km walk into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217645668-YJUQBN82INYRUUI0BY94/011-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers start to carry the - recently cut - "cima" on their shoulders for a 20 km walk into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217656818-MJMM5WPDRVCYQ2G9QSFS/012-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers start to carry the - recently cut - "cima" on their shoulders for a 20 km walk into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217716619-HRF059PMJ3JVQGORX1JU/013-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). While the "cima" is transported on shoulders into town, the "maggio" continues his journey driven by oxen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217736642-DDHXIKABT5ZIAWN4HCSA/014-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Close up of one of the fifty pairs of oxen used to transport the "Maggio", an old oak cut in Montepiano forest - a 10 km away from the Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217783441-GFIG5MBF9AI7HN5KQG67/015-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Flowers and a picture of Saint Julian adorn the head of one of the oxen used to transport the "Maggio" into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217783759-MI2JCH07O6GACGL57PBZ/016-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A group of old women wait for the passage of the "cima". © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217867467-N88WAECJCBWGT5UZRMC2/017-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). After being carried on the shoulders by groups of young people for over 20km, the "cima" is finally paraded through the streets of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217856607-39QRB6SFTYNMCKV85BYV/018-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). After being carried on the shoulders by groups of young people for over 20km, the "cima" is finally paraded through the streets of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217932621-ITWW6N6VXF8L08K1GEVH/019-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A young man celebrates the arrival of the "cima" in Accettura hanging from one of its branch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217956427-UEXENN5Q9XDCOQAHA04P/020-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). After a 2-day journey, the "maggio" finally arrives into town driven by oxen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218027841-DMENLIPR040II8FBWA4G/021-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 25, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Don Giuseppe Filardi, the priest of Accettura, leads a procession to carry an ancient painting representing Saint John and Paul. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218018938-7AJPAV0GM24K32KGFR7O/022-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218105488-RGX93HS1Q87UJPF6ZAGC/023-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218101011-33BR3NXWQ97P7JX634JS/024-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A band acccompanies the statue of Saint Julian during a procession through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218167185-SPQ67WN8DYD1UKDI1OQ4/025-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A statue of Saint Julian is pareded through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218795421-DA2VU1TJ2UKZDSW1JGID/026-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A statue of Saint Julian is pareded through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218795676-9W25WP582XV1U6V7S5NU/027-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 25, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Old women wait for the passage of the statue of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218802299-0QNY8HG5DX1IGTXP8GCQ/028-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A statue of Saint Julian is pareded through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218801966-Y2NJEH2ETT2W6TO5OBBB/029-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Fireworks are fired after the end of the procession in honor of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218806815-CR9BEXNJPIO0X8NJJA6P/030-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218809328-7TB54S8CRXW7JRFCHIA3/031-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218811050-5TISF6MDU21ZRT4W05AO/032-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218815538-5I6GFFHRRSB0MZPV2FH8/033-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218816979-E4Q9AIU2XSDRRY62MREZ/034-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). The family of Filomena Bartilucci (center) put finishing touches to a "centa", a traditional head dress made of candels and flowers, paraded by the local women to pay homage to Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218822012-VYORLBSJ4NEPYC2ASAFH/035-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Old men wait for the passage of the statue of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218822822-FSFXJNVHBLPRIUMUW82R/036-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Old women wait for the passage of the statue of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218825499-Z259LHFGQNSOIF5CV9BM/037-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218829095-2C6BC7OCJXP50K7602M1/038-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Filomena Bartilucci transports on her head a "centa", a traditional head dress made of candels and flowers, to pay homage to Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218828530-S3F8SK6LN4DWPCK3MQBZ/039-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218832873-Q6ETRPUXEM6R0EFVZCER/040-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" had been finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura and the villagers continue to the local church for the final mass. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218834286-7U5VILAQ1DJ5HTK6CCYT/041-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218836493-V8EC7KR15DJS5RFH9ERJ/042-maggio_accettura.jpg Maggio Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/female-deminers daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849772251-NCXV282QJ442W3IL4W2A/001-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan (right) and surveyor Ting Kachreb try to fix the engine of the team's Land Rover before heading out for a survey mission. The team is composed of five female members – four surveyors and one team leader – trained in different fields such as off road driving, first aid, dog handling, and mechanics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849772294-2NWIUG9E0NKBVFIHAO8F/002-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team have arrived at the assigned survey location and start preparing the equipment. The team is composed of 5 female members - 4 searchers and 1 team leader - armed with metal detectors and shovels. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849780305-U5UFLU4UCE8SVIQOHGQH/003-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan instructs the rest of the team before starting a survey mission in the outskirts of the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle. It was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Of the 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849779878-B8ABO8H53JFNPZVKO3R9/004-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Close-up of unexploded submunitions, also known as “bombies,” belonged to a U.S. cluster bomb discovered during a series of survey missions in the area. Each one of the cluster bombs contained 670 tennis ball-sized submunitions, which would disperse over a wide area as the bomb split open in the air before landing. It is estimated that 30% of the bombs didn’t explode and are now contaminating a huge area of Eastern Cambodia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849786941-CD4LSNSNW452Q7G7DI41/005-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team gets ready for a survey mission in the outskirts of the remote village of Phum Bei. Each day they receive a specific area of forest to survey based on maps with records of the bombing missions provided by the U.S. Air Force. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849788051-4PEPHFLNLCDHWIB1STUB/006-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team walks towards the first area designated for the survey in the outskirts of the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle. It was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Of the 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849794522-LVSCFYIT983OK6ZF1KHC/007-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). After arriving at the designated coordinate, team leader Phorn Chan, plants a stick in the ground and spread the searchers towards the four cardinal points. The task of the team is confirming that the area is contaminated with UXO and need to be eventually cleared. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849794932-L1ZPDSF6HPSGFUQSXZBA/008-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Searcher Hem Tith prepares her portable metal detector for the survey mission. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849801614-25FB6G2PGHDHL2NFZ4PW/009-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan geo tags with a GPS a cluster “bombie” found by one of the searcher. Finding a UXO in a designated spot means that it has to be considered contaminated and it will require the intervention of a clearing team to more thoroughly excavate the area and remove all the remnants. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849801226-BELFU1SW5SVBOWQLGS66/010-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Once a UXO is found, the team can move to the following “unit”. The survey area normally measures a 1km x 1km zone that is then divided into 400 units of 50m x 50m – each of which have to be checked individually checked by the team. This very long and tedious task has recently been speed up with the help of explosive detection dogs. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849808162-OD5XPWB8DIQUHPXFJDHW/011-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyor Thorn Chandoung uses her metal detector to survey an area outside the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle. It was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Of the 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849808579-SZLC7CC9W6Y34ZNOOJ3O/012-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team takes a break between tasks. Most of the women are indigenous minorities from Ratanakiri province. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849813140-9Q8C9ZXGPK7E8CAK65HJ/013-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). A painted stick is used to indicate the spot where an UXO (a BLU 42 - cluster submunition) was found and removed by a MAG (Mines Advisory Group) clearance team. The bomb was discovered in a rice field located just a few meters in front of the entrance of a house. This 40 year-old UXO is still extremely dangerous if it is hit with a plow or a how by a farmer. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849818691-F0ZNIF5NAYO9SDJOVZBE/014-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan collects her laundry after a day of work in the field. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849819453-HZCLAX7O0NSCGGMRFQKR/015-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Mao Neav (right), one of the explosive detection dogs handler, chats with a member of the Lao team (left) who is visiting the Cambodian centre for a training session. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849824283-FUT06GM9QAERIH4XCG5N/016-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyors Thorn Chandoung and Thy Chantreahery drive to the local market to buy food for dinner. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849829533-KZZYCD5MW9Q1BLBMWI71/017-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyors Thorn Chandoung and Thy Chantreahery visit the local market to buy food for dinner. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849834774-QMI43YF5J9HBKRZV8O6K/018-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team leader Phorn Chan cracks a joke with the rest of the team at NPA’s headquarters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849835073-QO4HD8EORPJLA0M1MEL5/019-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Team surveyors Thorn Chandoung and Thy Chantreahery cook dinner in their bungalow. The majority of the members of the team live and sleep inside NPA’s headquarters, a former tourist resort with bungalows and communal areas located in the outskirts of Banlung. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849839381-22DCQKGBDLD4FNFSWTQB/020-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 26, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team heads out for a survey mission in their Land Rover. The team is composed of five female members – four surveyors and one team leader – trained in different fields such as off-road driving, first aid, dog handling, and mechanics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849843602-L6CMFAHI3FIL0L8M1PKR/021-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). A member of NPA cleaning team cuts the grass inside a bomb crater to facilitate the deming operations. Eighteen UXO have been already found in this cassava field right in the provincial capital, Banlung. Of the 2.7 million bombs dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975, around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849848063-DUKB2HLFO791WQ436XR8/022-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Mao Neav looks at her dog – a Belgian shepherd – J-Liv. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849848061-Y7AXJLTVEUNQO18KIWWS/023-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). J-Liv, a Belgian shepherd explosive detection dog, waits for instruction from her handler Mao Neav. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. It takes around a year to complete the training for the dogs and they’re instructed in Norwegian by the handlers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849857891-W19UB41PX5VR1NO57DY7/024-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Members of the NPA team clear an area inside a cassava field a few meters away from a group of houses in the provincial capital, Banlung. Estimates stat that around 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia by the U.S. between 1963 and 1975 and around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849857211-ST9YRFJ0IU2G6JNFATZ3/025-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). J-Liv, a Belgian shepherd explosive detection dog, is conducted by his handler Mao Neav through a contaminated dragonfruit plantation in the provincial capital Banlung. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. It takes around a year to complete the training for the dogs and they’re instructed in Norwegian by the handlers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849864747-YVS3SGP993IOZTEFLGL2/026-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). J-Liv, a Belgian shepherd explosive detection dog, was able to sniff a “bombie” inside a cassava field in the provincial capital Banlung. After the discovery, surveyor Sam Kol plants a sign to delimitate the contaminated area. The “bombie” will be later removed and detonated together with the other remnants found in the field. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849866932-LVYEP47388IJDA9UQZGF/027-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). One of the NPA dogs has a rest under an umbrella during a clearance mission in a contaminated cassava field in the provincial capital Banlung. NPA has recently started using explosive detection dogs in their clearance missions as they are faster than metal detectors. It takes around a year to complete the training for the dogs and they’re instructed in Norwegian by the handlers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849869040-JO61YCE82DJUCE433DES/028-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). Members of the survey team prepare the equipment to detonate the UXOs found in the previous days in the forest around the remote village of Phum Bei. As recently as 15 years ago, this area was covered by a dense jungle and was heavily bombed by American airplanes during the Vietnam war as part of the so-called “Ho Chi Min trail”. Around 2.7 million bombs were dropped over Cambodia between 1963 and 1975 by US forces and around 30% failed to detonate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849872910-WAQLYEVA4IQR863Y6VL6/029-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). A member of the survey team prepares the electric wires to detonate the UXOs recovered in the last few days. During this delicate operation, the team has to ensure that no one gets closer than 200 meters to the blasting site near the remote village of Phum Bei, as fragments and shrapnel can be fatal. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523849874277-IKV6YW8UOZ65964RRTNX/030-uxo_female_deminers.jpg female deminers - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The blast from the explosion of two “bombies” that were recovered by the team in the previous days near Phum Bei village. During this delicate operation, the team has to be sure that no one gets closer than 200 meters to the blasting site as fragments and shrapnel can be fatal. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/mekong-oct-2018 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340561531-OXN7C9YZ36XEM1A18EIL/001-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls. Experts say that the construction of the Don Sahong's dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the dam and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340561234-J0W972BPL1C0CJ2VE1U8/002-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Dorn Bann (47), deputy head of Anlung Cheauteal River Guard Post, poses for a picture inside his house. The particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the dolphins into unprotected waters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340565650-Z8AWVU8Q7X0EJAGF8L6B/003-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). An army helicopter flies over one of the affected areas by the fury of the floods to bring food supplies to the remote village of Bane Pindong. Most of the villages are still cut off by the flood waters and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles and tractors © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340571296-RMLGD3AT3AT3U9HGDZBJ/004-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam October 16, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). Villagers clean and pick fishes to sell to the local market. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340574831-4U3HSLD4L7U5JQLOOXIP/005-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam August 15, 2012, Chau Doc (Vietnam). Commuters cross the Mekong river on a ferry. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539341276548-T1Q9QO6MJNO1YBW06TE4/006-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 December 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People queue for a Christmas draw at Aeon Mall, one of the biggest and more modern mall in the capital. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development and the capital Phnom Penh consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340582830-HZSDR70CHNAQ1Q69019T/007-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 August 24, 2018 - Kratie (Cambodia). A team of WWF personal performs an autopsy on the carcass of an Irrawaddy dolphin found dead on June 29th. The mammal was found by local fishermen in the protected area of Kampi and the cause of death was determined as bruising caused by an illegal fishing net. The Irrawaddy dolphin was a male, weighed about 92kg and measured 1.94m. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340591878-YJHCODH75MB4TW65ANFK/008-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). River guards during a patrol in the Anlung Cheauteal Pool. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340595388-S41JNHINVFLEUHLA9X6H/009-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam August 08, 2012 - Ben Tre (Vietnam). A woman rows her boat through the intricated canals outside Ben Tre. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340600326-25T8P9FN0FQL93KFY0KL/010-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Food supplies and medicines are transported with an army helicopter and distributed to the people of the remote Bane Pindong village. Most of the villages are still cut off by the flood waters and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles and tractors © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340602095-YX8BFMOAJ0CQA84JGYUT/011-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). A group of young villagers walks through the main street of the small village of Kokkong, on the edge of area affected by the floods. The village has been partially submerged but most of the houses are covered in mud but still in good condition. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340603883-B7HW3CWR6GGB16Z5NG54/012-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam April 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). Aerial view of the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the border between Cambodia and Laos. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340610498-LY3ZJ956CJS9ZCGL5V70/013-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - The National Assembly (Copy) The National Assembly October 05, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Workers at the construction of "Naga World 2" a massive Chinese casino built in front of the National Assembly designed by Vann Molyvann. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340611173-3CVEKBTUN4R1QCCUBX81/014-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 August 11 - 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Construction workers wait in line to be paid after a day of work in a construction site in Phnom Penh. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development and the capital Phnom Penh consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340619149-ZU2EKT5JTMCOJR1FCWI5/015-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 25, 2015 - Srekor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). An old sign used to educate villagers to protect the environment is seen outside Srekor village. The village and the sorrounding areas have been will be soon be flooded because of the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340619148-LWDIN3RFBHBJN5D7BSUK/016-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a check point inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340628940-55QLRZ6OBRB7HNA69ZY4/017-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Demining in the Depths (Copy) Demining in the Depths February 14, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). Tourists look on as staff from the Cambodia Mine Action Center learn how to scuba dive in a hotel's pool in Sihanoukville. The team was the first batch of salvage div­ers who received training to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340628283-RUGLROX90XCNRMBEZ899/018-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Nam Khan (Copy) Nam Khan 16 May 2017 - Xiang Nguen, Laos. Young kids go to school at the relocation village built for the 655 families (from 10 different villages) that have been forced to move due to the construction of the Nam Khan III dam. Although they have been partially compensated, the inhabitants do not now have any farming land and have been forced to build a series of temporary grazing areas for their animals and grow a minimum of crops for food. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340636298-WH2XCG0HW5DFK5AMI1FT/019-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman fights against the ferocious current of the Khone Phapheng falls, in order to clean a "Ly Trap" - a traditional bamboo made trap - from debries. Traps need continuous maintenance as sticks, small branches and grass get entangled, which would deprive the fishermen of their catch – and their only income. Experts say that the construction of the Don Sahong's dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrwaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the dam and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340639109-KHM9OQWB0TS1RQRMIHJM/020-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A mother and her daughter catch small fishes in front of the wall built to block the water of the Don Sahong in order to prepare the reservoir for the massive hydroelectric dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340642094-M0WVS0JZXF2UPZQODOCO/021-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A truck carries rocks inside the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the Laos - Cambodia border. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340649940-U5NKQPW9HL4C2HU9UV83/022-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse - Mai village (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse - Mai village August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Aerial view of Mai village, one of the affected villages by the fury of the floods. According to the measurements made with an European Union’s satellite, the tide of floodwater reached 10m in the village and uprooted trees, power lines and collapsed most of the houses. 8 people lost their lives in the floods. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340650991-J92ZAIJJ5D3E7SZPYKTX/023-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 04, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Kids play in the football field of the primary school of Sanamxai. The bulding is one of the provisional relocation sites used by Lao authorites to host more than 3000 people who have been displaced from the villages affected by the collapse of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340660676-SHLTO4WL1BMHRWALCM49/024-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse - Mai village (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse - Mai village August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). A golden buddha statue in the local pagoda of Mai village that has survived the carnage. According to the measurements made with an European Union’s satellite, the tide of floodwater reached 10m in the village and uprooted trees, power lines and collapsed most of the houses. 8 people lost their lives in the floods. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542676829946-VYSTCZHRRSFHI8S5LABM/025-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality (Copy) How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). Villagers prepare their offerings of candles, flowers, and eggs at the biannual spirit ceremony. Animist spirits in Laos can cause illness or other problems if they are not appeased. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542676832017-6I71IT9YX2VZSPMHZC7Q/026-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality (Copy) How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). The group of phi bob take off running through the pond, where they must cover themselves in mud, before continuing to the banks of the Mekong, where they will swim and bathe. Phoueyxan Kheuang can be seen in the left corner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542676837034-HJ2ETP3T4AUNGZCX79CJ/027-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality (Copy) How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). Spirit medium Phoutan ties symbolic threads around the wrists of phi bob living in Phiengdy village, which takes in people with less money or family assistance. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340661467-ZXL9I8SGWMD93T9PJCS9/025-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 August 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Young Cambodians have lunch in one of the Brown Cafe - one of the most famouse coffee chain in Cambodia - of the capital, Phnom Penh. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development and the capital Phnom Penh consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340668139-NFJFQEAT6GF9PDRWQPAG/026-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A family lives in a small wooden shack by the plot of land that the company gave to the villagers who now live in the relocation's site. Located 11 km away from the village, with a very rocky soil and a limited access to water it will require years of work in order to being converted into arable land. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340669864-6LESV5WLQ2IAI4QMNNTS/027-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam Dec 16, 2016 - Srekou II Village, Cambodia. Thom Ne's husband with one of their children. He recently suffered a stroke and he's slowly recovering. The family was relocated from her village in Srekou to make way for the Lower Sesan II dam. They currently have no income in her new location and they already spent all the 6000 USD they received as compensation to move and renovate their house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340679688-6QN9NB6KVHPVEQGINATG/028-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the relocation village built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340680335-6UMDN3O765OEDMXFACCV/029-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). Je Srey Neang (wearing a pink t-shirt) has lunch with her extended family in her small house in Kbal Romeas. In the last couple of years she and her family fought hard the relocation’s plan. She was born in the village and she’s worried of loosing their identity as indigenous once they will leave the ancestral land and forest. The family was threatened several times by the company but she always refused their offers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340686373-BBZEG2T578HQA2DPG7K9/030-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 25, 2015 - Srekor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). An abandoned house in a village set to be flooded by the Lower Sesan II Dam. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340687011-2263OOIF54HT61CJWH02/031-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vaste area that will be soon flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340690851-BFAX203BBUXOS6983YDT/032-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 26, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A fisherman checks his net in the water in front of the controversial $800 million, 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The project, a joint venture between powerful Cambodian businessman Kith Meng’s Royal Group and Chinese state-owned Hydrolancang International Energy Co Ltd., has been controversial from the start, with experts raising concern about the environmental impact on fish stock and sediment flow, but also because of the thousand of indigenous people whose lives have forever changed when dam’s 50-megawatt turbines went into operation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340693965-9Q2NV2GY9H2H68NIRJI9/033-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of the Kbal Romeas school now flooded due the rise of the Sesan river's water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340701301-OE6A3HTUHEGIVLPGNFOU/034-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of the Kbal Romeas school now flooded due the rise of the Sesan river's water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340703458-S5HVD3L6UOAD0UUILHB7/035-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Rithy (23) holds a snake that his cousin just caught in the forest. They will sell the meat in the local market for around 25 USD. The villagers were relying heavenly on the natural products they could find in the forest and the Sesan river. Forced to move their houses, they’re now struggling to find clean water and animals to hunt as the new village is surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340708665-NDLCZFLE3EDLP72UIR4I/036-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial iew of the village of Kbal Romeas now flooded due the rise of the Sesan river's water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340707609-EGD5HMVYSX2MPEBW15LX/037-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A ferry's service now help connecting the 2 shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam's reservoir transporting goods and people. With the closing of the dam’s gates, the villages of Kbal Romeas and nearby Srekor were flooded and a massive lake now covers what once were hectares of ancestral forests and rice fields and dozen of families of fishermen have moved from other Cambodian provinces to take advantage of the abundance of fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340713082-VLN0AYCQGMFQQ2OT22U2/038-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Water Festival 2016 (Copy) Water Festival 2016 November 13, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Top officials watch the opening ceremony from the main VIP tent. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340715611-1R7IXLFFRPQST8WBK2L9/039-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 December 20, 2012 - Svay Rieng (Cambodia). A group of young factory workers is transported on a truck to the PUMA's shoes factory in Svay Rieng Province, on the border between Cambodia and Vietnam. The Cambodian energy sector needs considerable development if it is to meet the growing needs of the country and provide a stable and affordable power supply to potential investors in industry. The government sees hydropower as a priority area for development in the energy sector. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340725822-U1UEQZCCTBMRT1R88YNW/040-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam Dec 17, 2016 - Pluk Village, Cambodia. Fishermen and loggers in a temporary settlement along the Lower Sesan river. Fish experts have long warned about damage to migration stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340728014-VWD5OOYO1LEY67P8ODI6/041-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Kids play in the vicinity of a temporary shelter for some of the villagers affected by the floods. More than 3000 people have been displaced from the villages affected by the collapse of the dam and have been resettled in provisional camps built inside the local schools and other governamental buldings in Sanamxai district. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340736679-YQMS8IAL6TDELSJSEHH9/042-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). 6 bodies of people that lost their lives during the floods and that were recovered in the previous couple of days, are cremated during a Buddhist ceremony. According to Lao authorities 34 people have been confirmed dead and 131 are still missing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340737364-5NCBL4XQGLI5L9393NZJ/043-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). 6 bodies of people that lost their lives during the floods and that were recovered in the previous couple of days, are cremated during a Buddhist ceremony. According to Lao authorities 34 people have been confirmed dead and 131 are still missing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340742976-PVCRI5PFD2IW740LNC1N/044-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Kratie fish market (Copy) Kratie fish market August 24, 2018 (Kratie, Cambodia). Fish is sold at the morning market along the Mekong river. The market is divided into two parts, one where the local fishermen sell their catch and a second one where sellers offer cheaper fish coming from Vietnamese farms. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340745391-G9XY86C0WLTHHPYPKOIZ/045-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Water Festival 2016 (Copy) Water Festival 2016 November 13, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People hang out in front of the Royal Palace, waiting for the fireworks show. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340754434-BTU1GTJ4NM3NF1S57Z8T/046-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 9, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the flooded forest inside the Ramsar protected area. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340754436-3NQXQ9LAQT2LUF1AQ8QW/047-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel, Cambodia. Locals examine a part of the river bank that recently collapsed. It's not clear if the event is somehow related to the construction of the Don Sahong's dam just a few hundreds meters away. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340762650-O8WA6E0GFI0CZ0KX0RJ2/048-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Floodings in Kampong Cham (Copy) Floodings in Kampong Cham 01/10/2013 - Kampong Cham (Cambodia). Evacuated villagers receive food aid from an humanitarian organization in a temporary camp site in Prek Taunch village. So far, floodings in this area forced more than 500 families to leave their houses. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom 2013. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340760571-JS6GAV2THEYLZ8OQ7MC4/049-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 Dec 18, 2016 - Kratie, Cambodia. Workers connect lines for new electrify towers in Cambodia. Cambodia’s power grid has been largely dependent on electricity imports from neighbouring countries since 1993, with the country having to import 1,691 megawatts from Vietnam, 579 megawatts from Thailand and 10.73 megawatts from Laos in 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340767765-ECC2WYRL4NGBAEHEZG39/050-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Construction sites Koh Pich (Copy) Construction sites Koh Pich September 08, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). View of the construction site of the $150 million commercial and residential project "The Élysée" on Koh Pich island. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340771828-J6M28PHJ5N04698LKHHH/051-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Home stay at Koh Pdao (Copy) Home stay at Koh Pdao November 6, 2014 - Koh Pdao, Kratie (Cambodia). Prum Sarean (44) and her husband Korm Sokhan (47) harvest rice in their paddy field. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340773391-6DICBM81Y7IN5VIUOB2U/052-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Sok Lang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340781743-JAKJF41VK3E2F3Z0867Y/053-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Fish vendors at the local market. Fish experts have long warned about damage to migration stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340780224-YZ1GBZI7H8YP7C4OXUGO/054-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Demining in the Depths (Copy) Demining in the Depths February 19, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). A group of trainees makes practice during a night diving in the port of Koh Rong. The team was the first batch of salvage div­ers who received training to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340786960-3UH00059JJK9N28IFZHM/055-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 April 22, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Commuters desembark one of the ferry that connects central Phnom Penh with the village of Akreiy Ksatr, on the opposite side of the Mekong river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340790594-63SEZ601G7SFNA6D3UK7/056-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Water Festival 2016 (Copy) Water Festival 2016 November 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Thousands of people gather on the river banks to enjoy a firework show for the closing ceremony of the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340793831-NWBK1D23NRHN6R7QBPX2/057-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Sreui Lang (19), wife of Rithy, plays with their small baby. Despite being a very young couple they decided to stay in the village as they were worried of loosing their ancestral traditions and the relationship with the forest and nature. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340794340-TQPWVS1AT7Z8CD9J1ZLM/058-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel (Cambodia). Floodlights across the Mekong river, the paticular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the 3 dolphins left into unprotected waters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539340797010-WR68M68AG8BMB997Q48J/059-mekong_a_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong Oct 2018 - Development in Koh Pich - Phnom Penh (Copy) Development in Koh Pich - Phnom Penh January 18, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Panoramic aerial view of Koh Pich. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/obama-foundation-vietnam daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930900164-ZGP75IJTTDWV8ZZHH99E/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_001.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 18, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Brand new bikes provided by the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund are unloaded before a ceremony where they will be handed over to a new class of rural students. The fund works with Vietnamese children and their families to ensure access to high-quality education throughout the country. Amongst other programs, they partner with organizations like the Red Cross to identify children who are likely to end their education early due to the time it takes to travel to school. That's where the bikes come in. They make it far easier for children, especially girls, to get to school safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The Fund is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930903487-D9TYLEL6W69TDETYGPA1/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_003.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: A crowd of children, including Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — wait to receive their new bikes from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare. Amongst other programs, Rock Paper Scissors partners with organizations like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the ones that Uyen and her classmates received will make it easier for them to get to school safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The funds is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930915354-G2M837BNJIQU6F6KCK66/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_004.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: A crowd of students, including Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — after receiving their new bikes from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare. Amongst other programs, Rock Paper Scissors partners with organizations like the Red Cross to identify low-income children who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Students in places like Cam Duc often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads. Bikes like the ones that Uyen and her classmates received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The fund is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930915326-M3ZCV00G5BC5L26ADLOF/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_006.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with a new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads. To address this issue, the Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. Uyen’s mother, for instance, hopes that the new bike will help her attend school more frequently, while still helping out around the house. “Education and happiness” is what she wants for her children. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930918609-YQEOELS0V056I14XWXQ5/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_010.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with her new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by human traffickers and crime. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families. Young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To address these issues, the Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. Uyen’s mother, for instance, hopes that the new bike will help her attend school more frequently, while still assisting with chores around the house. “Education and happiness” is what she wants for her children. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930923535-0HHHW5FOT7NJ8P3IZETZ/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_012.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — riding her new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by human traffickers and crime. To address this issue, the Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who frequently rely on their children for additional economic support. Uyen’s mother, for instance, hopes that the new bike will help her attend school more frequently, while still assisting with chores around the house. “Education and happiness” is what she wants for her children. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930925422-DH4CVDA06855KLUVK931/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_015.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: A group of students, including Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — after receiving their new bikes from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare. Amongst other programs, Rock Paper Scissors partners with organizations like the Red Cross to identify low-income children who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Students in places like Cam Duc often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads. Bikes like the ones that Uyen and her classmates received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The fund is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930929903-5N6DFK58KJHZ4CVR35JJ/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_016.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with the new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families: young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To make matters even worse, Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who use them to commute, or make trips to the market. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930931498-MTASPZHK1PO43UBS68M0/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_027.jpg Obama Foundation Vietnam - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old from Cam Duc, a remote rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — sits in class alongside her fellow students. While she works hard in class, her chances of finishing school are far from guaranteed. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the most economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. Vietnam’s ethnic minorities already account for nearly 50 percent of the country’s poor, and educational segregation often means that students have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families. Young children from Raglai communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/cambodia-a-look-towards-change daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493850559-9CSUX67YAIIEYR81SRGL/001-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodian People Party opens its campaign for the 2013 Cambodian Legislative Elections (Copy) Cambodian People Party opens its campaign for the 2013 Cambodian Legislative Elections June 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Young dancers dressed as doves prepare themselves for the opening ceremony on Koh Pich island (Phnom Penh) for the first day of the 2013 Cambodian Legislative Election campaign. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493851170-6232GTXLD57GU86OUJB1/002-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - 07/07/2013 - CNRP's Youth meeting in Phnom Penh (Copy) 07/07/2013 - CNRP's Youth meeting in Phnom Penh July 07, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands members of the CNRP's (Cambodia National Rescue Party) Youth movement, gathered this afternoon at the Freedom Park in Phnom Penh for a rally. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493860577-DE2USVW3L6HXHQ3VDX8M/003-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Opposition leader Sam Ramsy come back to Cambodia after exile. (Copy) Opposition leader Sam Ramsy come back to Cambodia after exile. July 19, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha leave the airport of Phnom Penh surrounded by thousands of supporters of CNRP party. Rainsy has been in exile since 2009 and his return to Cambodia follows a pardon which was granted the previous week by King Norodom Sihamoni after threats to from US lawmakers to cut off aid if upcoming elections were deemed unfair. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493858174-LWJFYLEV4G4SOJUGMO9Y/004-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change July 25, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Youth actors and Apsara dancers prepare for an event organized by the ruling party at Wat Bopum Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493866140-5SJPWJAN9E2W0ART7U9Y/005-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change July 25, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Finishing touches in preparation for an event organized by the ruling party at Wat Bopum Park for the last days of campaign. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493866622-FMB5DYFN8HSJTHSMIZF0/006-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 (Copy) Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A young CPP (Cambodia People's Party) supporter yawns, waiting the beginning of a parade organized by the ruling party for the last day of campaign for the Cambodian Election 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493872591-KWJDR5A4Y5QAF6A38216/007-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Sam Rainsy continues his campaign around Cambodian provinces (Copy) Sam Rainsy continues his campaign around Cambodian provinces July 21, 2013 - Sihanoukville. Opposition Leader, Sam Rainsy, cheers the crowd during a rally at the Independence Park of Sihanoukville. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493874134-OTD85BA0AS24AQY14VJ5/008-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 (Copy) Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh. CPP (Cambodia People's Party) supporters parade in front of the Independence Monument of Phnom Penh for the last day of campaign for the Cambodian Election 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493881166-VNRVSAE9DDE5XKWKI41P/009-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 (Copy) Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy meets with supporters gathered at Freedom Park in Phnom Penh, on the last day of campaigning for the Cambodian Election 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493881475-6IRW8G6ZB5553PISZPH4/010-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change July 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Two women check their names on a electoral list in a polling station in central Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493887063-N68LZFDE1N5J0Q3WBCJ2/011-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change July 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh. NEC (National Electoral Committee) organises a press conference after the release of a video in which a staffer for election watchdog Comfrel can be seen scrubbing the ink completely from his forefinger in just minutes using a simple solution. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493888836-CRUGNDPDR3PNZ0FBA9AA/012-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen casts his ballot (Copy) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen casts his ballot July 28, 2013 - Ta Khmau. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen casts his ballot during the general elections at Ta Khmau Town in Kandal province, 15km away from the capital Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493891272-VX82B9N5Z0LLUGCF3QVV/013-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 (Copy) Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Many irregularities are reported all over the country and many people couldn't vote because in posses of a old and, apparentely, not valid ID card. 15% of voters – about 1.2 to 1.3 million – were unable to vote because of list irregularities. 1 million ghost names on the voter list and about 200,000 duplicate names. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493894517-V0ET2DWULV94DHSZPIXD/014-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 (Copy) Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A mob errupted in violence after a man punched a monk during an alteration between voters and a National Election Committee employee in Stung Menchey, in the south of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493894859-T3WAZFUO5W6V4WNTPF2L/015-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Violent clashes after the closing of the election in Cambodia (Copy) Violent clashes after the closing of the election in Cambodia July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Disgruntled voters riot and destroy a military police pick-up truck on Sunday evening, following hours of protests over names missing from the vote register at an election voting station in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493898648-1H2O6E8635B1XSLA4PUX/016-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Watching the results (Copy) Watching the results July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodians watch on TV the partial results of the General Elections 2013 in a neighborhood of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493899673-AEEB1JTCLKP2D4JT6THZ/017-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Sam Rainy invite Cambodians to register electoral irregularities (Copy) Sam Rainy invite Cambodians to register electoral irregularities July 31, 2013 - Phnom Penh. CNRP's supporters clean their fingers from the supposedly indelible ink they used to vote during the elections on Sunday 28, 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493905948-KLR4QQK9EUR5C119TNPN/018-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results (Copy) Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of CNRP (Cambodian National Rescue Party) supporters march together with opposition leader Sam Rainsy through the streets of Phnom Penh to protest against the results of the elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493908077-KBSO6JT9F3M1T200Q1T0/019-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results (Copy) Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Police prevents the access to Norodom Boulevard to opposition supporters with barricades of barb wires. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493913689-YBCBHYI7YMVPMYB10L5D/020-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - CNRP supporters continue their protest through the streets of Phnom Penh. (Copy) CNRP supporters continue their protest through the streets of Phnom Penh. September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party march towards Wat Phnom to protest against the results of the elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493912956-5VWQ5FKNBTP7M2MFKYGF/021-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police (Copy) Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police September 15. 2013 - Phnom Penh. CNRP supporters tries to carrying away part of barricades and are targeted by water cannons. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493917878-5EWQ3KT8ORGMR5TT8B4W/022-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police (Copy) Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition party, talks with CNRP supporters and convince them to pacifically leave the "River Side" of Phnom Penh after a clash between police and protesters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom 2013 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493918564-WIKWAHVYA2M4E6SIS4P6/023-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Clashes erupt in Phnom Penh after commuters were barred from returning home. Angry protestors confronted riot police who responded with tear gas and live rounds. The leading opposition party, the CNRP, are holding three day mass demonstrations to contest the Cambodian general election results. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493921331-DQ7CMO8PBE3XG4QLKUXF/024-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A man carries an injured protester to an ambulance. Clashes erupted in Phnom Penh after commuters were barred from returning home. The protestors confronted riot police who responded with tear gas and live rounds leaving one protester dead and several wounded. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493922078-ZX749UJ0I1ISY7JEOO9R/025-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Clashes erupt in Phnom Penh after commuters were barred from returning home. The angry protestors confronted riot police who responded with tear gas and live rounds leaving one protester dead and several wounded. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493928046-FNDRC1T6TQHFRFVI3J9X/026-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Opening ceremony of the Cambodian National Assembly. (Copy) Opening ceremony of the Cambodian National Assembly. September 23, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Finishing touches before the opening ceremony of the new Parliament. The main opposition party, the CNRP decided not to take their seats due to controversy over alleged electoral fraud during the 2013 national elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493928719-4IVJI55LEDP5HDZ0O90N/027-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change October 21, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Riot police push back about a thousand SL garment factory workers who organised a sit-in in front of Prime Minister Hun Sen's house in central Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493931112-4ECKG71R2YVDUUPJ208K/028-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change October 22, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A worker prepares the main stage for the CNRP demonstration announced for the next 3 days in Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493932190-O2FOVU4209HZHGW5JIEX/029-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change October 23, 2013 - Phnom Penh. CNRP leader, Sam Rainsy addresses supporters during a rally in Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493936351-Q2RH3MUX3H2LGKTK3BGS/030-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change October 23, 2013 – Phnom Penh. Cambodia National Rescue Party supporters defy the heat during the first day of protest at Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493935694-IEKQ1TL8881XRSEY0IZS/031-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change October 24, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Monks cheer CNRP party leaders, Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, during the second day of protest at Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493940578-UTU15DKELFZYTBU8APDL/032-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change December 10, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Hundreds Cambodian anti-riot police are deployed to prevent a protest organised by a dozen people in front of the US Embassy during International Human Rights Day. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493940959-E4F7V1FLYRNSVI3VIPQS/033-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change November 12, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodian anti-riot police arrest protesters during a clash between police and garment workers. One woman was shot dead and several injured in the violent clashes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493944473-R84C7NL13VFL23TQYE1S/034-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change November 12, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodian anti-riot police arrest a protester during a clash between police and garment workers. One woman was shot dead and several injured in the violent clashes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493945175-RE0W8GH5FKZ6FD3B0DUC/035-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Violent clashes (Copy) Violent clashes July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A man named as vietnamese has been targeted by mob violence that happened after the closing of the voting polls in Stung Menchey, in the south of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti /Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493951451-LHICJG7RIHIDVR2RX92C/036-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change 27 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A couple of thousand garment factory workers block the road in front of the Ministery of Labour asking to raise the minimum wage to 160 USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493953897-VZIHQYH6YL3QZ5YLGVPR/037-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change 29 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of CNRP supporters take to the streets in Phnom Penh for the 14th day of protest to ask Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493956970-88VFFEIXBYWORWKLOVN9/038-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh (Copy) Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh 03 January, 2014 – Phnom Penh. Protesters set the barricades on fire with old tyres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493958426-F0KA9NT20C7B9RWXWD34/039-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh (Copy) Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh 03 January, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Protesters carry a wounded worker after a clash with military police during a garment workers protest to demand higher wages in front of a factory in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493963252-NAYHRTB27R7RLSWVD3MH/040-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change January 04, 2014 – Phnom Penh Cambodia. A group of hired workers dismantle structures at the camp set up by Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders at Freedom Park. The CNRP had been leading demonstrations in Phnom Penh since early December using Freedom Park as their base. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493964055-8BEYJ4O7OQP1Z9PI0571/041-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change January 04, 2014 – Phnom Penh Cambodia. A group of hired workers dismantle structures at the camp set up by Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders at Freedom Park. The CNRP having been leading demonstrations in Phnom Penh since early December using Freedom Park as their base. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493968854-MMLAWW0E4MIIUORYZ9WC/042-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change January 16, 2014 – Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi is filmed during a press conference at the UN OHCHR offices. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493969548-XQ0EKAFHFJDFI0TEOACQ/043-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change 26 January, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A violent altercation between protesters and Municipality guards erupts after security forces prevented a gathering organised by 9 unions and associations in support for the victims of the clashes of 2 and 3 of January. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493980888-HTA1AOM84WZ9IDVICCGO/044-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change July 16, 2014, Phnom Penh. Heavy rains fall over a group of monks gathered to ask for the liberation of the opposition lawmakers arrested the day before during a clash with municipality guards. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493980009-KCIM8ITDXJDUSUGU5YN9/045-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change July 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. CNRP lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua is greeted by opposition supporters after being released on bail from Prey Sar Prison. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493986673-4LWRDI8P7RO9O4NO7AWV/046-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Hun Sen meets garment workers (Copy) Hun Sen meets garment workers October 11, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attends an event organised in support of garment workers. Since last August Hun Sen has met weekly with thousands of garment workers, handing out cash and also rolled out a raft of new benefits from free medical check-ups to bonuses for pregnant women who give birth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493987749-QKAT22HPHP9Y6WNS97LX/047-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Hun Sen meets garment workers (Copy) Hun Sen meets garment workers October 11, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attends an event organised in support of garment workers. Since last August Hun Sen has met weekly with thousands of garment workers, handing out cash and also rolled out a raft of new benefits from free medical check-ups to bonuses for pregnant women who give birth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493995178-QWE090Q0SQQT5FKLZDQ4/048-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia (Copy) Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia December 3rd, 2017 - Siem Reap ( Cambodia). A group of traiditional Apsara dancers takes a selfie ahead of their performance for the second day of the ‘Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia’ organized by the ruling party. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493995850-KFWC1PRVNKRBM81D4838/049-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia (Copy) Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia December 3rd, 2017 - Siem Reap ( Cambodia). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen together with his wife Bun Rany and their grandson are blessed by a group of monks during the ‘Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia’ organized by the ruling party in front of Angkor Wat temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493996529-Y0UEE1J1MBVLJG5SQID7/050-cambodia_politic.jpg Cambodia a look towards change - Construction of the "Win-Win Monument" (Copy) Construction of the "Win-Win Monument" December 07, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Workers inside the construction site of the "Win-Win memorial" in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changva district. The massive monument is designed to pay homage to the achievements of Prime Minister Hun Sen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/lgbt-indonesia daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869529169-RSYVIHIZT2ZH7DVMJY94/001-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869529786-XF1XTYMP9S1OGN83T6UM/002-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dondu and Tee are two homosexual men who have been in a relationship for the last 8 years. They both work for NGOs focused on HIV prevention, advocacy and research. Dondu’s family stopped talking with him once they found out he was gay and he spent most of his young life with his aunt. He’s really worried about the current situation and he warned Tee many times to be really careful when he’s going out since “dress like that you can get harassed or killed”. Tee was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2010 and Dondu, who doesn’t have the virus, has helped him to take care of his health ever since. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869531590-K39IPP87RXQKR2UUG04N/003-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dondu and Tee are two homosexual men who have been in a relationship for the last 8 years. They both work for NGOs focused on HIV prevention, advocacy and research. Dondu’s family stopped talking with him once they found out he was gay and he spent most of his young life with his aunt. He’s really worried about the current situation and he warned Tee many times to be really careful when he’s going out since “dress like that you can get harassed or killed”. Tee was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2010 and Dondu, who doesn’t have the virus, has helped him to take care of his health ever since. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869532636-2PSORTVOTWAVXZY3MNRU/004-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869535449-YCSMF54FTY6EIE0KVGO5/005-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869535786-S9A3VPUU5UGZDUKXAV71/006-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dondu and Tee are two homosexual men who have been in a relationship for the last 8 years. They both work for NGOs focused on HIV prevention, advocacy and research. Dondu’s family stopped talking with him once they found out he was gay and he spent most of his young life with his aunt. He’s really worried about the current situation and he warned Tee many times to be really careful when he’s going out since “dress like that you can get harassed or killed”. Tee was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2010 and Dondu, who doesn’t have the virus, has helped him to take care of his health ever since. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869537567-9GDGFSOS8MPM9PRV61BA/007-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Lilith is a young pansexual woman who lives and studies in Jakarta. Lilith says she prefers people call her with the pronouns ‘she’, ‘her’, ‘they’ or ‘them’, but prefers ‘they’. Lilith started thinking about their gender identity and sexuality at very young age while they were attending high school. They had previous relationships with cisgender men, a transgender man and cisgender women. They had sexual intercourse for the first time at 17 when their boyfriend raped them. Despite Lilith’s young age, they love talking about feminism and politics and volunteer in a local LGBT rights NGO. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869538609-451KKJJTJEDM4QNTBUB2/008-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Mei was born biologically as a woman, but she doesn’t like to use conventional labels to identify herself. Mei was born and raised in Jakarta from a tolerant Indo-chinese-buddhist family and doesn’t like when people use gender pronouns to address her. Mei considers herself a demisexual and needs to have a strong connection in order to feel attracted to someone. Before the relationship with her girlfriend Khun, Mei was married with a man and had children. Now divorced, Mei had her first relationship with a woman at the age of 33. When Mei started dating women she had to talked to her children about it to avoid misleading gossips. Mei said to the youngest: “Is she kind to me? What do you think about her because some other people will say she's not a nice person? They will say bad things about us. You know what you know, we are happy and she's my partner.” Mei works as photographer and model while Khun works in a garment company. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869541025-FCPKZ3XNCOC8CQENTCYV/009-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dondu and Tee are two homosexual men who have been in a relationship for the last 8 years. They both work for NGOs focused on HIV prevention, advocacy and research. Dondu’s family stopped talking with him once they found out he was gay and he spent most of his young life with his aunt. He’s really worried about the current situation and he warned Tee many times to be really careful when he’s going out since “dress like that you can get harassed or killed”. Tee was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2010 and Dondu, who doesn’t have the virus, has helped him to take care of his health ever since. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869542321-H21GD0SGL4AZYSMSNQ1U/010-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Lilith is a young pansexual woman who lives and studies in Jakarta. Lilith says she prefers people call her with the pronouns ‘she’, ‘her’, ‘they’ or ‘them’, but prefers ‘they’. Lilith started thinking about their gender identity and sexuality at very young age while they were attending high school. They had previous relationships with cisgender men, a transgender man and cisgender women. They had sexual intercourse for the first time at 17 when their boyfriend raped them. Despite Lilith’s young age, they love talking about feminism and politics and volunteer in a local LGBT rights NGO. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869546763-HZRIDO5AHKILS7VTFK66/011-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dondu and Tee are two homosexual men who have been in a relationship for the last 8 years. They both work for NGOs focused on HIV prevention, advocacy and research. Dondu’s family stopped talking with him once they found out he was gay and he spent most of his young life with his aunt. He’s really worried about the current situation and he warned Tee many times to be really careful when he’s going out since “dress like that you can get harassed or killed”. Tee was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2010 and Dondu, who doesn’t have the virus, has helped him to take care of his health ever since. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869545463-MRQRIS13M07B8KINWEQZ/012-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Mei was born biologically as a woman, but she doesn’t like to use conventional labels to identify herself. Mei was born and raised in Jakarta from a tolerant Indo-chinese-buddhist family and doesn’t like when people use gender pronouns to address her. Mei considers herself a demisexual and needs to have a strong connection in order to feel attracted to someone. Before the relationship with her girlfriend Khun, Mei was married with a man and had children. Now divorced, Mei had her first relationship with a woman at the age of 33. When Mei started dating women she had to talked to her children about it to avoid misleading gossips. Mei said to the youngest: “Is she kind to me? What do you think about her because some other people will say she's not a nice person? They will say bad things about us. You know what you know, we are happy and she's my partner.” Mei works as photographer and model while Khun works in a garment company. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869549652-6PCSUXU5HVBP6LMM0QUP/013-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Masboi and Bintang met through Tinder and they have been together for a year. Masboi is a transgender man and Bintang is a cisgender woman unsure if she identifies herself as bisexual or just lesbian. Masboi felt like a boy since his childhood but he wasn’t sure about transitioning until he was 30 years old. Bintang doesn’t remember when she started feeling attracted to tomboy looking girls and she was in denial until recently. She thinks that what they do is a sin according to their religion, but she is trying her best to be a better human being despite of what the religion believes. They were both raised in conservative muslim families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869549651-AMD4OTCW1X01C1L669DF/014-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Lilith is a young pansexual woman who lives and studies in Jakarta. Lilith says she prefers people call her with the pronouns ‘she’, ‘her’, ‘they’ or ‘them’, but prefers ‘they’. Lilith started thinking about their gender identity and sexuality at very young age while they were attending high school. They had previous relationships with cisgender men, a transgender man and cisgender women. They had sexual intercourse for the first time at 17 when their boyfriend raped them. Despite Lilith’s young age, they love talking about feminism and politics and volunteer in a local LGBT rights NGO. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869556265-G00CJQ2L521XMZJZFE68/015-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Ezra is a young homosexual man who was born and raised in Jakarta. In 2017 was arrested in a raid in a sauna with other 141 men. He was then sentenced to 2 ½ years under the antipornography law with other 9 men. It was only after the raid that her mother knew he was gay, something he wasn’t ready to tell her. Since his release from prison, he has been struggling to find a job as his name and photo were all over the media. Ezra is now trying to keep a low profile and he’s doing his best to overcome this very difficult moment for him and his family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869553291-25T1R1A5ITNOJREPT38B/016-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869557296-DXTKFABHA0QW61E5W995/017-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dondu and Tee are two homosexual men who have been in a relationship for the last 8 years. They both work for NGOs focused on HIV prevention, advocacy and research. Dondu’s family stopped talking with him once they found out he was gay and he spent most of his young life with his aunt. He’s really worried about the current situation and he warned Tee many times to be really careful when he’s going out since “dress like that you can get harassed or killed”. Tee was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2010 and Dondu, who doesn’t have the virus, has helped him to take care of his health ever since. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869614392-IO54E2HHI9CCAPIWWY3C/022-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Mei and Khun were both born biologically as a woman, but they don’t like to use conventional labels to identify themselves. They meet in an event for queer people in Jakarta. Originally from West Borneo, Khun felt attracted to girls since she was a kid. Her family was quite accepting when she decided to come out to them and she considers herself quite lucky for that. Mei was born and raised in Jakarta from a tolerant Indo-chinese-buddhist family and doesn’t like when people use gender pronouns to address her. Mei considers herself a demisexual and needs to have a strong connection in order to feel attracted to someone. Before the relationship with Khun, Mei was married with a man and had children. Now divorced, Mei had her first relationship with a woman at the age of 33. When Mei started dating women she had to talked to her children about it to avoid misleading gossips. Mei said to the youngest: “Is she kind to me? What do you think about her because some other people will say she's not a nice person? They will say bad things about us. You know what you know, we are happy and she's my partner.” Mei works as photographer and model while Khun works in a garment company. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869560952-NI1AKR0P8G17BKOZGOUH/018-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Ezra is a young homosexual man who was born and raised in Jakarta. In 2017 was arrested in a raid in a sauna with other 141 men. He was then sentenced to 2 ½ years under the antipornography law with other 9 men. It was only after the raid that her mother knew he was gay, something he wasn’t ready to tell her. Since his release from prison, he has been struggling to find a job as his name and photo were all over the media. Ezra is now trying to keep a low profile and he’s doing his best to overcome this very difficult moment for him and his family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869563295-QX8EYCRJ6NRWIQCXPLV6/019-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dana is 28 years old homosexual man who was born in Jakarta and raised in Bogor, a conservative city located 60 kilometers from Jakarta. He realised he was gay when he was just 13, but he hid his sexual identity until he started studying at the university where he found a more tolerant environment. He recently came out to his mother after years of struggling and she said: “I still hope that one day you might settle down with a woman, but even if it won't be, I still love you as my son”. Dana says he can’t explain how lightweight he felt at that time. He likes older men and he was in a couple of long term relationship. He thinks the only way for him to feel comfortable being who he is is to leave Indonesia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869566443-0C9DE6RFPQYRT31FSC2H/020-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Ezra is a young homosexual man who was born and raised in Jakarta. In 2017 was arrested in a raid in a sauna with other 141 men. He was then sentenced to 2 ½ years under the antipornography law with other 9 men. It was only after the raid that her mother knew he was gay, something he wasn’t ready to tell her. Since his release from prison, he has been struggling to find a job as his name and photo were all over the media. Ezra is now trying to keep a low profile and he’s doing his best to overcome this very difficult moment for him and his family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869566686-A0ZUG3VQ8LACDIWV6AHB/021-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg LGBT Indonesia - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Dana is 28 years old homosexual man who was born in Jakarta and raised in Bogor, a conservative city located 60 kilometers from Jakarta. He realised he was gay when he was just 13, but he hid his sexual identity until he started studying at the university where he found a more tolerant environment. He recently came out to his mother after years of struggling and she said: “I still hope that one day you might settle down with a woman, but even if it won't be, I still love you as my son”. Dana says he can’t explain how lightweight he felt at that time. He likes older men and he was in a couple of long term relationship. He thinks the only way for him to feel comfortable being who he is is to leave Indonesia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/champa-1 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847099547-JDCRF6CJN2BO25O7UQ27/001-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa August 08, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa is the first openly transgender boxer in Cambodia. Because of the discrimination she endures as a transgender boxer, she was forced to quit her profession and became a sex worker. She now earns her living educating sex workers about their rights and occasionally turning to sex work herself. She was diagnosed with HIV twelve years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847101868-R4T1YTCW7YQ95ZXZY7BH/002-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa August 05, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa holds an old photo of her taken for an ID card. Aside from the general provisions in its Constitution, Cambodia has no laws specifically protecting or recognizing members of the LGBT community against discrimination or violence. The authorities also seem to have gone back on their promises to include lesbians and transgender women within the ambit of an action plan to stop gender-based violence. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847109684-3DRUDABEMONTETSIT5RO/003-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa gets ready to go out to work. She is the first openly transgender boxer in Cambodia. Because of the discrimination she endures as a transgender boxer, she was forced to quit her profession and became a sex worker. She now earns her living educating sex workers about their rights and occasionally turning to sex work herself. She was diagnosed with HIV twelve years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847115344-OOW5RGKE5VLKTZ2W5EPA/004-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa August 05, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa buys fruits in a market stall in front of her house. Champa is the first openly transgender boxer in Cambodia. Because of the discrimination she endures as a transgender boxer, she was forced to quit her profession and became a sex worker. She now earns her living educating sex workers about their rights and occasionally turning to sex work herself. She was diagnosed with HIV twelve years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847121541-KPY6KAT6US8J2KJNQX5T/005-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa July 13, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa talks with a sex worker and a group of clients along the riverside of Phnom Penh, one of the places frequented by tourists and "sexpats" of the capital. At the age of 42 years, Champa works for the Women's Network for Unity, an organization that helps Cambodian sex-workers and transgender people. She spends many of her evenings talking and educating them about safe sex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847127848-FKHOQNUDTMNOOI9J8WSC/006-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa practices a song in preparation of a wedding ceremony. In addition to her work for the NGO, Champa makes a living singing, performing at weddings and birthday parties. An activity that, as she says, brings her a "infinite joy". © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847129853-YFXPWB4BMFWLT82YR308/007-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa practices a song in preparation of a wedding ceremony together with her former boyfriend. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847132438-M3JJIZUUMEJQ39UT1YON/008-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A transgender sexworker prepares herself for the night. Contrary to what is happening in neighboring Thailand, the vast majority of transgender people in Cambodia do not have sufficient financial means to afford the cost for sex reassignment and spend a little money in hormonal pills of poor quality and of dubious origin. In many cases, the transition takes place with just a touch of mascara, a cheap foundation cream and some lipstick. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847138620-PIVAO477NCA4OPPXZW5A/009-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 16, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa during the 80th birthday party that her lesbian friends organized for their mother in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847139384-TR4R5PAE07BKNKALND61/010-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 16, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa’s friends dry themselves after a swim in the Mekong river. Together with Champa, they were participating in the 80th birthday party that their lesbian friends organized for their mother. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847152645-WJBZK9W350U7HGRKG0LE/011-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa March 16, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa dances during the 80th birthday party that her lesbian friends organized for their mother in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847149878-G7FNVZZ7GN48CGRWCP0Z/012-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa August 08, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa takes pills for HIV treatment in her home. Having been herself a sex-worker full time and being HIV positive for more than 12 years, she is very aware of the dangers related to the profession and spends much of her time working as a sex educator. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847154404-WUI4UHWCQ049J4XEASP0/013-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg Champa July 13, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa talks with a group of sex worker along the riverside of Phnom Penh, one of the places frequented by tourists and "sexpats" of the capital. At the age of 42 years, Champa works for the Women's Network for Unity, an organization that helps Cambodian sex-workers and transgender people. She spends many of her evenings talking and educating them about safe sex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/galleryvientianerescue daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352018384-3ZSO9BO0EV6K2XQ02SXP/vientiane_rescue-1.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A pop group performs during a concert in a club in the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352012397-QZGYELZX8QRHGXX87JW0/vientiane_rescue-2.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A drunk young man rests on a sofa outside a club in the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352025181-I7X1MJBLB3KBIMJX5AJ0/vientiane_rescue-3.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a young driver victim of a traffic accident. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352030601-FNMX4CBLUU8VIXRHLOG1/vientiane_rescue-4.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret together with other volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a young driver who lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352035377-ULLUJRH1MOUBHBGEY1LF/vientiane_rescue-5.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of bystanders is seen reflected through a mirror of a motorbike whose owner was victim of a traffic accident happened nearby. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352036826-EMNX6VZN9YV6FWKLQNYD/vientiane_rescue-6.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young motorbike driver victim of a traffic accident. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352053995-XTUVNP27G04WCDBEC407/vientiane_rescue-7.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of bystanders checks the wreckage of a car that crashed into a palm tree after the driver, a young woman, tried to run away after a hit-and-run with a motorbike. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352054558-YY200QF39IFNTQTPFUOX/vientiane_rescue-8.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young motorbike driver victim of a traffic accident. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352063151-Z49BF0AUM66E98GR6Q1C/vientiane_rescue-9.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Two volunteers of Vientiane Rescue cleans the ambulance after they successfully assisted and transported a victim of a traffic accident to the local hospital. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352067706-22MWQ81D78WGU3WXIJG3/vientiane_rescue-10.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret chats with a group of volunteers of Vientiane Rescue after they successfully assisted and transported a victim of a traffic accident to the local hospital. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352070633-1J0MSOKFP00BUZK88VE9/vientiane_rescue-11.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Mimi (25) blows out candles for her birthday surrounded by a group of volunteers at Dong Duk station. She’s the call Centre manager and she’s been volunteering with Vientiane Rescue for 5 years. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352074933-T0BEUCH207KWHQO3L4GR/vientiane_rescue-12.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Johnson (25), receives updates from the call center of Vientiane Rescue via radio during a rescue mission. He’s a commercial pilot for Lao Skyway and he received a series of rescue training in Thailand such as EMT and rescue diving. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352077336-0YKNHHWIV2YH5K7T8SMB/vientiane_rescue-13.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young driver after he fell with his motorbike outside a popular bar joint in the outskirts of Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352086437-QRTOPFH4HVCBTKYBOTHA/vientiane_rescue-14.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young driver after he fell with his motorbike outside a popular bar joint in the outskirts of Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352096761-ZBRO4WTEFZNE1NFUEIQS/vientiane_rescue-15.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret together with other volunteers of Vientiane Rescue enjoy a cup of noodle after an evening of work through the streets of Vientiane. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352098624-BE07RVKKOJ4AF29BV75W/vientiane_rescue-16.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Vientiane Rescue volunteers relax and watch Youtube videos between calls at Dong Kuk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352108136-0IE9IYTDABLT49XXU68U/vientiane_rescue-17.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352108501-Z4CRC3HQIY5U8FJ40A0Q/vientiane_rescue-18.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Kik (24) works as cashier at a local bank. She’s an emergency medical technician (EMT) trained in Thailand. She’s the one taking care of the newcomers and leads the team during emergency response. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352122203-648AV13MLB6W1JJWO99F/vientiane_rescue-19.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). AI’s son Ton and his wife Phone, help him with a presentation on fire security. AI, works as engineer at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Vientiane and he’s in charge of fire related safety and fire and gas system. He’s been part of Vientiane Rescue for over 2.5 years. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352122451-5ST2JOAW1J6BI6S6SQ8A/vientiane_rescue-20.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Johnson (25) in his office at Vientiane airport. He’s a commercial pilot for Lao Skyway and he received a series of rescue training in Thailand such as EMT and rescue diving. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352129067-FKOU9GKSW0E19DN3I0YH/vientiane_rescue-21.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). AI’s son Ton helps him with a presentation on fire security. AI, works as engineer at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Vientiane and he’s in charge of fire related safety and fire and gas system. They are both volunteers at Vientiane Rescue. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352127431-UKI1APMYMEL7YD8EA24X/vientiane_rescue-22.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Ton (15) gets ready for an evening of work at Dong Duk station. His father Ai, introduced him to Vientiane Rescue a couple of years ago and he’s now one of the youngest volunteer. Despite his really young age, he already received EMT training in Thailand and he’s serious committed to the cause. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352130983-2JLFVPH42MN7VGE6SNFX/vientiane_rescue-23.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Ai and his son Ton leave their house for an evening of work at Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352149772-J6VI8D3DZLHQU1V6TY6Y/vientiane_rescue-24.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Vientiane Rescue volunteers relax themselves inside the calling center of Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352166570-GQKLUFRCUUTYYJAK2XFB/vientiane_rescue-25.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Ai and his son Ton check the level of oxygen in some tanks at Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352166846-DKD5F3U5SVKJV6RP1OGM/vientiane_rescue-26.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret greets the family of Anoukhong Keoounheuane - the chief of NongHai station - during a video call. Anoukhong has been with Vientiane Rescue for over 7 years and among the first ones to join the team of volunteers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352175551-MQYRIGS4FUVPEGNQVFWD/vientiane_rescue-27.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of volunteers of Vientiane Rescue have fun in between calls at Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352173380-F5IHSMQBNVCOVPBG92VH/vientiane_rescue-28.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Young people consume alcohol in a restaurant located in the outskirts of the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352189257-9XTK3ZEA14I6M94D6HK6/vientiane_rescue-29.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Young people consume alcohol in a restaurant located in the outskirts of the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352188481-RFOX8SLH123XQZE8VK4I/vientiane_rescue-30.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a victim of a traffic accident. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352201658-CF93ZLJJBJTMLUVDEU9Y/vientiane_rescue-31.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a victim of a traffic accident. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352214349-IP5SNHFZM8W2U4Y6ETQ9/vientiane_rescue-32.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of 3 friends on a motorbike the parking lot of a restaurant on a motorbike. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352227929-TOP66Z3DCZ1IVP57OU9K/vientiane_rescue-33.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young woman victim domestic violence. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352227796-73BHASNQCGWNEAC7J5II/vientiane_rescue-34.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A volunteer of Vientiane Rescue reports the vital signs of a victim of a traffic accident her team recently brought to the local hospital. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352241866-VO7PVLQFRYK3EXZDV7UW/vientiane_rescue-35.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Kik (24) together with other volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a young driver who lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. She’s an emergency medical technician (EMT) trained in Thailand. She’s the one taking care of the newcomers and leads the team during emergency response. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352239534-269V8UPJ8X07TWMV48YO/vientiane_rescue-36.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Kik (24) and her team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assist a victim of a traffic accident. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352243719-QGO5ET7FBWKGEOJ6HBGP/vientiane_rescue-37.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352246081-DKSSEA8A0BLXK72RILBU/vientiane_rescue-38.jpg Vientiane Rescue gallery - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Vientiane Rescue volunteers rest between calls at Dong Kuk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/travel-portfolio daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967937140-6EFQ4N9T5WANWMWWZS9T/001_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio March 31, 2014 - Siem Reap. Tourists visit the Bayon Temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967937549-QTHDAJWGHQTRXVJIIC93/002_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 13, 2012 - Shwe Nyaung (Myanmar). Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung Monastery is located just a few kilometers outside Shwe Nyaung, the main touristic city in the Inle Lake’s region.The temple, built entirely of teak, provides education to a large number of very young monks and is famous for its oval windows. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967939979-K8TMTALWU8FFN82PDQY9/003_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio July 29, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A Phnong family sits around the fire inside a traditional house in Busra village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967941435-MHMVQSG0GFDC0AQD9HQD/004_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Kampong Phluk (Copy) Kampong Phluk November 13, 2012 - Kampong Phluk (Cambodia). A girl enjoys the heavy rain in the small village of Kampong Phluk, a few km outside Siem Reap. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967946984-E4CIF457QTSL2Z6A0KG7/005_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio December 29, 2014 - Hong Kong. The Hong Kong skyline from The Peak. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967946280-IOW5D5O2Z8T0DL8UYRAL/006_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio November 42, 2011 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A man controls the fire on his field. People in this village are indigenous but nowadays they seem to have lost most of their ancient traditions, as they have adopted many Western customs, such as the way they dress and, above all, the fact that they are now burning the forests that surround their village in order to plant potatoes and rubber trees. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967950830-BUB8EXGBG1XL3529NYTH/007_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Inside the 969 Movement - The Myanmar Buddhist radicals (Copy) Inside the 969 Movement - The Myanmar Buddhist radicals June 22, 2013 - Yangon (Myanmar). Young Buddhist nuns board the ferry crossing the Hlaing river over to downton Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967951225-1HF3MCZS6E5219QXGWNN/008_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 13, 2014 - Tehran (Iran). Female polo players are awarded after winning the 83rd Federation of the International Polo Ambassadors’ Cup, organised in a field located in the south of Tehran. Among the participants, Morgan Ru (wearing a yellow cap), the first American woman to play polo in Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967956425-ZPNWUEEHIQ80560Y606Z/009_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 2, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Passengers on the ferry crossing the Yangon river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967956773-92DXMXO2EDZJLD4AWKSV/010_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 05, 2012 - Saigon (Vietnam). Young people outisde a coffe in Saigon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967960273-0H7AEL0BVLNDBAHS6IV4/011_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - An afternoon in the arena: Neak Pradals (cambodian boxers) (Copy) An afternoon in the arena: Neak Pradals (cambodian boxers) June 30, 2012 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A boxer is prepared minutes before the beginning of a match. Every weekends, CTN studio hosts the matches of Neak Pradals (Cambodian Boxers), the most important sport event for the people of Phnom Penh. Its roots are very ancient, but unlike Muay Thai, this sport hasn't any international recognition. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967961074-TSM33SBC2952N8AHGIA2/012_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio june 14, 2010 - New York City. A group of nurses walks in the streets of Manhattan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967971777-OWWF2VL4XM7RAHMTWOJQ/013_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race (Copy) Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race 04/10/2013 - Vihear Suor (Kandal - Cambodia). Cambodians compete in a Khmer wrestling match during the annual Pchum Ben (Festival of the Dead) held in the small village of VIhear Suor. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967970359-TVZYUW4DXWKSH40RPGHO/014_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 20, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). People pray inside the courtyard of the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu - also known as Bodnath, is the biggest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan temple outside Tibet. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967972822-WBH1O6M6QZGCAU1UT095/015_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio July 3, 2012 - Dubai (UAE). A girl sits on a moving walkway inside Dubai’s international airport. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967977396-MLMZE3CGMXGO516T9OEE/016_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio January 07, 2010 - Takayama (Japan). Snow over the local cemetery in Takayama. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967976675-SVUHSPGU1QB716SOX9CU/017_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 08, 2014 - Urmia, Iran. Iranian youths take pictures of the surface of Urmia lake with their smartphones. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967981531-6TKIBSTP2Q3I6DG6NC9Z/018_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 10, 2012 - Tra Vinh (VIetman). A violent storm over the centre of Tra Vinh, in the Mekong Delta region. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967983968-1JFIF9E2HSX4FFRWSJ4B/019_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar August 31, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Passengers on a public bus. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967986065-A3K2R8CUQ65PNC14R048/020_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 20, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). Buddhist monks in front of the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu - also known as Bodnath, is the biggest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan temple outside Tibet. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967991335-O4JRUW4U2LAOHOM70N6J/021_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio December 02, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small port of Laxe bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967994200-45UOVOONZ9G9WY0W1D9A/022_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 21, 2014 - Yazd (Iran). Customers in a fast food restaurant react after Argentina scored a goal against Iran in the last minutes of their first match of the 2014 World Cup. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967998217-BMMDXCASG3JVTGHSDML5/023_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 6, 2012 - Pyin U Lwin (Myanmar). Passengers wait for the train to Hsipaw. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968002797-A1VOB7VD9O4FBZLRM4DF/024_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Lethwei: burmese boxe (Copy) Lethwei: burmese boxe September 16, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Several times a month the “Theinbyu Sports Hall” in Yangon hosts matches of "Lethwei", the burmese boxe (entry fees from 5 USD). Dates to at least the 11th century, was used by Burmese monks to defend themselves and by warriors to protect the king. It is now a way for young men from Myanmar’s impoverished countryside to fight their way to a better life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968005713-RW79PDLM961X7M069DSK/025_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 05, 2012 - Saigon (Vietnam). An army officer guards the entrance of a governamental building. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968008215-CUS3KERRF78C1PYFF1QZ/026_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Khmer Krom (Copy) Khmer Krom August 09, 2012, Thra Vin (Vietnam). The local market of Tra Vinh, a province home to over 140 Khmer pagodas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968013732-LG3ZEYBJJIFW8UE8MPZW/027_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Monks pay respect for the death of Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. (Copy) Monks pay respect for the death of Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. October 20, 2012 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). About 3500 monks come from all over Cambodia to pray and to pay respect to the former king Sihanouk on the fourth day of commemoration of his death in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968018813-LXLVDTXNFDIAS0ST52EW/028_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - The school of circus of Battambang (Copy) The school of circus of Battambang June 22, 2012 - Battambang (Cambodia). "Phare Ponleu Selpak"PPS is a Cambodian association using arts to answer children psycho social needs. One of the most important program is the circus school, that provides teaching in the major disciplines as juggling, acrobatics, aerial acts, clowning, balancing, dancing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968020111-1JYYUI2Q0QZXL8R58P41/029_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 12, 2012, Soc Trang (Vietnam). A Khmer Krom's devotee helps monks to prepare the Wat Mahatup Pagoda for a ceremony. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968024294-9075F8DLTDM1KT51TNCY/030_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Thaipusam Festival Kuala Lumpur (Copy) Thaipusam Festival Kuala Lumpur January 27, 2013 - Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968028585-S9PEX2DLP5VOEYINRNFB/031_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 15, 2012 - Chau Doc (Vietnam). A view of the Cham cemetery of Chau Doc. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968032594-6B4LETDXHJQNKS36P2O0/032_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio September 20, 2014 - Meo Vac (Vietnam). The Ma Pi Leng Pass between Dong Van and Meo Vac, is considered one the most spectacular road in Vietnam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968035059-48U0RJ2SI6GIUM2O7YBN/033_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 6, 2012 - Hsipaw (Myanmar). A train passes over the Goteik Viaduct on its 8 hours journey between Pyin U Lwin and Hsipaw. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968036959-M0E8I621YF3S18NHZE20/034_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio July 28, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Reflections in a rice field. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968037873-WDV5NIFQG92M2MORUONQ/035_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 9, 2014 - Koh Preah (Cambodia). Fishermen at work in front of Koh Preah. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968043832-TW8S0DY11FJI9V1M0EVB/036_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. A kid swims in a fountain close to the holy shrine of Qom, in central Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968044235-SCOE2DC4BJFML40JTHYH/037_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Starling Pepper Farm - Kampot (Cambodia) (Copy) Starling Pepper Farm - Kampot (Cambodia) February 1st, 2014 - Kampot (Cambodia). A woman collects pepper inside the Starling Pepper plantation in Kampot. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968052109-KWQYMYE848TPB7GCLLGC/038_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - The Si Phan Don's fishermens (Copy) The Si Phan Don's fishermens August 04, 2013 - Si Phan Don (Laos). A fisherman fights against the ferocious current of the Khone Phapheng falls, in order to clean a "Ly Trap" - a traditional bamboo made trap - from debries. Traps need continuous maintenance as sticks, small branches and grass get entangled, which would deprive the fishermen of their catch – and their only income. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968052108-IHVHRI22LVBGPKJAKTW0/039_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Los Percebeiros de Laxe (Copy) Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros, try to escape from a unexpected wave. Despite the bad condition of the sea, they decided to go out and harvest anyway. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968057776-SHJOLZNIC5YA5CWNNJ81/040_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race (Copy) Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race October 04, 2013 - Vihear Suor (Kandal - Cambodia). Chap Linch (25), cleans his horse minutes before the beginning of the annual races held as part of the Festival of the Dead (Pchum Ben) in the small village of Vihear Suor.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968062588-8OS9BCU9N18U1WBQSY01/041_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio November 4, 2013 - Areng Valley (Koh Kong). A monk during a tree-blessing ceremony in a forest nearby Pra Lay Village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968066134-CXZI0OQNG0SQQ952WCOF/042_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio February 14, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Young people enter Lux Cinema for the afternoon screening of a khmer commedy movie. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968066865-TRUZEK9TP37N3E01VMDN/043_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio April 4, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A man walks over a structure inside Kids City. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968070981-NTFSSZ46N002MT3FDFBB/044_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio April 4, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A family of tourist walks pass by the Royal Palace. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968073463-2008Q2QBOTK2SUNHCR00/045_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio July 29, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A Phnong mother with her baby pose inside a traditional house in Busra village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968082282-O1AO8DU3JHA48TXZ8XJY/046_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 22, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). A family prepares the body of a loved one for an open-air cremation at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu - locals believe that the deceased person sin's are cleaned away submerging his feet in the Bagmati river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968080015-5S0MIEDN7HHSL4TYUIZ1/047_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio October 26, 2013 - Kampong Chhnang. Garment factory workers come back home in Span Dieg village, 40km north of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968091152-9D47MIDBZACL4IGOQBCN/048_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 8, 2014 - Urmia (Iran). A sheperd with his sheeps around Urmia lake. Today, the lake is a shadow of its former self. Decades of poor water management, aggressive agricultural policies and drought have rendered it almost completely dried up. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968092466-SU1SFJ2Y2QD7QRQ1ROJD/049_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio September 22, 2014 - Meo Vac (Vietnam). Locals harvest a rice field in the outskirts of Tam Son. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968095094-IJBB6R6BOIZDVRP68S14/050_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio September 2, 2014 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian youths take a selfie on the roof of the recently built Aeon mall. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968098655-OMBR4TF4ZF8P0VPWNB7M/051_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio November 29, 2013 - Lvea village, Prey Veng. A boy rides a water buffalo back home. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968101078-MZ1TLBWPLIWMSC0467GQ/052_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 21, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). Buddhist monks play football in the courtyard of a monastery nearby Swayambunath Stupa in Kathmandu. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968108369-BNB150M0YB3RELMXGSQD/053_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 12, 2014 - Tehran (Iran). A woman walks in front of a light decoration installed to celebrate the birthday of Imam Mahdi. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968107772-H9PTHMG4F82ES4NFQ4HH/054_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio December 29, 2014 - Hong Kong. Rush hour in the metro of Hong Kong. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968111935-YO235MTUGLIJNMGZBCH2/055_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio February 05, 2011 - Hanoi (Vietnam). An army officer waits the train at Hanoi station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968113350-1DFDDY2BXJOKNTMMHTKK/056_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio April 19, 2014 - Jakarta (Indonesia). Catching an early flight at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968115489-YO375ZPWY0QV8KTCHVNL/057_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio September 19, 2014 - Don Vang (Vietnam). A girl waits in a hairdresser in the center of Don Vang. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968118555-L8OAH7X3PCR6IK6ODRQ4/058_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio June 22, 2014 - Yazd (Iran). Locals gathered at Jame Mosque of Yazd. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968119627-FSCXNKBKIJPNNHJ9UK81/059_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio January 07, 2010 - Takayama (Japan). A truck in a snoewd parking in Takayama. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968120710-7E65W87VBQKFVAVRM4V2/060_travel_photography.jpg Travel Portfolio - Los Percebeiros de Laxe (Copy) Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 18, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A view of the sealight of Laxe. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/pasola-festival-1 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941182171-IIK7EXUN5UTSXJ96K7SR/001-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A kid rides a horse on the beach in front of Wainyapu. The remote village is situated along the west coast of Sumba island, and is one of the location of the centuries-old harvest festival known as Pasola. The festival involves two teams of men on horseback charging towards each other while trying to hit their rivals with 'pasol' javelins and avoid being hit themselves. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941182175-THZH0NDPFHE3XGE47OIZ/002-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Matthias (center) is the person who's taking care of the Christian rituals for the community. Even if the villagers continue to mantain some of the ancient Marapu traditions, such as the Pasola, they're officially Christians and they tend to mix the two beliefs in a very unique way. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941187431-MQIL116WMM48HK95KH79/003-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter (15) helps his family making banana sweets for Good Friday. Christian occurrences - such as Christmas and Easter -are celebrated in Wainyapu but are mixed with the traditional Marapu elements such as animal sacrifices and ancestral dancing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941187945-5DZU1TB2OF4OVJAOUM36/004-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Kids wait outside the small church of the village for the end of the mass held the night before Good Friday. Even if the villagers continue to mantain some of the ancient Marapu traditions, such as the Pasola, they're officially Christians and they celebrate Easter and Christmas, mixing the two beliefs in a very unique way. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941192172-I4CJMQUBRTKIOKICY0RR/005-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John (center) performs a traditional dancing during the mass hold the night before Good Friday in the small church of the village. John is a veteran of many Pasola. He started when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941195816-1NKNNCPY89S8XV6VZE72/006-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter cleans the body of a dog that has been sacrificed for the Good Friday. In rotation, each family in the village provide animals such as pigs, chickens and dogs for being sacrificed during religious ceremonies such as Christmas, Easter, funerals or weddings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941200027-4LYL904DNXQATA3US8XR/007-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Villagers cut the bodies of two pigs and a dog that have been sacrificed for the Good Friday. In rotation, each family in the village provide animals such as pigs, chickens and dogs for being sacrificed during religious ceremonies such as Christmas, Easter, funerals or weddings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941202616-2821V2IK423Z6TMKZ6RC/008-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Woman and girls perform a ritual dancing during the mass hold for Good Friday in the small church of the village. Christian occurrences - such as Christmas and Easter -are celebrated in Wainyapu but are mixed with the traditional Marapu elements such as animal sacrifices and ancestral dancing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941207850-KMIEPUEGYQBI55L3NCIC/009-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Food is brought inside the small church of the village to celebrate Good Friday. In rotation, each family in the village provide animals such as pigs, chickens and dogs for being sacrificed during religious ceremonies such as Christmas, Easter, funerals or weddings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941210095-Q9MLCSSJBDSBYWD793SB/010-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John - a veteran of many Pasola - bradles his horse. He started participating in the Pasola when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. Behind John, the tombs where the bodies of the ancestors of the villagers are buried. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941219409-YJRLVSO2S6FNM38LM7D5/011-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter (15) practices with the 'pasol' javelins ahead of the first Pasola that will be hold the day after in the village of Ratenggaro. Peter participated in the Pasola for the first time 3 years ago and rides a horse that belongs to his uncle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941224362-9EBPPD1S0KW8WC2FROME/012-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Villagers gather inside the house of the "Rato" - the traditional priest leader - singing a traditional song to call the "Nyale" - a sea worm that normally appears on the shore on Pasola day. The number of nyale collected is believed to be a sign of the richness of the farmers’ next harvest season. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941225147-ZZ2FUDI8Y313RLQ0L8U4/013-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). View of the traditional Sumbanese houses of the village. The central part of the construction is used as a chimney. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941228227-D1LCN70TMCB8JBRKMNSG/014-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John helps his nephew Peter to get dress up for the first (of the three) Pasola hold in the nearby village of Ratenggaro. The warriors are not wearing any protection against the spears, just a sarong tightly rolled around the abdomen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941230425-GBQ3ILF5XBQZOE1IPZTL/015-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter prepares his horse for the first (of the three) Pasola hold in the nearby village of Ratenggaro. Peter participated in the Pasola for the first time 3 years ago and rides a horse that belongs to his uncle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941236443-CEC2U4URWGOP7SW6BE42/016-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). Pasola riders throw their spears hoping to strike a member of the opposing clan. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941238512-UUB3ZMCUM65KTCWK2VQA/017-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). Peter looks at the field where his team members are fighting. Peter is 15 years old and he participated in his first Pasola just 3 years ago. He confessed that he loves riding but he's still very scared of being hit by a spear and get injured. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941247687-OGVA7CB107D7CM911ONL/018-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). A rider who just got hit by a spear in the head , is surrounded by members of his clan. The festival can be really dangerous for its participants and fatal injuries still do occurs. Furthermore, Sumbanese believe that blood will fertilize the land and produce a better harvest. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941248467-OSCUFDY3AA88WXGFYBTL/019-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). After a couple of hours of fighting, members of the two teams started throwing stones at each other, resulting in police shooting tear gas to prevent further violence. Many Pasola festivals ended violently in the past, and nowadays police and army are deployed to prevent clashes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941257813-GUOX4158B85MX6UR6SXC/020-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 27, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter watches his uncle John preparing the Pasolas, the wooden spears used for the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941265115-BWQ3CWNWORXV44GZT2NE/021-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 27, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter and his uncle John cut grass and corn to feed their horses in a field outside the village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941266046-HV3S50OTOFVIOIUGZ7P7/022-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 27, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John cleans his horse in the river that divides Wainyapu and Ratenggaro. He started participating in the Pasola when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941271149-RMN9I1BSWC9ZM3TRLY5S/023-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter's family woke up early and prepare breakfast before heading to the nearby beach to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941271155-RU3I8R7L3MSMQ35NOO7S/024-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter's family walk to the nearby beach to meet with the other villagers and collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941275772-U8WUJIU2D0UVQW6TO3R2/025-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Villagers look at the shore with the hope of finding some "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. Unfortunately they couldn't find any. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941278894-R4YDVT9NCUCSNE6NP0IX/026-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Waiha (Indonesia). A rider gets hit by a spear thrown by an opponent. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941284915-TNYX5BTGOL9AXOUXAKNW/027-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Waiha (Indonesia). Spectators wait for the beginning of the second Pasola in the village of Waiha a few km outside Wainyapu. Even if considered by manys as a just training ahead of the big Pasola of Wainyapu, Waiha's festival is stills a good opportunity for the fighters to warm it up. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941286825-CTEWXYRMQAY20KC4E7LD/028-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Waiha (Indonesia). A rider throwns a spear towards an opponent. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941295922-7GXJVA994ZYFNA46G6RW/030-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). The evening before the big Pasola of Wainyapu, Peter's mother and sisters participate together with all the female villagers in a blessing ceremony lighting up candles and offering betel nuts to the tombs of their ancestors The tombs are normally built a few meters outside the houses as the villagers believe their ancestors will protect them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941300623-2RGNO6WEQI0KAU4AVA73/031-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Hundreds of members of the families of the villagers flock into Wainyapu the night before the beginning of the Pasola. The festival is not only a religous tradition, but it also represents a unique social opportunity for the families to stay together. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941300983-O9W720MZKNPDMDYU0400/032-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). The big day of the Pasola is finally arrived and before dusk Peter walks back to the beach together with the other villagers to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941305369-VOKLOHJD23ZWL65TK8EU/033-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Before dusk villagers flock into the near beach in order to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941306952-MTDO3UXJ766QGY2ERGUQ/034-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A villager shows some "Nyale" he was able to collect in his bucket. The Nyale" is a multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941315069-OSCRGTWH5E2RQ3S1FH27/035-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Before dusk villagers flock into the near beach in order to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941321087-WV8M2KCG2TUJ0ZKSWWGT/037-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John rides his horse around the village to call out the people for the beginning of the Pasola. John started participating in the Pasola when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941324249-HXBQCSDBLQWCOP0CMJK3/038-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Hundreds of people flock into Wainyapu to assist the Pasola. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941327777-LK45MSIMFCUKVYW11V1B/039-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Riders wait to start a new wave of attacks. A skilled rider can duck an incoming spear and the very best of them can catch the spear in mid-air. For the less agile, the spears, though blunted, can spill blood, which the Sumbanese believe will fertilize the land and produce a better harvest. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941332648-6W4NBQ7ZHWI8R3NDBATB/040-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Hundreds of people flock into Wainyapu to assist the Pasola. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941340261-47KSTIV1SHDHS5WKZU70/041-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A rider starts a new wave of attacks. A skilled rider can duck an incoming spear and the very best of them can catch the spear in mid-air. For the less agile, the spears, though blunted, can spill blood, which the Sumbanese believe will fertilize the land and produce a better harvest. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941348347-Z8YBXX2ORGHR9CPV5HFM/043-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Spectators stare at the local governor of Sumba and his family while he's walking towards the tribune of honor. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941346675-IRS6F2FIROVG0M9AYL7K/044-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A rider throwns a spear towards an opponent. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941351154-UPE8LDA50ZZOBGP7BTUZ/045-pasola_festival_2016.jpg Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John poses for a photo together with local authorities marking the end of the battle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850337100-G78176RTXXE5CGHDNI6E/001_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 30, 2013 - Lvea village, Seang kveang Commune - (Prey Veng). Ms Eam Pom (62) cuts organic rice with a sickle during a crop harvest in paddy field outside the community. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850336378-V9WKYXUXK3CTKUM7RNCX/002_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO October 30, 2013 – Teabanh Komrou Primary School (Siem Reap). Students line up before the beginning of the morning classes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850347968-0FOWB5UKCCDKNFCY2M0C/003_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO February 04, 2014 - Ta Reach Village (Kampot). Ms. Rin Ren (30) recollects water from her dug well. This is her main source for potable water, but it's only available during the wet season . © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SNV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850347923-AMLC77974DY7M25HBVXD/004_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Villagers from Pis Village at work in the plantation. During the raining season, workers are paid less than 3 USD a day to clean and fertilize the sugar canes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850357087-19VOW4F0PCS14GM6TDTZ/005_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 29, 2013 - Lvea village, Seang kveang Commune - (Prey Veng). Farm workers load organic rice into a threshing machine and collect the separated rice. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850357032-HZ7DHZCMZMLBSRH19P78/006_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 28, 2013 - Batheay village (Kompong Cham). Ms. So Yeou (50) received a tranining in sewing and she is now able to make some small incomes with this activity. She lost a leg when she stop on a landmine while she was working at her Bamboo farm. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850361896-I0XRQ4CZBCX2PGM4SVM3/007_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina (Copy) Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina November 19, 2013 – Binauna village, Banke (Nepal). Laxmi Baishya has just given birth to her third child at the rural Binauna health post, in Banke District, Nepal. During the 8th month of her pregnancy, Jharana Kumari Tharu – a female community health volunteer in her ward – came to her home and counseled her on how a simple tube of chlorhexidine antiseptic gel, applied to her baby’s umbilical cord, could help prevent infection and even death. Now Jharana performs a routine check-up on mom and baby to make sure both are healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850362594-PSBTFCMJNKQYOBD9T0PN/008_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt (Copy) Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt CAIRO, EGYPT, October 11, 2015. High school students Azza [left], Nada [upper right] and Nourhan [lower right] attend a class at the USAID-supported Maadi STEM School for Girls in Cairo, Egypt. These students are part of an elite class of just 120 who apply and are admitted to the school each year. In every region of the world, women and girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math, denying them opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and finance that could help break the cycle of poverty. The worldwide average for women’s representation in these fields is only 30%, and women in developing countries are 25% less likely to be online than men. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850366809-JOEMRSAWUFA1OJELVFKL/009_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Let Girls Learn Jordan (Copy) Let Girls Learn Jordan 29 September, 2015 – Ajloun (Jordan). Raghad and Ghusun line up in the courtyard of the school and sing the Jordanian national anthem before starting lessons. In Syria, Raghad [left] used to sit in the first row at school. When she came to Jordan, she was determined not to change that. Raghad has a special relationship with her father. He helps her study and find new solutions to homework problems. It’s through him that she was able to excel in Arabic. They spend hours together talking about literature and poetry. Ghusun [right] loves helping people and hopes to make that a career by becoming a doctor one day. For now, she enjoys studying a range of subjects, especially English, and spending time with her best friend, Raghad. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850369935-7CFBMQ4PS3195TBOQY1T/010_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant (Copy) Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant July 03, 2015 – Llano Grande (Honduras). Dina Bila Dominguez Sanchez, 42 (left) poses together with her sister-in-law Nora Clementina Hernandez Manueles and her sister Claudia Francisca Dominguez Sanchez. At her roadside restaurant and bakery, Dina and her extended family make 280 pieces of bread a day, almost all of which are sold by evening. She has steadily expanded her business with the help of the USAID program ACCESO, part of the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future initiative. The program lifts families out of poverty and malnutrition, helping more than 30,000 rural households in six departments in western Honduras since 2011 by expanding job opportunities and introducing better agricultural practices. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850372052-G4CRV7SIBI6RWUH6ZKOE/011_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia): Jose Blanquiceth is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850376223-V1CL6092J44RBTBRS8JZ/012_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Teng Leang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850379398-79E7K4J4PL2N0WC6MYSA/013_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO August 19, 2014 - Kandal (Cambodia). Amanda Vanstone (Vision 2020's Chair and previous Minister of Parliament), Jennifer Gersbeck (Vision 2020 Australia’s CEO) and David Andrews (RANZCO's CEO) visit an activity related to the Avoidable Blindness Initiative in a village in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RANZO https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850383567-RAY0FH5DZEY6J9DWT4FV/014_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco February 20, 2015 - Ilobasco (El Salvador). Police officers from the Violence Prevention Division during a patrol through the streets of Ilobasco. On these foot patrols, the officers will visit around 15 houses in an eight-hour shift, getting to know residents, explaining their efforts and attempting to earn their trust. USAID supports community policing in El Salvador as part of its efforts to reduce crime in one of the most violence-prone countries in the Western Hemisphere. “When we do the street patrols, we have a lot of contact with citizens. People tell us their problems. And we help them in whatever way we can,” says Hernández Reynosa. Community policing is a new tactic for El Salvador, where tensions run high between law enforcement and residents caught in the crosshairs of gang activity. In the areas where community policing has been implemented in pilot programs, murder and robbery rates decreased by around a third, while confidence in the police has risen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850390241-7PSQXTTEZTOOJZ3OAAX2/015_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 29, 2013 - Lvea village, Seang kveang Commune - (Prey Veng). A farmer dries rice grains after they have been separated with a threshing machine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850389928-3A7SBA0Z989A8JKWOKM1/016_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO March 21, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Som Bunnarith and his wife pose after the job interview with The National Centre of Disabled Persons. Bunnarith was attacked with acid by her own wife in 2005 and he now has to rely on her in order to survive. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850396525-AQL8WNEYNCFD61VP02QI/017_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation (Copy) USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. Egyptian archeologists Ali Mohammad Ahmed Ibrahim and Sa’ad Bakhit Abd-El-Hafez oversee excavations at the Qurna dig site on the West Bank of the Nile. Here, hundreds of ancient Egyptian nobles were laid to rest in tombs dating back as far as 4,500 years ago. Over the last century, Qurna also became home to the living as modern Egyptians moved on top of and even inside the tombs, adding a new layer of their own archaeological history. Residents would often open their home to tourists and use the tombs—not just for shelter—but also for income. Since 2007, the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - resettled Qurna's residents to nearby villages. Unfortunately, in the move villagers not only left behind the tombs they called home but, in many cases, their livelihoods as well. As part of a USAID-funded project, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to return to Qurna to remove rubble and improve the site so it can be preserved and opened for official tourism. Each season at Qurna, several Egyptian ministry employees also receive on-the-job training in conservation documentation and archaeological excavation. In Luxor and throughout Egypt, USAID invests in projects that preserve Egypt’s unique cultural heritage and boost the local economy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850396533-6M6EYNFIIN7BGYZBY3W0/018_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO AMMAN, JORDAN - OCTOBER 1, 2015: Maria (left) and her cousin Athari (right), are Syrian students at Khawla Bint Tha’laba Primary Girls School, a USAID-supported school located in an Amman suburb. They are one of around 65 Syrian students attending the USAID-supported school, which operates out of a rented building and struggles to accommodate the influx of refugees. In spite of the overcrowding, this school boasts a principal who is committed to accepting students, with one request for the parents: “Please bring a chair with you.” Overall in Jordan, around 128,000 new Syrian students are crowding already overburdened classrooms. Teachers, struggling to achieve basic levels of proficiency in their classes, have the added burden of trying to accommodate and integrate new students who have suffered unthinkable trauma and may need special counseling and care. USAID supports schools like this across Jordan by providing teacher training and by developing an early grade reading and math diagnostic tool. The agency also builds and refurbishes schools throughout the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850399305-ESCJL7B7V8QLWFV36ZCK/019_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO February 26, 2015 - Cartagena (Colombia). Tania Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist for the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, gets dressed at her home in Cartagena, Colombia. Tania is the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and fights so that those who commit crimes against LGBT persons are brought to justice. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850401000-NKGSTVYK36VOVQIFAC7C/020_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant (Copy) Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant July 03, 2015 - Llano Grande (Honduras). At her roadside restaurant and bakery in rural Honduras, Dina Bila Dominguez Sanchez, 42, together with her sister and sister-in-law make 280 pieces of bread a day, almost all of which are sold by evening. The three of them spend hours kneading dough, slamming it on the table, taming it into obedience, pushing and pulling until it is well blended. “This is how you get strong muscles,” Dina said. She first learned to make bread from her mom and aunt. For many generations, the family has made bread -- but not as many varieties -- and before they lived in Sorto, an area where few people passed by. Her home and business now is in a prime location. Dina has steadily expanded her business with the help of the USAID program ACCESO, part of the U.S. Government's Feed the Future initiative. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850409049-146MLB67VVBOOP95IMEI/021_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer (Copy) Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer November 17, 2014 - Ugratara village, Kathamandu (Nepal). Gita Kunwar is a 36-year-old Female Community Health Volunteer in Ugratara Janagall village, in the Kathmandu Valley. She is one of roughly 50,000 health volunteers tasked with encouraging better health behaviors among Nepal’s underserved populations, including expectant and new mothers. One of the most important behaviors that Gita helps promote is the use of a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel that is applied to the umbilical cords of newborns throughout the country after birth to prevent infection and newborn death. USAID has been a major supporter of every step of the chlorahexidine program over the past decade, from the early stage trials, conducted by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and development, to the current scale-up across Nepal being implemented by JSI and the Nepal government Ministry of Health and Population. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850411127-FMVMCN2LAVLSKM0TJF4B/022_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Natural environment inside the Tram Chim park (Copy) Natural environment inside the Tram Chim park October 14, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). A woman harvests vegetables and aquatic plants inside the National Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850417412-BUNTVFS5JPUYXGK7NWEP/023_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 29, 2013 - Peam Jheang village (Kampong Cham). Manual laborers in a rubber plantation inside an Economic Land Concession. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850417106-L0ZTHG3G9EHAAMOEK8KB/024_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco February 20, 2015 - Ilobasco (El Salvador). Children in Ilobasco, El Salvador practice soccer, one of several activities available to them at the USAID-supported Miranda Outreach Center where they can learn, play and socialize in a safe environment, away from the gang violence that plagues the community. “Soccer here, it’s very effective,” says Kevin, the center’s 17-year old volunteer soccer coach. “If kids were more involved in this maybe they would not be thinking about gangs and bad stuff.” Across El Salvador and Central America, USAID supports outreach centers as one way to address the insecurity and lack of options that can cause migrations to the United States, including a recent wave of around 50,000 minors who left in the summer of 2014. These centers give youth from Central America’s most violent communities a peaceful place to do homework, use the computer, study English or play sports. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850422396-U3JPQRFUUJ6059O5AD4G/025_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco February 20, 2015 - Ilobasco (El Salvador). Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa plays with students at El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850423715-ARLLT1MYHW9ILSMX1NUG/026_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Jessel and the SkateBrothers (Copy) Jessel and the SkateBrothers June 28, 2015 - Cofadía (Honduras). At a community street fair in Cofradia, a town in northwestern Honduras, there was a bouncy castle, BMX, skating and soccer. Members of the youth group Skate Brothers put on a performance, showing off their daring tricks. The group, which consists of about 50 kids who learn rollerblading, skateboarding, breakdancing and BMX, was founded out of a USAID youth outreach center to guide youth away from gangs and drugs. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850427604-LOW6XEW1H9QAKOBKQY63/027_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO AMMAN, JORDAN - OCTOBER 1, 2015: Maha al Ashqar is the principal of Khawla Bint Tha’laba Primary Girls School in a suburb of Amman Jordan. The school, which has 356 students, hosts around 65 Syrian students—many of whom have fled violence and destruction in their country to live as refugees in Jordan. Although her school struggles with overcrowding, Al Ashqar is committed to accepting students. She also recounts this powerful anecdote: A few months after school started this year, a Syrian mother arrived at the front gates asking to enroll her daughter. The women at reception apologized, “There is no way. This school is full.” The mother was crestfallen. She asked to see the principal and was directed to Al Ashqar. And as she has done so many times before, the principal told the mother that, of course, she would enroll her daughter. But she had one request, “Please bring a chair.” “This touched me,” Al Ashqar explains. “I saw the tears of many mothers, and it was impossible to tell them that we had no room, to try somewhere else. I told them, just bring a chair with you, even if it’s a small plastic chair, and we will make do.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850428977-N1J1CVQQ7XU0N3TEE3ZZ/028_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO July 01, 2015 - San Pedro Sula (Honduras). Odalis Fernanda Triminio Leiva, 26, helps her daugther Fergie with her homework. Odalys runs a small pastry shop out of her home in the Rio Blanco community. She started the business after receiving training from USAID’s Metas workforce development program. She bakes cakes and donuts -- her specialty is tres leches, and finds customers by promoting her business on social networks and among her friends. The small business is helping bring in money to support her family -- her husband, David, 33, their daughter, Fergie, 7, and a second child yet to be born. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850430737-QW3I5FY2IAT2X09N673R/029_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO October 10, 2013 - Koh Prake Village (Kandal). The village is completed flooded with 2m of water. Heavy rains starting in the third week of September 2013 resulted in floods in 20 provinces throughout the north-west and along the Mekong River in central and southern Cambodia, killing 188 people and affecting more than 1.7 million. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850433492-2TV42RZU5TRZ72CYV9BW/030_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Let Girls Learn Jordan (Copy) Let Girls Learn Jordan 29 September, 2015 - Ajloun (Jordan). High atop Mt ‘Auf sits Ajloun Castle, a 12th century Muslim historic site with views of the Jordan Valley. You can see the castle from Anjara Elementary School where Raghad and Ghusun, both 14, met and became friends. To Raghad, who left so much behind when her family escaped Syria, her friendship with Ghusun means everything. “I love my friends just the same way that I love my sisters and family.” Ghusun agrees. “You can even share many things with your friend that you cannot share with your family.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850438081-QRAHDMT7IQNAVBZX9DDC/031_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850437699-1ZXHNMNQURIRZOF9ALIU/032_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. For eight years—until the tourist downturn following the January 25 Revolution in 2011—Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan worked as a chef at local restaurants. But today, he supports his wife and two children as a day laborer at the Qurna archeological dig site on the West Bank of the Nile. “It’s tough work, but I have adjusted my lifestyle,” he says. The site was also home to modern Egyptians for over a century until 2007, when the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - began resettling Qurna residents to nearby villages. As part of a USAID project to preserve Egypt’s cultural heritage while also boosting the local economy, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to remove rubble left from the demolition and improve the site for official tourism. Before 2011, Luxor had a thriving tourism industry, with thousands of visitors every day combing through Luxor’s ancient temples. Now only a few hundred make the visit. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850445446-SWLX5D68ZYR6KUMNK8A4/033_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 28, 2013 - Sterng Chey Commune (Kompong Cham). Mr En Noy (55) rides his bycicle on the way back to his home. He was a soldier during the war and he lost a leg as the conseguence of a bullet. Nowadays he has a small bike repair shop in the village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850445054-QS6Z1L926YBDX1OAWVM9/034_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Doaa - the duck girl (Copy) Doaa - the duck girl October 8, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Eighteen-year-old Doaa Mohamed Bakr is one of the first female entrepreneurs her village has ever known. In July 2015, she was among 92 high school students from all over southern Egypt to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition. Doaa bought 140 ducklings with nearly $200 in startup capital awarded through the competition. And with that, she became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “My dream is to expand this project, and have a big barn,” Doaa says, “My advice and message to girls my age is that they should start with this project. You’ll become a great business woman and make your dad and mum proud.” Doaa’s high school is one of 10 agricultural technical schools that USAID supports as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850449631-DFY5UCNUKTPNWWK24Z9I/035_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital (Copy) Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital November 18, 2014 - Nepalganj (Nepal). A mother with her new born baby inside the post-natal ward at Nepal’s Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850450286-CS6O5BQN6811IP1KT35H/036_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt (Copy) Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt CAIRO, EGYPT, October 11, 2015. High school students attend a chemistry class at the USAID-supported Maadi STEM School for Girls in Cairo, Egypt. These students are part of an elite class of just 120 who apply and are admitted to the school each year. In every region of the world, women and girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math, denying them opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and finance that could help break the cycle of poverty. The worldwide average for women’s representation in these fields is only 30%, and women in developing countries are 25% less likely to be online than men. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850456239-ABSU8DPDP5WMN6S5AW3Z/037_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant (Copy) Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant LLANO GRANDE, HONDURAS -- JULY 03, 2015: At her roadside restaurant and bakery, Dina Bila Dominguez Sanchez, 42, and her extended family make 280 pieces of bread a day, almost all of which are sold by evening. She has steadily expanded her business with the help of the USAID program ACCESO, part of the U.S. Government's Feed the Future initiative. The program lifts families out of poverty and malnutrition, helping more than 30,000 rural households in six departments in western Honduras since 2011 by expanding job opportunities and introducing better agricultural practices. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850455923-MX8918PKEQWE3THM6NEH/038_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO February 26, 2015 - Cartagena (Colombia). Tania Duarte, a student and trans activist for the group Caribe Afirmativo, talks with police officers in Cartagena on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. With support from USAID, Caribe Afirmativo works with many sectors of society to try to improve the safety and well-being of members of the LGBT community, including improving their relationship with police. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850466025-H4FY7CE7FEWRMWJSJZYL/039_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Jessel and the SkateBrothers (Copy) Jessel and the SkateBrothers COFRADIA, HONDURAS -- JUNE 27, 2015: Jessel Edgardo Recinos, 24, leads a youth group called Skate Brothers, caring for the members -- some of whom are orphans -- as if they were his own children. The group consists of about 50 kids who learn rollerblading, skateboarding, breakdancing and BMX and put on performances. Jessel formed the group after volunteering at one of USAID’s youth outreach centers. The centers, established in some of Honduras’s most dangerous neighborhoods, provide youth with a safe space and keep them away from gangs and drugs. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850466039-VL38962N8WD6IOJ0Y3DW/040_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO 19 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Ms. Seang Saorn (40) cooks with a traditional wooden stove in her small house in Stung Manchey district. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SNV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850470199-IHM5GE7G3177RGJ78JIY/041_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina (Copy) Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina November 19, 2013 - Binauna village, Banke (Nepal). Jharana Kumari Tharu dresses her up with the blue sari that identities the female health volunteers. Jharana is a 23-year-old female community health volunteer in Binauna village, in Nepal’s Banke District. As part of her training, she councils expectant mothers and their families on how to properly care for an infant’s umbilical cord after birth, which includes applying a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel on the stump. This simple life-saving intervention, which is supported by USAID and partner JSI throughout Nepal, has been shown to reduce infant mortality by roughly one third. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850472301-CCDBJWXQ06UFNVM2FT24/042_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson reaches out a group of youth attending a governamental school. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850479002-CHRN7JURGICVX8D4BSRD/043_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 28, 2013 - Tropeang Cha village (Kompong Cham). Mr. Kan Sokhen (43) repairs a bicycle in his small repair shop. He was a soldier until 1987 when he lost a leg when he stop over a land mine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850479679-1BZT9Z7AYWUQGLV5A7OE/044_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Jessel and the SkateBrothers (Copy) Jessel and the SkateBrothers COFRADIA, HONDURAS -- JUNE 28, 2015: At a community street fair in Cofradia, a town in northwestern Honduras, there was a bouncy castle, BMX, skating and soccer. Members of the youth group Skate Brothers put on a performance, showing off their daring tricks. The group, which consists of about 50 kids who learn rollerblading, skateboarding, breakdancing and BMX, was founded out of a USAID youth outreach center to guide youth away from gangs and drugs. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850485931-C7K5Y2ODR57NIGHUPVIG/045_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia). Jose Blanquiceth cuts the cocoa pods to extract the wet beans. Jose is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850488746-JZED6WDNFRCYGRP3ML64/046_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO 19 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. SGFE factory in Stung Manchey manufactures charcoal using organic waste. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SNV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850494007-GAY0BOM3V1A3OCK8IZ2X/047_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 29, 2013 - Handicap International Rehabilitation Center (Kampong Cham). Dott. Chai Borany (27) measures a patient's amputation to fit a prostethic leg. She is one of the 70 Cambodians who graduated at the CSPO (The Cambodia School of Prosthetics and Orthotics), a school that provides Prosthetics - Orthotics training for students from low-income countries in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850495767-59GS1MKR4FS7SNAGRQ27/048_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia): A boat is used to transport the bags of cocoa beans from the Isla de la Amargura to the small town of Caceres and there to a collection point run by Chocolate Colombia, , a USAID-supported collective. Bought from farmers on the small island where Ana lives, the cacao is helping farmers earn a viable income from their crop and keeping them away from the illicit coca trade. The cacao passes through this stop on its journey from the tree to sweet shops throughout Colombia and the world. It is ultimately being sold to one of Colombia’s major chocolate producers, Casa Luker. This process ensures that the cacao is high quality and that the farmers earn a fair market price for their crop. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850500284-8W859WODAREFESG7FNPG/049_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 20, 2013 - Beung Kachhang village (Koh Kong). Members of the community participate in a Mangrove replanting activity. The project, sponsored by UNDP, aims at conservation of 500 ha of mangrove forest by demarcation of the area using cement pool and encouraging local participation especially women to manage and sustainable use the resources. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850502101-5BOCELTW6I1SOBEEMG9A/050_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation (Copy) USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. Workers remove rubble at the Qurna dig site on the West Bank of the Nile in Luxor’s Valley of the Nobles. Here, ancient Egyptian nobles were laid to rest in tombs dating back as far as 4,500 years ago. Over the last century, Qurna also became home to the living as modern Egyptians moved on top of and even inside the tombs, adding their own layer of archaeological history. Since 2007, the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - has been resettling Qurna's residents to nearby villages. Unfortunately, in the move villagers have not only left behind the tombs they called home but, in many cases, their livelihoods as well. As part of a USAID project, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to return to Qurna to remove rubble and improve the site so it can be preserved and opened for official tourism. This project also helps fight increasing unemployment that Egypt has suffered since the January 25 Revolution in 2011. Each season at Qurna, several Egyptian ministry employees also receive on-the-job training in conservation documentation and archaeological excavation. In Luxor and throughout Egypt, USAID invests in projects that preserve Egypt’s unique cultural heritage and boost the local economy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850504253-M1KXUNO0K77DPBETZHYM/051_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Floodings in Kampong Cham (Copy) Floodings in Kampong Cham October 01, 2013 - Kampong Cham. Flooded houses in Tonle Bit Commune. Heavy rains starting in the third week of September 2013 resulted in floods in 20 provinces throughout the north-west and along the Mekong River in central and southern Cambodia, killing 188 people and affecting more than 1.7 million. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850508411-WFSTR1Y8K36Z74579ZXE/052_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 9, 2014 - Koh Preah (Cambodia). Fishermen at work in front of Koh Preah. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850510051-TSAQI5WIDCWFRUCLCR4N/053_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS -- JUNE 25, 2015: Luis' stepfather helps his little sister with her homework. Just a year ago, Luis was having trouble at home and he searched for love and acceptance in the wrong places -- eventually becoming leader of the local gang. But after Luis and his family began the USAID pilot program Proponte, his counselor Sabina helped him gradually change his attitude. He left the gang, returned to school, formed positive friendships, and started respecting his mom, stepfather and siblings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850514249-2LNRDRSUTPUJMG2W1RPD/054_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation (Copy) USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. Egyptian archeologists Ali Mohammad Ahmed Ibrahim walk inside Luxor temple. Before January 2011, thousands of tourists visited the temple every day, shuffling shoulder-to-shoulder through one of the world’s greatest heritage sites. Now only a few hundred people make the trip. Tourism has historically accounted for about 13 percent of the Egyptian economy, which means nearly everyone in Luxor depends on this industry—in one way or another—for their livelihoods. That’s why USAID is working harder than ever to preserve Egypt’s ancient wonders and ensure that, as tourism recovers, Egypt can once again rely on its rich history for jobs and economic growth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850514997-UTJA9K7VLQHAT5OO8KBI/055_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina (Copy) Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina November 19, 2013 - Binauna village, Banke (Nepal). Jharana Kumari Tharu helps her son to dress up for school. Jharana is a 23-year-old female community health volunteer in Binauna village, in Nepal’s Banke District. As part of her training, she councils expectant mothers and their families on how to properly care for an infant’s umbilical cord after birth, which includes applying a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel on the stump. This simple life-saving intervention, which is supported by USAID and partner JSI throughout Nepal, has been shown to reduce infant mortality by roughly one third. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850520920-EHLAWUUEAIBH5FNRCDDR/056_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO June 23, 2015 - Tegucigalpa (Honduras). Luis Edgardo Cruz Diaz, 15, has a moment of relax at his home in the Nueva Capital neighborhood. Just a year ago, Luis was having trouble at home and he searched for love and acceptance in the wrong places -- eventually becoming leader of the local gang. But after Luis and his family began the USAID pilot program Proponte, his counselor Sabina helped him gradually change his attitude. He left the gang, returned to school, formed positive friendships, and started respecting his mom, stepfather and siblings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850521617-L6XQ8X1M5Z7C9PXNE0N9/057_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO - Doaa - the duck girl (Copy) Doaa - the duck girl October 7, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Doaa Mohamed Bakr is an 18-year-old high school student with a big heart for animals. In July 2015, she was among 92 students to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition hosted at 10 agricultural technical schools across all of southern Egypt. She won nearly $200 in startup capital, which she used to buy 140 ducklings. And with that, Doaa became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “When I first bought my ducks, at the beginning of the project, I was very very excited about them and fell in love with them,” Doaa says. “Everyday I would feed them, cut them clover, make them swim and sleep, talk to them, and loved them like my kids that I don’t even have.” USAID supports technical high school education in Egypt and encourages entrepreneurship as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850526853-W454MLX9BP1MDCE4T0KD/058_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO 19 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. SGFE factory in Stung Manchey manufactures charcoal using organic waste. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SNV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850526160-TKHBJWV5NWCOI4USZZ3M/059_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO August 19, 2014 - Kandal (Cambodia). Amanda Vanstone (Vision 2020's Chair and previous Minister of Parliament), Jennifer Gersbeck (Vision 2020 Australia’s CEO) and David Andrews (RANZCO's CEO) visit the Lions Sight First Eye Care Center at the Chey Chumneas Hospital, few Km outside Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RANZO https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850532750-XBQOACD1ONIK4VKD4OWM/060_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO November 20, 2013 - Beung Kachhang village (Koh Kong). Mr. Lay Pich (31), her wife Hun Sophear (32) and their children Hun sombath (4) go fishing in the mangrove forest that surround the village. Even if the community is inside a natural protected area, Illegal sand dredging in the area have decimated the number of fish and crabs and it's more and more difficult to catch enough food for the local families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523850531055-WKXWGNUK7VROWOKIRQEE/061_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg NGO August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). A view of the Phnom Penh Sugar's plantation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-portfolio-2021 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446895276-DIG8ULHE6LOMYCXBCSOW/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-1.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446900630-QKQZB3UGWIGN136SI64H/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-2.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 02 - Lean Socheatra (Copy) 02 - Lean Socheatra July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Len Socheatra plays with his cousins outside the family house. Socheata suffers of intellectual disabilities and before COVID-19 was attending a special class at Kampong Speu’s school so he could integrate into government school and socialize with his peers of all abilities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446905132-V3BFIYC91MJAKBJHQASO/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-3.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - RTI Cambodia (Copy) RTI Cambodia August 24, 2020 - Prey Kouy Village, Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Bun Soeun Pisey (22) collects vegetables together with her little daughter Meng Lang (22 months old) in the garden of their house located in the outskirts of Kampong Thom. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RTI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446906596-CJFI0U71AZWIYX4AZIEB/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-4.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 04 - Nha Nha (Copy) 04 - Nha Nha July 24, 2020 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nha Nha uses a training exercise video made by ISF together with her smaller sister Sopheap. The school has been using streaming apps to provide essential teacher-student interaction and creating a series of physical training exercises. Using Google classroom, Telegram and Facebook Groups, as well as Messenger, allow students to continue studying from the safety of home. To ensure students have suitable equipment to learn online, ISF loans tablet computers to those in need. Subsidies are also available for students who struggle to afford internet service. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446917270-5CKG72NZ9J9P231DFL1I/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-5.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - RTI Cambodia (Copy) RTI Cambodia August 25, 2020 - Prey Kouy Village, Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Dien Sokhnin (25) feeds her son Rattana Likong (22 month) with “bor bor” porridge. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RTI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446921284-GJ1A4F4FNZKD5XRSE0LP/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-6.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 04 - Nha Nha (Copy) 04 - Nha Nha July 25, 2020 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nha Nha plays a match of social distancing football together with some of her classmates from ISF. Social distancing football was recently introduced by ISF to allow its students to play safely during the COVID pandemic and requires all players on the pitch to wear a face mask, keep a 2m distance from each other, and control the ball for only five seconds at a time. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446923758-5P5J25WHQY72H86A338U/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-7.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 02 - Lean Socheatra (Copy) 02 - Lean Socheatra July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Kiev En - Len Socheatara’s mother - collect crabs in the rice fields that surround their house. Before Covid-19, Socheatra’s family could earn up to 40,000 Riel (US$10) per day but during the pandemic demand decreased and they can’t earn enough. Lately they haven’t been able to sell anything for three consecutive days. When this happens they can’t afford to eat and need to buy food from the market on credit, promising the vendors to pay them back when they have money. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446927228-CZ47P0HGOFVVJM82L3FJ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-8.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 04 - Nha Nha (Copy) 04 - Nha Nha July 24, 2020 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nha Nha helps her smaller sister Sopheap with her home-works using a live streaming lesson. The school has been using streaming apps to provide essential teacher-student interaction and creating a series of physical training exercises. Using Google classroom, Telegram and Facebook Groups, as well as Messenger, allow students to continue studying from the safety of home. To ensure students have suitable equipment to learn online, ISF loans tablet computers to those in need. Subsidies are also available for students who struggle to afford internet service. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446930885-4JBQNCHNZADDIKZW5D7F/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-9.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 01 - Horn Chandy (Copy) 01 - Horn Chandy July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Honr Chansy provides home assistance to 4yo Kosal Socheat who suffers of severe autism. In the midst of school closures in response to Covid-19, Honr Chansy visits her students every two weeks to check on their progress and to monitor the level of engagement of their parents. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446933866-XL2JN3Q2EGJSJCOKP4CS/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-10.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - 01 - Horn Chandy (Copy) 01 - Horn Chandy July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Honr Chansy provides home assistance to 4yo Na Song Hour who suffers of moderate autism. In the midst of school closures in response to Covid-19, Honr Chansy visits her students every two weeks to check on their progress and to monitor the level of engagement of their parents. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446934503-Z5B228SUGLX3SIECX3X4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-11.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID India - Lead contamination (Copy) USAID India - Lead contamination November 13, 2019, Karmalichak (India). Blood tests are performed on children and personal of the school located adjacent to a blue building where local residents produce lead acid batteries, like those found in automobiles, exposing her and the other children to dangerous levels of lead contamination. Exposure to lead presents a global health threat, particularly to children in low- and middle-income countries. Informal and substandard lead acid battery production and recycling is a widespread practice.  Lead-contaminated waste, fumes and dust can migrate from these sites and be ingested or inhaled, causing lead poisoning, IQ loss in children, developmental and behavioural challenges, and other life-long health impacts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446936217-1R77PU1ZDDLFAWQZARSD/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-12.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID India - Lead contamination (Copy) USAID India - Lead contamination November 13, 2019, Karmalichak (India). Sonakshi gets ready to go to school. Her school is located adjacent to a blue building where local residents produce lead acid batteries, like those found in automobiles, exposing her and the other children to dangerous levels of lead contamination. Exposure to lead presents a global health threat, particularly to children in low- and middle-income countries. Informal and substandard lead acid battery production and recycling is a widespread practice.  Lead-contaminated waste, fumes and dust can migrate from these sites and be ingested or inhaled, causing lead poisoning, IQ loss in children, developmental and behavioural challenges, and other life-long health impacts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446937379-CBYE1ZT0QR2OOEVG5FQE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-13.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with the new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families: young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To make matters even worse, Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who use them to commute, or make trips to the market. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446940498-J4J3BZO1UH1QEVKUP81L/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-14.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USC - Mondulkiri - Srepok Sanctuary (Copy) USC - Mondulkiri - Srepok Sanctuary February 16, 2019 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Ly Bora, Deputy Director of Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary, poses during an interview in the WWF office of Sen Monorom. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446943626-HKMZT35C3VB6X3KKQ30C/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-15.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Samuel Shumuye, 38, leads his cattle out for grazing in South Tigray, Ethiopia. Samuel and his wife had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446947732-GS4ZITE8SBPZT4U8AHOJ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-16.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Linda (27), Nurhayati (20) and Hasni Laila (24) work in the tree nursery run by the local cooperative. Kopi Lestari is an agroforestry project deployed at landscape level in partnership with coffee farmers across Indonesia. The aim is to help them regenerate their ecosystems and diversifying their crops to increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of shifting to monoculture productions such as palm oil.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446952349-AQI2FNEFNIDL481IT6XW/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-17.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Irwani (46), Melvi (24) - her daughter - and Dina (12) - her granddaughter pose for a picture inside the family’s coffee plantation. This is another “role” farm where every inch is smartly used to get a better and more sustainable products with less impact on the nature. The family has a strong connection with the forest that surrounds the property and they want wild animals such as monkeys and orangutans to have a safe space where they can live. They started 3 years ago and they now own a 3 hectares agroforestry plantation and 1 hectare cultivated with coffee. They have around 900 plants of coffee and they are able to produce around 2.5 tons of product every year. They also own cows and use the manure as a natural fertilizer and to run a biodigester to produce natural gas. Melvi is still studying economy at the local university, and after the graduation she would like to be a teacher. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446954485-H8TFIRK5ZDHVYCC0YT9F/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-18.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Marissa (21) checks one of the plant in the tree nursery run by the local cooperative. Kopi Lestari is an agroforestry project deployed at landscape level in partnership with coffee farmers across Indonesia. The aim is to help them regenerate their ecosystems and diversifying their crops to increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of shifting to monoculture productions such as palm oil.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446956573-KN6MZ9YX11P0C0PNQBV9/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-19.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Wild Animal Protection Thailand (Copy) Wild Animal Protection Thailand July 23, 2018 - Chiang Rai (Thailand). Mahout Thapdanai and his elephant Modee. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WAP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446958652-2EMLSHHDM0JMPDZTST9P/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-20.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446960233-CDWBZQHTTF0R6WP58UV4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-21.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Coral restoration (Copy) USAID DR - Coral restoration May 30, 2018 - Las Terrenas (Domincan Republic). Divers attach small corals to a metal structur, part of the efforts by USAID to help restoring the local reef. In total, 10 structures in the shape of marine animals that hold about 480 coral frgaments, were implanted between August 2017 and November 2017. The goal is to rehabilitate at least 1km of the coral barrier within 2 years. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446963090-EO8O2BG0NGL7MO5NDY8V/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-22.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446964649-Q49TPTP1QXG864D0Y618/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-23.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias and his classmates warmed up at the Angels Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446965475-M6JL03KHN5ZYDIGQ49E4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-24.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, does his homework in the courtyard of his home. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446966807-GSY205Z4F9UIH8ILKXQG/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-25.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Peru - National Health laboratory (Copy) USAID Peru - National Health laboratory March 08, 2018 - Lima (Peru). A technician uses a special pipe to capture mosquitos to use in a repellent resistance test. In Peru, USAID supports the national health laboratories to study mosquitoes that spread Zika and help the country combat the spread of the disease. USAID strengthens government health systems across Latin America to combat Zika and prepare for future health threats. In Peru, USAID is leveraging community partners and leadership to disseminate key Zika information and battle Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through low-cost community-based methods. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446968178-KACFSQF95WTVMCNIA1GE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-26.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Peru Zika - Community volunteers (Copy) USAID Peru Zika - Community volunteers March 11, 2018 - Tumbes (Peru). Community health volunteers Alicia and Magda check the content of an ovitrap looking for mosquitoes’ eggs.  The volunteers monitor for mosquito hot-spots using ovitraps, a community-based surveillance method, and report data to the local health department. In Peru, USAID supports the national health laboratories to study mosquitoes that spread Zika and help the country combat the spread of the disease. USAID strengthens government health systems across Latin America to combat Zika and prepare for future health threats. In Peru, USAID is leveraging community partners and leadership to disseminate key Zika information and battle Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through low-cost community-based methods. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446969148-SZS1UR5SWHB0NODONC5I/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-27.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge February 21, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Worravoot Kassamee (33) works in his pineapple plantation. He was a former WWF staff and now works as a farmer and as a tour guide at the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446971405-Y2VULW54HF2ZAZFMMGC0/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-28.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Woraya Makai and patrol (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Woraya Makai and patrol February 23, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Woraya Makai (34) walks through the jungle during a morning patrol together with a team of rangers. She’s the only female ranger deployed in Kui Buri and in charge of photographing and surveying the animals she’s seeing around the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446973300-SV40V7466D9TCVSSZ2RC/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-29.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Elephants (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Elephants February 26, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). An herd of Asian elephants is seen walking inside the Kui Buri national park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446974283-6T3OASEBF8F7NS13AZXA/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-30.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Outside the Park (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Outside the Park February 24, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Among the different devices and techniques used by farmers and villagers to discourage elephants to enter their fields, there are flash lights that blimp during the night. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446975334-F7WPY7A87CHYOZ16JEBG/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-31.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Smart Patrol Training (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Smart Patrol Training February 25, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Rangers from the Kui Buri park train for the SMART Patrol, a 4-day event organized to help protected area and wildlife managers to better monitor, evaluate and adaptively manage patrolling activities. During the training the rangers learnt how to improve the use of weapons, how to setup a car check point and other activities to prevent and stop illegal poaching in the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446976635-KL8NF6SHSGK90WLIN0B7/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-32.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Indonesia - Papua Vanilla (Copy) USAID Indonesia - Papua Vanilla January 9, 2018 - Papua (Indonesia). Farmer Agustinos Daka, 61, harvest vanilla beans in his farm. He's gonna then sell them at a cooperative, the first step in a global supply chain that sends his crop to the U.S. and around the world. “I am proud that my product is being exported to America,” he said. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446977691-BFADKPU19EAY20EH4NTY/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-33.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny (Copy) USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 28, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco during therapy session for her daughter Teanny in the local hospital of San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446979037-X28KHHDA5EGS92DN9UMO/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-34.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Zika (Copy) USAID DR - Zika June 28, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Technicians study samples of mosquitoes collected during a prevention campaign to fight the spread of Zika virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446981105-2XONP6K1QUDQRAVPOI0D/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-35.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny (Copy) USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 27, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco feeds her daughter Teanny in their house in San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446982479-UU2HKH1EQ65AH172EUWK/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-36.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team takes a break between tasks. Most of the women are indigenous minorities from Ratanakiri province. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446984494-ZKEMN67Y7C2DFBGRGDV5/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-37.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Cambodia - Nanda (Copy) USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok harvests coffee together with some indigenous women and Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446985600-IGROTFD4J1H72X8CKGK9/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-38.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF-UK - Tara (Copy) WWF-UK - Tara July 19, 2016 - Moradabad (India). Tara pulls weeds from her rice field. She's one of the farmers in her community who decided to test a new variety of flood resistent rice. The rice has been tested in India and Bangladesh and can survive up to two weeks of completesubmergence in water, providing farmers with protection against short-term flooding. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446987534-FCNX2FYFEIN0EKO0KDQQ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-39.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446992130-G5BFKQH1RF117X5KX4U3/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-40.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson reaches out a group of youth attending a governamental school. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446995929-SMV3R7NTUGETB2CIKFCU/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-41.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson poses for a portrait. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446998381-F3R3MK7N6LXTSTES2FRA/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-42.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Isobel (Copy) USAID DR - Isobel May 05, 2016 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Isobel Báez plays with her daughter. Isobel is a 23-year- old young woman from Los Alcarrizos in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After getting pregnant with her daughter at the age of 17, she dropped out of school due to her fear of being bullied.  Isobel has always lived a life stricken by poverty that has affected both her as a child and her own children today.  “I often went hungry as a child because I helped my dad work”.  My parents never noticed but yes it is true,” She says. Her youngest son had to be sent to live with her mother because she didn’t have enough money to take care of two children on her own. Isobel wanted to do better for her children so she decided to take her life back and take classes at a USAID supported center for at-risk youth. It was there she learned how to make her own shampoo and sell it around her neighborhood. Isobel hopes to one day open her own shop to teach others like herself how to make hair products and candles. The USAID at-risk youth program, funded under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, has the objective to create a sustainable multidisciplinary safety net for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 24 to prevent crime.  Isobel’s life has changed because of the opportunities that USAID has given her and she wants the world to know that even people from poor neighborhoods can make it.  © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447000727-2O75FOTO13R97T6PILR7/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-43.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID DR - Isobel (Copy) USAID DR - Isobel May 04, 2016 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Isobel Báez during a class at the center for at-risk youth she attends. Isobel is a 23-year- old young woman from Los Alcarrizos in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After getting pregnant with her daughter at the age of 17, she dropped out of school due to her fear of being bullied.  Isobel has always lived a life stricken by poverty that has affected both her as a child and her own children today.  “I often went hungry as a child because I helped my dad work”.  My parents never noticed but yes it is true,” She says. Her youngest son had to be sent to live with her mother because she didn’t have enough money to take care of two children on her own. Isobel wanted to do better for her children so she decided to take her life back and take classes at a USAID supported center for at-risk youth. It was there she learned how to make her own shampoo and sell it around her neighborhood. Isobel hopes to one day open her own shop to teach others like herself how to make hair products and candles. The USAID at-risk youth program, funded under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, has the objective to create a sustainable multidisciplinary safety net for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 24 to prevent crime.  Isobel’s life has changed because of the opportunities that USAID has given her and she wants the world to know that even people from poor neighborhoods can make it.  © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447002172-0BQXQ1LME0XQ1NDXVJ6U/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-44.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt (Copy) Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt CAIRO, EGYPT, October 11, 2015. High school students Azza [left], Nada [upper right] and Nourhan [lower right] attend a class at the USAID-supported Maadi STEM School for Girls in Cairo, Egypt. These students are part of an elite class of just 120 who apply and are admitted to the school each year. In every region of the world, women and girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math, denying them opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and finance that could help break the cycle of poverty. The worldwide average for women’s representation in these fields is only 30%, and women in developing countries are 25% less likely to be online than men. Science and technology play a critical role in spurring innovation and achieving sustainable development. But for science, technology and innovation to accelerate progress, they must be available to everyone. They have the power to create connections, foster learning, increase economic growth, and provide lifesaving information. Science and technology can also help change social norms and stereotypes, and reduce inequality.In 2009, President Barack Obama announced his vision for new engagement with the Muslim world, including the advancement of science and technology. USAID answered the call by introducing STEM public education to Egypt. By 2015, USAID had helped establish nine state-of-the-art STEM schools across the country. STEM education is now a top priority for Egypt’s President Abdel El Sisi, with the Government of Egypt planning to eventually have one STEM school in each of its 27 governorates. Through the Let Girls Learn Initiative, USAID is reducing barriers to adolescent girls’ education and empowering them through new skills and leadership opportunities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447003720-698LYL2LM188LLDMHGCY/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-45.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Doaa - the duck girl (Copy) Doaa - the duck girl October 8, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Doaa Mohamed Bakr is an 18-year-old high school student with a big heart for animals. In July 2015, she was among 92 students to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition hosted at 10 agricultural technical schools across all of southern Egypt. She won nearly $200 in startup capital, which she used to buy 140 ducklings. And with that, Doaa became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “When I first bought my ducks, at the beginning of the project, I was very very excited about them and fell in love with them,” Doaa says. “Everyday I would feed them, cut them clover, make them swim and sleep, talk to them, and loved them like my kids that I don’t even have.” USAID supports technical high school education in Egypt and encourages entrepreneurship as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447005541-3SGP12I6VAWDL5VBLIJN/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-46.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Doaa - the duck girl (Copy) Doaa - the duck girl October 8, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Eighteen-year-old Doaa Mohamed Bakr is one of the first female entrepreneurs her village has ever known. In July 2015, she was among 92 high school students from all over southern Egypt to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition. Doaa bought 140 ducklings with nearly $200 in startup capital awarded through the competition. And with that, she became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “My dream is to expand this project, and have a big barn,” Doaa says, “My advice and message to girls my age is that they should start with this project. You’ll become a great business woman and make your dad and mum proud.” Doaa’s high school is one of 10 agricultural technical schools that USAID supports as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447006969-H3469DKXD4M5O94LDMNO/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-47.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation (Copy) USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 5, 2015. Asmaa is a third-year student working on a tomb in Luxor’s Valley of the Nobles. Trained through a USAID project with American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, Asmaa uses distilled water to remove soot from the 18th Dynasty tomb, which dates to roughly the 1300’s B.C., or 3,300 years ago. USAID’s grant to ARCE includes support for conservation, restoration and documentation of Egyptian heritage sites along with training of Egyptian Government staff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447007807-ITHSZHI1SVGSJ2OW81O1/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-48.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. For eight years—until the tourist downturn following the January 25 Revolution in 2011—Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan worked as a chef at local restaurants. But today, he supports his wife and two children as a day laborer at the Qurna archeological dig site on the West Bank of the Nile. “It’s tough work, but I have adjusted my lifestyle,” he says. The site was also home to modern Egyptians for over a century until 2007, when the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - began resettling Qurna residents to nearby villages. As part of a USAID project to preserve Egypt’s cultural heritage while also boosting the local economy, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to remove rubble left from the demolition and improve the site for official tourism. Before 2011, Luxor had a thriving tourism industry, with thousands of visitors every day combing through Luxor’s ancient temples. Now only a few hundred make the visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447009686-OR18ZZQKXZXOJSXZCY1J/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-49.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 AMMAN, JORDAN - OCTOBER 1, 2015: Maha al Ashqar is the principal of Khawla Bint Tha’laba Primary Girls School in a suburb of Amman Jordan. The school, which has 356 students, hosts around 65 Syrian students—many of whom have fled violence and destruction in their country to live as refugees in Jordan. Although her school struggles with overcrowding, Al Ashqar is committed to accepting students. She also recounts this powerful anecdote: A few months after school started this year, a Syrian mother arrived at the front gates asking to enroll her daughter. The women at reception apologized, “There is no way. This school is full.” The mother was crestfallen. She asked to see the principal and was directed to Al Ashqar. And as she has done so many times before, the principal told the mother that, of course, she would enroll her daughter. But she had one request, “Please bring a chair.” “This touched me,” Al Ashqar explains. “I saw the tears of many mothers, and it was impossible to tell them that we had no room, to try somewhere else. I told them, just bring a chair with you, even if it’s a small plastic chair, and we will make do.”Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time—one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries—over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447010565-OC8KDX6ZAHZCO8P5XUOC/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-50.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Let Girls Learn Jordan (Copy) Let Girls Learn Jordan AJLOUN, JORDAN, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015Raghad and Ghusun line up in the courtyard of the school and sing the Jordanian national anthem before starting lessons. In Syria, Raghad [right] used to sit in the first row at school. When she came to Jordan, she was determined not to change that. Raghad has a special relationship with her father. He helps her study and find new solutions to homework problems. It’s through him that she was able to excel in Arabic. They spend hours together talking about literature and poetry. Ghusun [left] loves helping people and hopes to make that a career by becoming a doctor one day. Still, she knows that you can’t always predict the future and admits that her ambitions may change one day. For now, she enjoys studying a range of subjects, especially English, and spending time with her best friend, Raghad. Both girls attend the Anjara Elementary School in Ajloun where USAID and the Jordanian NGO Queen Rania Teacher Academy train teachers on how to accommodate and integrate new students who have suffered unthinkable trauma and may need special counseling and care through the CISLE project. The CISLE project supports 340 schools across Jordan. Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time – one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries – over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447012996-T93ZDS4CQXQAIWODHYKE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-51.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Ms. Srey Khouch's daughter at work in the plantation. During the raining season, workers are paid less than 3 USD a day to clean and fertilize the sugar canes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447014929-E7U724ONS0BUGFOC6RIW/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-52.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant (Copy) Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant LLANO GRANDE, HONDURAS -- JULY 03, 2015: Dina Bila Dominguez Sanchez, 42 (left) poses together with her sister-in-law Nora Clementina Hernandez Manueles and her sister Claudia Francisca Dominguez Sanchez. At her roadside restaurant and bakery, Dina and her extended family make 280 pieces of bread a day, almost all of which are sold by evening. She has steadily expanded her business with the help of the USAID program ACCESO, part of the U.S. Government's Feed the Future initiative. The program lifts families out of poverty and malnutrition, helping more than 30,000 rural households in six departments in western Honduras since 2011 by expanding job opportunities and introducing better agricultural practices. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447016442-G90JUJP6R25O633UEXRQ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-53.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Jessel and the SkateBrothers (Copy) Jessel and the SkateBrothers COFRADIA, HONDURAS -- JUNE 28, 2015: At a community street fair in Cofradia, a town in northwestern Honduras, there was a bouncy castle, BMX, skating and soccer. Members of the youth group Skate Brothers put on a performance, showing off their daring tricks. The group, which consists of about 50 kids who learn rollerblading, skateboarding, breakdancing and BMX, was founded out of a USAID youth outreach center to guide youth away from gangs and drugs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447017073-DIN8DI8JGDDZWM75ROXL/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-54.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Tania Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist for the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, gets dressed at her home in Cartagena, Colombia. Tania is the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and fights so that those who commit crimes against LGBT persons are brought to justice. “The impact of Caribe Afirmativo is that before, here in Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, no one was talking about sexual diversity. No one was talking about gender identity. No one was talking about human rights reports. There were no data, there was no follow up. We were invisible people who, if we existed, only existed on TV,” says Duarte. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447018576-SZE3XANRORDYCL4WOZXM/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-55.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia): Jose Blanquiceth is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. For the past five years, USAID has helped him grow better cacao and get a fairer price for his crop by connecting him to the chocolate industry. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. This group then pools product from several farmers and sells it to a major chocolate company based in Colombia. “With the cacao, now we can buy rice easier,” Jose explains. “Cacao changed my life.” Supporting the cacao industry is one of many USAID activities that gives Colombians living in areas long strained by civil conflict alternatives to illicit activities and helps rebuild trust in government and other institutions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447019268-GKX9CN8DFX3S6158KUK8/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-56.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia). Jose Blanquiceth cuts the cocoa pods to extract the wet beans. Jose is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. For the past five years, USAID has helped him grow better cacao and get a fairer price for his crop by connecting him to the chocolate industry. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. This group then pools product from several farmers and sells it to a major chocolate company based in Colombia. “With the cacao, now we can buy rice easier,” Jose explains. “Cacao changed my life.” Supporting the cacao industry is one of many USAID activities that gives Colombians living in areas long strained by civil conflict alternatives to illicit activities and helps rebuild trust in government and other institutions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447022851-3NDK40XO44ZGNG4NRKDJ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-57.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officers from the Violence Prevention Division during a patrol through the streets of Ilobasco. On these foot patrols, the officers will visit around 15 houses in an eight-hour shift, getting to know residents, explaining their efforts and attempting to earn their trust. USAID supports community policing in El Salvador as part of its efforts to reduce crime in one of the most violence-prone countries in the Western Hemisphere. “When we do the street patrols, we have a lot of contact with citizens. People tell us their problems. And we help them in whatever way we can,” says Hernández Reynosa. Community policing is a new tactic for El Salvador, where tensions run high between law enforcement and residents caught in the crosshairs of gang activity. In the areas where community policing has been implemented in pilot programs, murder and robbery rates decreased by around a third, while confidence in the police has risen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447024248-4YETANMYCD8BGY6B6A74/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-58.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa plays with students at El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447025406-VQMAF35KRWYMYATR7Z65/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-59.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015: Children in Ilobasco, El Salvador practice soccer, one of several activities available to them at the USAID-supported Miranda Outreach Center where they can learn, play and socialize in a safe environment, away from the gang violence that plagues the community. “Soccer here, it’s very effective,” says Kevin, the center’s 17-year old volunteer soccer coach. “If kids were more involved in this maybe they would not be thinking about gangs and bad stuff.” Across El Salvador and Central America, USAID supports outreach centers as one way to address the insecurity and lack of options that can cause migrations to the United States, including a recent wave of around 50,000 minors who left in the summer of 2014. These centers give youth from Central America’s most violent communities a peaceful place to do homework, use the computer, study English or play sports. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447027482-ADXQ7YHUZDJJ13RYTL5Y/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-60.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina (Copy) Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina November 19, 2013 - Binauna village, Banke (Nepal). Female Community Health Worker Jharana Kumari Tharu councils a group of women, including expectant mothers and those who have recently delivered, on good health practices in Binauna village, in Nepal’s Banke District. One of the many interventions that Jharana helps promote is how to apply a chlorahexidine-based antiseptic gel on a newborn’s cut umbilical cord stump to prevent infection. This simple life-saving intervention, which is supported by USAID and partner JSI throughout Nepal, has been shown to reduce infant mortality by roughly one third in a large community trial conducted in Nepal by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in conjunction with partner organization Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447029276-Q8WQRMWPHLGPXUZSZBT2/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-61.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital (Copy) Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital November 18, 2014 - Nepalganj (Nepal). A mother with her new born baby inside the post-natal ward at Nepal’s Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447031315-JVGJM7C1YDM1WZYFZSS4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-62.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer (Copy) Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer November 17, 2014 - Ugratara village, Kathamandu (Nepal). Gita Kunwar is a 36-year-old Female Community Health Volunteer in Ugratara Janagall village, in the Kathmandu Valley. She is one of roughly 50,000 health volunteers tasked with encouraging better health behaviors among Nepal’s underserved populations, including expectant and new mothers. One of the most important behaviors that Gita helps promote is the use of a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel that is applied to the umbilical cords of newborns throughout the country after birth to prevent infection and newborn death. USAID has been a major supporter of every step of the chlorahexidine program over the past decade, from the early stage trials, conducted by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and development, to the current scale-up across Nepal being implemented by JSI and the Nepal government Ministry of Health and Population. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447032679-IKLXD80FCVVD292I3GAE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-63.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 August 19, 2014 - Kandal (Cambodia). Amanda Vanstone (Vision 2020's Chair and previous Minister of Parliament), Jennifer Gersbeck (Vision 2020 Australia’s CEO) and David Andrews (RANZCO's CEO) visit an activity related to the Avoidable Blindness Initiative in a village in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RANZO https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447033929-W0VSJ8QU6UWSPB631RFB/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-64.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Teng Leang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447036116-9PV7DPF4X0NDE6AHUPCK/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-65.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 February 04, 2014 - Ta Reach Village (Kampot). Ms. Rin Ren (30) recollects water from her dug well. This is her main source for potable water, but it's only available during the wet season . © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SNV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447038429-ARZE4P3BCIBOUGLSU1X1/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-66.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 November 30, 2013 - Lvea village, Seang kveang Commune - (Prey Veng). Ms Eam Pom (62) cuts organic rice with a sickle during a crop harvest in paddy field outside the community. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447039996-9YRS47WCNLSB94HUHK4Y/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-67.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 November 29, 2013 - Handicap International Rehabilitation Center (Kampong Cham). Dott. Chai Borany (27) measures a patient's amputation to fit a prostethic leg. She is one of the 70 Cambodians who graduated at the CSPO (The Cambodia School of Prosthetics and Orthotics), a school that provides Prosthetics - Orthotics training for students from low-income countries in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447043218-4URUJ4VWXC0ARRVEKBYM/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-68.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 November 28, 2013 - Sterng Chey Commune (Kompong Cham). Mr En Noy (55) rides his bycicle on the way back to his home. He was a soldier during the war and he lost a leg as the conseguence of a bullet. Nowadays he has a small bike repair shop in the village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447047498-LI3INXPNJMIGDZ84Y4OA/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-69.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 November 28, 2013 - Batheay village (Kompong Cham). Ms. So Yeou (50) received a tranining in sewing and she is now able to make some small incomes with this activity. She lost a leg when she stop on a landmine while she was working at her Bamboo farm. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447050748-2NNWYHGX30BZF5MZO4RR/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-70.jpg NGO Portfolio 2021 October 30, 2013 – Teabanh Komrou Primary School (Siem Reap). Students line up before the beginning of the morning classes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/blood-sugar daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439841216-GVNGIE5PX8HN7FM05WZ2/001-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar (Copy) Blood Sugar January 8, 2013 - Omlaing. A family prepares breakfast before start working in the sugar cane plantations the company built outside the village. Many families forced off their land who have lost their only source of income, have little choice but to work for the very companies who have claimed their land, either at the factory level, or cutting and bundling sugar canes for rates as low as US$2.50 per day. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439844633-RBUKGR7NGW7YNOJALXK1/002-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar August 20, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Ms. Pheun Ra (40) in front of her house. In 2010 she was evicted and forced to move with her family in the resettlement village and was given a small plot of land (40x50m) to farm. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439846852-OIFDL5B3LNF15LUV5YD7/003-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 17, 2013 - Srei Ambel. Labourers head to work in the plantations of Srei Ambel. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439851739-0KMT419F49T1DU0YHHQW/004-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 8, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Life in the "camp site" - built for the sugar plantation workers by the Cambodian Corporate "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd". The camp is just a simple shelter with a metallic roof and without any kind of sanitary service, fresh water or electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439854016-5EWGMTEYLEWXKQOGCHCR/005-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia). View of the Phnom Penh Sugar Co Ltd plantation, that covers more than 19.000 hectares and it's owned by Cambodian Senator and tycoon Ly Yong Phat . © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439862794-8Q2C0SRJS28UQMN6EEEA/006-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 8, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Children line up in the courtyard of the small primary school of Omlaing. According to the teachers, there's a very high rate of children who left the school (mainly of students above 15/16 years old) to work in the plantations of sugar cane. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1546499553885-LB9FN4XQ1Y0YN69PHD2F/007-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations B. S. (11) carries a bunch of sugar cane. To help his family (evicted from their land in 2006 to make way for the sugar plantation), S. works normally 2 days a week trying to not loose too many days of school. Sugar plantation of Srei Ambel, Koh Kong - Cambodia. 16 Jan. 2013 © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439874924-0GU8Z6LO2RPEJ8EMI155/008-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). A woman cuts sugar cane inside the plantations belonging to Koh Kong Plan­tation Co. Ltd (KKPC) and the Koh Kong Sugar Co. Ltd. The concessions cover 9,400 ha and 9,700 ha respectively for a duration of 90 years. While the concessions were technically issued to two separate Cambodian legal entities, KKPC and KKSI, the concessions are located side-by-side and have been developed into a single sugarcane plantation with a total area of 19,100 ha. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439870022-BFS1C8BYFBLIXMSMR9NU/009-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). C.S (14yr. old) works a couple days a week in the plantion to help his family. In order to facilitate the cutting,sugar cane fields are burnt before harvesting. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439878812-U2XHBWQW8WR44YNYP9T9/010-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). Labourers rest in the Sugar cane plantation of Srei Ambel. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439884296-HW974P1BEEQ4XYKRWK3W/011-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). In order to facilitate the cutting, sugar cane workers burn part of the fields. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1546499555001-8LU03EPPTTRA4QMLN83M/012-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Chhoyk village, Srei Ambel district, Koh Kong (Cambodia). N. T. at just 9 years old, helps his parents counting and making bunches with the sugar canes. He's from Bang Village - about 2 hours drive away from the plantations, where he lives with his other 2 brothers. His family decided to start working in the plantations as they suffered a very strong drought and they are not able to cultivate their lands. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439893458-OF60YMFG5OANVO10UON0/013-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). B. S. (11) takes a break from working on the sugar cane plantation. Seth works normally 2 days a week trying to not loose too many days of school. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439894634-VAF8SGO5L0TIOFT1XCKN/014-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Villagers from Pis Village at work in the plantation. During raining season, workers are paid less than 3 USD a day to clean and fertilize the sugar canes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439899619-5YWX2V1UJRNKVYUSL23F/015-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Ms. Yan Sophea (37) together one of her sons - Heng Iyhour (7). In 2010 she was evicted and forced to relocate with her family in Pis village. Nowadays she shares a plot of land with her mother and runs a small shop. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439900220-ACQSWQJJXB14683WGRHW/016-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations March 29, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia). Truck drivers rest inside the "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd" factory's ground. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439908106-1Z3XXE7IFBGONYMWET3O/017-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar August 20, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Mr. Vaen Mak (57) overlooks Pis village. His family lost 3.5 hectares of land when the company evicted them to build the plantation. The family now owns a small plot a land (40x50m) close to the mountain. The land was full of rocks and It took Mr. Vaen Mak almost 4 years to make it farmable. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439905953-3RUS55FUVSH5YWL5HRY8/018-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations March 29, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia).Trucks wait to enter the factory to unload the sugar cane. Phnom Penh Sugar factory. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439914417-IALZYQ29YFR340FLZ8W3/019-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations May 29, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia). The main production line of the "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd" factory. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439913482-WR71YOC8CAL10BEPMRXK/020-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar October 1, 2014 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Villagers evicted by Phnom Penh Sugar in Kampong Speu protest in front of the headquarters of ANZ Royal in Phnom Penh. Using fake blood and forcing the bank to close, villagers are seeking the group to take responsibility for their action and request compensation for the eviction. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439918993-D3IM9DQPJPVN2UH2DR2J/021-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar September 30, 2014 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Demonstrators in front of the headquarters of the ANZ Royal bank protest the funding by ANZ Royal to Phnom Penh Sugar who are involved in an ongoing land dispute in Kampong Speu. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439922130-MACHQLRZ2BETMQUB3TBL/022-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). Sugar cane collectors wait to be payed after a hard day of working. They earn around 2.5 USD per day, and their employment normally lasts only three months for year. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439922921-VKFUE6YQLS00DEQVJJMO/023-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). Sugar cane collectors come back home after a day of work. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439928216-0R4YMN9FKDUHGLOZX5NV/024-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 8, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). T. N. (61) walks back home after a day working in the plantations. She was evicted from her 7 hectares land in 2011, and was forced to accepted a compensation of 300USD (the estimate value of 1 hectare is around 5.000 USD). Now she and her family, don't own any land and they're not self-sufficient anymore (2.5 of the 7 hectares were rice fields) and they had to ask the bank for loans. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439927867-VVDEPNOSZEAPJVB9NQBV/025-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar January 15, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). K. K. (13) hugs his litle sister after a day working in the sugar cane plantations. Chhoyk village, Srei Ambel district, Koh Kong, Cambodia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439934769-0C5UQYWS4I8IO6HGQTOK/026-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Life in the "camp site" - built for the sugar plantation workers by the Cambodian Corporate "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd". The camp is just a simple shelter with a metallic roof and without any kind of sanitary service or electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439934177-IUDST441ETJ41FS8LLNV/027-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Labours bath near the manual labourers camp after a day working on the plantation, Phnom Penh Sugar plantation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439936740-M50HMGTJCJ4RT9DHV07U/028-blood_sugar.jpg Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Life in the "camp site" - built for the sugar plantation workers by the Cambodian Corporate "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd". The camp is just a simple shelter with a metallic roof and without any kind of sanitary service or electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/erison daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307877758-2JZ3ROALTPEXF126A4RT/001-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). From his home, it takes Erison Frias about 20 minutes to walk a dirt and mud path that leads to his school, Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba. Friends, a mobile phone and a mini portable speaker help the time fly by. Erison is one of the students who participate in Baseball Cares, a partnership between USAID and Major League Baseball. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307892239-2TW0GD3IF8M5HGDP4Y3N/010-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Students at Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba attend physical education class. Some of the students are also part of Baseball Cares, an initiative with USAID and Major League Baseball that that uses the principles and values of baseball to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307904415-JIMIHYUKAS6W27UR35RT/021-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison attends a studying class at the Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba. Boys and girls from the Dominican Republic are part of the USAID-sponsored Baseball Cares project, an initiative that taps into the country’s love of baseball to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307905264-H6S8L3DS4CBPYFK3NUAS/024-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison attends a class at the Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba. Boys and girls from the Dominican Republic are part of the USAID-sponsored Baseball Cares project, an initiative that taps into the country’s love of baseball to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307912664-A17R4ORSP2158HB58V8X/032-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Baseball Cares’ Ester Frias leads a lively classroom discussion about incorporating the positive values of baseball into the classroom -- and into life outside the classroom -- for a group of teens. USAID and Major League Baseball began the initiative to instill the values of baseball while also promoting literacy for young people in the Dominican Republic. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307911764-YHI40K0OP7Y4IOEB6UA6/038-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Baseball Cares’ Ester Frias leads a lively classroom discussion about incorporating the positive values of baseball into the classroom -- and into life outside the classroom -- for a group of teens. USAID and Major League Baseball began the initiative to instill the values of baseball while also promoting literacy for young people in the Dominican Republic. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307919954-72SKXS8F429VX309U6TD/042-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307927000-8B7MBEZE2K36YZ0D9EA7/046-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, joins friends for a game of baseball after school in a neighbor’s yard in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. The ball is made of old socks and the bat is a stick. The country is passionate about baseball. That is why USAID partnered with Major League Baseball here to marry the values of baseball with lessons in literacy in the country's school system. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307932001-S9MIY3MCQAZJHIDJJ10F/050-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, joins friends for a game of baseball after school in a neighbor’s yard in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. The ball is made of old socks and the bat is a stick. The country is passionate about baseball. That is why USAID partnered with Major League Baseball here to marry the values of baseball with lessons in literacy in the country's school system. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307931999-ITKEFMRGAVAY8L6F55WX/056-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, does his homework in the courtyard of his home. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307938855-W9551L5W04BNAYN9KE08/063-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 22, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison and his father Nelson Frias visit the Quisqueya stadium. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307940415-BYV8Y5A6G48UWIU02923/074-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias and his classmates warmed up at the Angels Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307946948-AW6YQ6BLTM4PBLEMWBIH/083-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias and his classmates warmed up at the Angels Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307955087-XJNP82PYGYISUZAGEWN0/092-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero meets with Erison and other kids at the Angels Baseball Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. He recently greeted participants in Baseball Cares, a partnership between USAID and Major League Baseball to use the principles of the game to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307960834-TAQ6990QBM28YB8I4N7L/098-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Erison - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison shows a ball signed by MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/aberu-ethiopia daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055646752-0280MTNT9C3109VIJPOP/018-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Aerial view of Aberu’s village. Aberu Mamo, 33, and her husband, Samuel Shumuye, 38, had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055475284-6VGANNZOQLJM7PKJN1J0/002-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait outside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055480826-6NLA8I5GHJWBVPCRGBGF/003-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) prepares breakfast in her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055480810-K3GDX4UX7QFNG5F3AZ1J/004-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) prepares breakfast in her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055496015-N97VL9I2AQMJAOZT3WA7/005-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait inside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055502026-SEFYMV6RFWUL6NZF4WNF/006-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Samuel Shumuye, 38, leads his cattle out for grazing in South Tigray, Ethiopia. Samuel and his wife had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055511262-RZ3JYMRSZS8MGCOM3WJK/007-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- In South Tigray, Ethiopia, farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, chats with her neighbor Yasin Hagos Mohammed, 51. Aberu’s family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055511269-RAU0WPD7AEZ05G46HSBT/008-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait outside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055530512-DE3TEWRX1M7LK2LRRBSX/009-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 3, 2018 -- Farmer Samuel Shumuye, 38, works with laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. His family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055524859-M736817NM0U6LM4P1NXV/010-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055533598-AXXDSXS6RR8N4XR23KU2/011-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055535947-3XEZL0IAAUPU1RB1G6XC/012-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055559181-RYI0SBKP5XN2L9IDMTLD/013-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055559446-61Y09LXE0578C4IL7GVN/014-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055611924-IZPZ3WT1ZVY14RO1CJ8C/015-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055590177-L2X8BK15ZEHP4QYAFYL2/016-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055624392-B4G0XR2KYGYQEZCPIWAX/017-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055470115-12DR28K3O7KLFA7BFXVA/001-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Aberu Ethiopia - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 6, 2018 -- Aerial view of Aberu’s village. Aberu Mamo, 33, and her husband, Samuel Shumuye, 38, had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/glimpse-of-china daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531981654864-PKED0ZNR2MK5D6R63MZ9/001-china_2017.jpg Glimpse of China https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531981658801-KW4VDTDN2E9P778ZMN05/002-china_2017.jpg Glimpse of China https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531981661152-R85O4IY440QACBFXF6IS/003-china_2017.jpg Glimpse of China https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531981663155-9AWGTE5D8SU43C2DVUOB/004-china_2017.jpg Glimpse of China https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531981665518-30PJCYGCKLMHA7C2M4BT/005-china_2017.jpg Glimpse of China 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https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279673741-03RSREDHDO7IVDIM22QI/001_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Portraits - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson poses for a portrait. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279673038-N3XMCTNWPJGOYD08055R/001-Francesca_Erdelmann.jpg Portraits - Francesca Erdelmann (Copy) Francesca Erdelmann February 18, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Francesca Erdelmann, deputy country director of World Food Programme in Cambodia, visits one of the organisation's warehouse in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Wageningen World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279674800-AMG53BN7AK2ZQNQWJ5IQ/001-rain_tree_cambodia.jpg Portraits - Raintree Cambodia (Copy) Raintree Cambodia September 11, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Zoë Ng - Co-Founder at Raintree Development in Cambodia - poses for a portrait. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279675990-FN7TVPRJAJGQBJVB3G7V/001-svay_sareth.jpg Portraits - Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth (Copy) Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth August 30, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian artist Svay Sareth poses for a portrait inside SaSaBassac gallery. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279677339-F16V3HW131N09MN0XBKU/001-usaid_jordan_chairs_series.jpg Portraits AMMAN, JORDAN - OCTOBER 1, 2015: Maha al Ashqar is the principal of Khawla Bint Tha’laba Primary Girls School in a suburb of Amman Jordan. The school, which has 356 students, hosts around 65 Syrian students—many of whom have fled violence and destruction in their country to live as refugees in Jordan. Although her school struggles with overcrowding, Al Ashqar is committed to accepting students. She also recounts this powerful anecdote: A few months after school started this year, a Syrian mother arrived at the front gates asking to enroll her daughter. The women at reception apologized, “There is no way. This school is full.” The mother was crestfallen. She asked to see the principal and was directed to Al Ashqar. And as she has done so many times before, the principal told the mother that, of course, she would enroll her daughter. But she had one request, “Please bring a chair.” “This touched me,” Al Ashqar explains. “I saw the tears of many mothers, and it was impossible to tell them that we had no room, to try somewhere else. I told them, just bring a chair with you, even if it’s a small plastic chair, and we will make do.” Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time—one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries—over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279678794-0H1UL9RB53GVP2D5VFJA/001-USAID_Nepal_Gita_Kunwar.jpg Portraits - Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer (Copy) Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer November 17, 2014 - Ugratara village, Kathamandu (Nepal). Gita Kunwar is a 36-year-old Female Community Health Volunteer in Ugratara Janagall village, in the Kathmandu Valley. She is one of roughly 50,000 health volunteers tasked with encouraging better health behaviors among Nepal’s underserved populations, including expectant and new mothers. One of the most important behaviors that Gita helps promote is the use of a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel that is applied to the umbilical cords of newborns throughout the country after birth to prevent infection and newborn death. USAID has been a major supporter of every step of the chlorahexidine program over the past decade, from the early stage trials, conducted by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and development, to the current scale-up across Nepal being implemented by JSI and the Nepal government Ministry of Health and Population. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279679294-LAFP4PDLW4OSZP1EJLDF/002-china_cambodia.jpg Portraits - Haijun Zeng (Copy) Haijun Zeng January 28, 2019 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Haijun Zeng, entrepreneur from China's Hunan province and member of Tings & Associates, a team of architects and professionals based in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279682557-RWKNOO07YSX2EPSM0XWK/003-Sou_Theavy.jpg Portraits © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SEA Globe 2014 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279683528-9A1SC8FATVE91FDMJ6QB/003-USAID_ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Portraits - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait outside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279684423-WNSFQQSFWYG74CCN8JQN/004-USAID_Egypt_diggers_portraits.jpg Portraits LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. For eight years—until the tourist downturn following the January 25 Revolution in 2011—Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan worked as a chef at local restaurants. But today, he supports his wife and two children as a day laborer at the Qurna archeological dig site on the West Bank of the Nile. “It’s tough work, but I have adjusted my lifestyle,” he says. The site was also home to modern Egyptians for over a century until 2007, when the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - began resettling Qurna residents to nearby villages. As part of a USAID project to preserve Egypt’s cultural heritage while also boosting the local economy, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to remove rubble left from the demolition and improve the site for official tourism. Before 2011, Luxor had a thriving tourism industry, with thousands of visitors every day combing through Luxor’s ancient temples. Now only a few hundred make the visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279686958-GWK2JNFP0ETS0027WHF0/007-chef_somsack.jpg Portraits - Chef Somsack (Copy) Chef Somsack May 12, 2017 - Luang Prabang (Laos). Chef Somsack poses in his house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279688522-OO13VNB0ROGYH5DCM0HR/007-ECCC.jpg Portraits July 15, 2014 - Phnom Penh. William Smith, Deputy Co-Prosecutor at the Extraordinary Chambers in the courts of Cambodia. © Thomas Crisofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279690844-H6135YGLQVVKA9WD28H2/007-WWF_Kui_Buri_Phanasit_Phiboonwattanakorn.jpg Portraits - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Phanasit Phiboonwattanakorn (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Phanasit Phiboonwattanakorn February 20, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Phanasit Phiboonwattanakorn (42) poses for a portrait inside his rubber plantation. A part of being a driver for the tourists who visit the Kui Buri park, he’s also a farmer and he owns a field close to edges of the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279692772-CC3VJDHK5WXXOYIXW114/009-WWF_Kui_Buri_WorravootKassamee_lodge.jpg Portraits - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge February 21, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Worravoot Kassamee (33) works in his pineapple plantation. He was a former WWF staff and now works as a farmer and as a tour guide at the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279695165-LUVTPBTCUOU5LEYJAVYD/010-Kopi_Lestari_Aceh_Indonesia.jpg Portraits - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Marissa (21) checks one of the plant in the tree nursery run by the local cooperative. Kopi Lestari is an agroforestry project deployed at landscape level in partnership with coffee farmers across Indonesia. The aim is to help them regenerate their ecosystems and diversifying their crops to increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of shifting to monoculture productions such as palm oil.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279695763-5F7MRTP8XA5ORARJTUJ2/010-svay_sareth.jpg Portraits - Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth (Copy) Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth August 30, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian artist Svay Sareth poses for a portrait inside SaSaBassac gallery. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279697616-7PDDGUW6SULR5MUX822U/012-ECCC.jpg Portraits July 14, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). © Thomas Crisofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279698551-VI32PKAOSF9Q9FL1AXVH/017-USAID_ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Portraits - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait inside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279699331-1CM2K0843N33LNP6EA45/019-NBC_khmer_rouge.jpg Portraits April 7, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Ron Ung poses for a portrait at the YMCA's office in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for NBC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279701986-4336U01KS78SH9BXRJY1/026-Colombia_from_coca_to_cacao.jpg Portraits - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia): Jose Blanquiceth is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. For the past five years, USAID has helped him grow better cacao and get a fairer price for his crop by connecting him to the chocolate industry. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. This group then pools product from several farmers and sells it to a major chocolate company based in Colombia. “With the cacao, now we can buy rice easier,” Jose explains. “Cacao changed my life.” Supporting the cacao industry is one of many USAID activities that gives Colombians living in areas long strained by civil conflict alternatives to illicit activities and helps rebuild trust in government and other institutions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279704776-G877J5376SDUONIQ2SG4/027-wwf_mekong_cambodia.jpg Portraits - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Teng Leang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279704680-TSX8F15140LDQGHGH2S1/056-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Portraits - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, does his homework in the courtyard of his home. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279708429-HCAS4PPKA4HVQBHGT84S/Arn_Chorn_Pond-003.jpg Portraits - Arn Chorn-Pond (Copy) Arn Chorn-Pond November 11, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodia living arts founder Arn Chorn-Pond poses for a portrait at the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279709544-TKUP62JW4EK9NCNWNJOF/Arn_Chorn_Pond-012.jpg Portraits - Arn Chorn-Pond (Copy) Arn Chorn-Pond November 11, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodia living arts founder Arn Chorn-Pond poses for a portrait at the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279710904-PABPCV4QVSCI5PBG65CB/IMG_6642.jpg Portraits January 2015 - Yangon (Myanmar). Shooting for the feature "Yangon analogic" published on Tiger Tales - March 2015. Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for TIger Airways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279713573-BDZ77VIUH0HM9ECSJI71/IMG_7222.jpg Portraits January 2015 - Yangon (Myanmar). Shooting for the feature "Yangon analogic" published on Tiger Tales - March 2015. Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for TIger Airways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279714922-6Y1VWLZXDY99DDNG1H05/IMG_7569.jpg Portraits January 2015 - Yangon (Myanmar). Shooting for the feature "Yangon analogic" published on Tiger Tales - March 2015. Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for TIger Airways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279715781-D1RHJX91ZUTH8KRMSCYJ/jessica_manning_cambodia-4.jpg Portraits - Jessica Manning - Looking for the Next Pandemic (Copy) Jessica Manning - Looking for the Next Pandemic February 10, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Dr. Jessica Manning at work in her laboratory located inside the CNM (National Center for Parasitology Entomology and Malaria Control) of Phnom Penh. Here, Dr. Manning and her team analyse the blood samples collected in Kampong Speu and other Cambodian provinces. An open-source software tool called IDseq sifts through the pile of sequences and matches them with pathogens that cause known diseases like dengue, malaria, and now Covid-19. It also looks for sequences that don’t match with anything in global databases: potential signs of an unknown pathogen causing a new disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279716592-GAWO2R187TV8KPXUG2AQ/lgbt_jakarta_002.jpg Portraits - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279717359-EGRZ3RE50H3OWEZJXQFQ/lgbt_jakarta_006.jpg Portraits - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279718476-8QUTSVKBCLKZPIPZMJSY/lgbt_jakarta_007.jpg Portraits - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Masboi and Bintang met through Tinder and they have been together for a year. Masboi is a transgender man and Bintang is a cisgender woman unsure if she identifies herself as bisexual or just lesbian. Masboi felt like a boy since his childhood but he wasn’t sure about transitioning until he was 30 years old. Bintang doesn’t remember when she started feeling attracted to tomboy looking girls and she was in denial until recently. She thinks that what they do is a sin according to their religion, but she is trying her best to be a better human being despite of what the religion believes. They were both raised in conservative muslim families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279719883-PA45TG79EUT07LTX858G/lion_the_former_looter-011.jpg Portraits - Former looter "Lion" (Copy) Former looter "Lion" October 28, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Former looter "Lion" looks the statue of Shiva and Skanda that he looted in the 90' within the Koh Ker complex. In the background is visible the statue of Prajnaparamita, also looted by "Lion". Both pieces have recently been returned by Douglas Latchford's daughter to the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279721886-0JWW1ZKYKBQ0EFNQIT4Y/Lion_visits_koh_ker-014.jpg Portraits - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). “Lion” at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple where years ago he looted two females statues, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279725968-P0FMQ9TPKTLV4TPPIXWU/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_016.jpg Portraits - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with the new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families: young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To make matters even worse, Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who use them to commute, or make trips to the market. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279730871-HM6QN1QY81RZYDAUP4AT/yoga_Navutu_Resort_006.jpg Portraits - Yoga at Navutu Dreams Resort (Copy) Yoga at Navutu Dreams Resort October 26, 2019 - Siem Reap (Cambodia). Yoga at Navutu Dreams Resort. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/death-of-a-king daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440618962-ESM46OVN0YJHO3J5ORX9/001-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440616346-AVAX4XK4WGHN9P8P4FV9/002-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. A man has her head shaved by a monk to mourn the passing of former King Norodom Sihanouk outside the Royal Palace, on the second day of his mouning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440621321-6F69LLBTI6RHRKME43DA/003-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440626705-9WABYN7R590UYOVRVPVK/004-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440626289-J6BG7YGSQ15PJA3OAWWS/005-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians gather in front of the Royal Palace to pay their respect to the former king Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440630542-WD57RQL59FJ5MVLRXW54/006-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. A young girl cries the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440633217-K9FKPZP98PKJ2BB64Q88/007-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440635304-WY5I56QWDA2JS6E28ZDG/008-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. A portrait of the former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk left in front of the Royal Palace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440639627-EVRQN1D14FPMLX85YBY9/009-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 30/11/2012 - Phnom Penh. Construction workers build the load-bearing structure of the crematorium in which the late king Nordom Sianouk will be cremated. The structure costed $1.2 million and will be dismantled in keeping with Cambodian tradition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440641388-JR5YXKUCR3PKQTNOP08B/010-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The final touches are made ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440648044-WLDYMQM0NFSLXEG3X91R/011-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). A security agent scans a group of Buddhist monks ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440648107-KT1CK6EUSVK9LFD3W60W/012-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). Latest retouches before the celebrations of the funeral of the former Cambodian king Sihanouk start. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440654936-QOQC7YT2VXAPS4MAK35J/013-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The golden coffin carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk, comes out the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh surrounded by the higher echelons of the Cambodian Army. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440655293-6TXE3ZWV10VCMQKQ2GZI/014-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). Officials carrying images of the late king pictured ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440662362-FB4OS5O4R6NITD6ROMCL/015-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The golden coffin carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk is paraded around the streets of Phnom Penh filled with thousands of people paying their last respects as the royal funeral rites get underway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440666495-XUXRDA9KK3MRLWOGKKS1/016-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The golden coffin carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk is paraded around the streets of Phnom Penh filled with thousands of people paying their last respects as the royal funeral rites get underway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440669322-LIF1L4LLY9I0GEDMG7NZ/017-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, pay their respects to the late former King Sihanouk just outside the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440672769-TB6HGTQVCT8I8U6QKYGE/018-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). An official rests after the ceremony in which the golden coffin, carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk, is paraded around the streets of Phnom Penh, filled with thousands of people paying the latest respects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440673472-3XVUE4YQHOI0U1LXCAR9/019-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 02/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Bun Rany, wife of P.M. Hun Sen, enters the crematorium site ahead of the start of a private ceremony in which the king Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk will pay their respects to the late Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440684266-T5CYBRMV4P2X1JNJYVB1/020-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 02/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk pay their respects to the late Cambodian King Sihanouk in a private ceremony held in the afternoon of saturday in the crematorium built nearby the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440680779-JIIROA7W63LKVMATVQFE/021-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 03/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians are lined in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh to enter the Crematorium and pay their last respects to the late king Sihanouk, on the third day of his funeral. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440685660-HQPJ3S5VT2EKH2UBKOQ4/022-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 03/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. A young boy sells lotus flowers in front of the Royal Palace, some hours before the cermony of cremation of the late king Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440691345-CW77JP8ZANVR3JE83KNR/023-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Print shop workers make posters and gadgets with the photos of the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, during the cremation ceremony of his body. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440691670-THHW6X2I3YI49IMT9JRO/024-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 03/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians are lined in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh to enter the Crematorium and pay their last respects to the late king Sihanouk, on the third day of his funeral. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440699694-BALPJTXV98WDHDVG1UO1/025-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. A woman clears the floor in the front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, minutes before the beginning of the ceremony of cremation of the late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440706217-3OYSBG1KDGJD9F8Q231J/026-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians wait for hours in the river side of Phnom Penh, the beginning of the ceremony of cremation of the late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk, as Police secured the area around the Vela Meru - the crematorium site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440705862-FOJ75E50XAN3K1GY4RXJ/027-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Aerial view of the crematorium built nearby the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, minutes before the cremation of the body of the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440712501-MT54BW8LW7V16IO4088Z/028-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodian women cry after the ending of the ceremony of cremation of the late King Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440713951-TOQ6KOJI1OHPENVAQQYZ/029-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Smoke comes out the chimney of the crematorium minutes after the end of the cremation ceremony of the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440715811-T2XWCBJGMLSSM4SL0YG7/030-death_king.jpg Death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians who waited for hours in the river side of Phnom Penh, climb over the fences, minutes after the end of the ceremony of cremation of the late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/polygamy-incorporated-1 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753250422-15MWGL4U4DBBBVQDT7QN/001-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Two small girls push a stroller in the park inside the "Global Ikhwan village”, a compound of commercial and residential estates owned by the organization in Rawang, a small town in the north of Kuala Lumpur. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753249740-SQQG2OTKM3BQGDIHLIWA/002-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Global Ikhwan CEO's first wife Saiyidah Lokman (center), fourth wife Mardiona Hakim (right) and 3 of their 27 children at the family home. Although polygamy is legal in Malaysia, it is rarely practiced in the open or with the knowledge and approval of all the wives involved in such a relationship. However, one company in the country - Global Ikhwan - only employs women, who view polygamy as the integral element of “the Islamic way of life.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753255355-SZ1NDYNLXGKFZZKZLHOZ/003-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Patients wait for a pediatric consultancy in a private clinic owned by Global Ikhwan. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753260481-0AC3S5DGY0G22BUYS2UV/004-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (right) visits a friend, Nik Raihana (27), who delivered a baby the day before at the Global Ikhwan clinic. Despite been living in Kedah, five hours drive from Rawang, she chose to deliver her first daughter at the company's clinic. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753269674-7HJ8WIVD0IQU2JOJUNAR/005-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Customers at the Global Ikhwan cafe inside the "Global Ikhwan village”, a compound of commercial and residential estates owned by the organization in Rawang, a small town in the north of Kuala Lumpur. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753278121-2VECN7MLFNFVYHKW75BT/006-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Global Ikhwan's CEO Lokman Hakim, poses together with his 4 wives, - from left to right - Mardiona Hakim, Rahmah Lokman, Saiyidah Lokman and Nur Rul Lokman. Some of their 27 children are attending boarding schools in Jordan, Australia and Egypt. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753280726-BJCI5YT44AEERWA286EK/007-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin works as a dentist at the Global Ikhwan Clinic in Rawang and she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753289572-L45LN9561LZSCMVPQSWJ/008-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Aisyah Yob supervise three young students during a cooking lesson at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, in the south of Kuala Lumpur. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical classes to learn how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753289863-7XAMKAUH6USRNSL2E7YI/009-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young students pray at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, in the south of Kuala Lumpur. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical classes to learn how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753295107-SUCT8JXW5P88L7T9FS72/010-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753309557-3VRX14GMC23OU0Y557S9/011-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (left) talks with some friends. She works as a dentist at the Global Ikhwan Clinic in Rawang and she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753310192-P247FWQVDRQXV0QHQJ7E/012-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (wearing a purple dress) during the Maghrib prayer with other Global Ikhwan members. Dentist at the company's Clinic in Rawang, she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753327605-0SUP14PC0KN73LJL1ZGE/013-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Young members of the organisation buys clothes in one of the company's shop. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753327023-ZTHONGVMZ2IMUCCL8DOB/014-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Young members of the organisation produce clothes to sell in the company's shops. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753334009-7IILJVXJJY3H73OIYMH2/015-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (right) offers a seminary on jealousy in polygamy to a group of Global Ikhwan female members. Dentist at the company's Clinic in Rawang, she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753335071-R03UM5IVX24BFRES8YQN/016-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 11, 2015 - Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Members of Global Ikhwan during the shooting of "Niet" (Intention), a short video drama the company intends to submit to a local short-film festival. More than 20 members are employed in video and audio productions, creating musical videos, dramas and educational material for the company's private TV channel. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753342004-M6FMDCU3MLXWTSEF8T48/017-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A young student prays at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, in the south of Kuala Lumpur. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical classes to learn how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753348575-2CKSKHIAO65SWDAB1DQG/018-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Puan Wan Nur Fauziah (center), admin at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, during the lunch prayer. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753352901-OSQZSJWX2MU3GAVBAU55/019-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young female daughters of Ikhwan members put back their books after a class of Koran at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong. In the school they also study arabics and follow practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753357273-UJW30VG7H41JHUTYWDWP/020-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A young female student learns how to take care of plants at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong. Young members of Global Ikhwan attend this private schools to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753358774-ODFPTBW2JDY1ZU6TJ94M/021-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young female daughters of Ikhwan members learn how to take care of babies and small children at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school's kindergarden. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753362609-F5LMP31UFUTEIFE4946W/022-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Global Ikhwan's CEO Lokman Hakim shows a picture of a recent family reunion. He's married with 4 wives and he has 27 children. Although polygamy is legal in Malaysia, it is rarely practiced in the open or with the knowledge and approval of all the wives involved in such a relationship. However, Global Ikhwan - only employs women, who view polygamy as the integral element of “the Islamic way of life.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753366118-MY3O9FAZHKRIMDD7Z18C/023-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Mardiona Hakim, wife no 4 of Global Ikhwan's CEO, Lokman Hakim (driving the car) with two of their children. Mardiona was born in Australia from a Malaysian family and she married Lokman in 2005. She now works at the company's laundry. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753369303-2N99PHDUNW17FO6AG10X/024-polygamy_incorporated.jpg Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 9, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). An old member of the organisation hosted at the Global Ikhwan retiring home in Rawang. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/los-percebeiros-de-laxe daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441295288-G5JQOKAKOK9TBZM2S562/001-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 1st, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small village of Laxe, is located on the Northwest coast of Galicia (called Costa da Morte, The Coast of Death) and bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441298386-GBKPM36OJTKOUS1UDIQA/002-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 02, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small port of Laxe bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441300054-WGM9VAJHSABA46QA4NAW/003-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). 8 am at the bar. It's the moment when the percebeiros discuss about the situation of the sea and how they can work that day. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441304407-49HZXMX0RC2WNMIUH2X6/004-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio, one of the most skilled percebeiros, arrives at the "rivera". Today is the first day of harvesting but the sea seems in very bad conditions. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441305202-VYGSF7R09HXSO4RB7ZBO/005-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio looks at the giant waves crashing on the rocks where he's going to fish. Percebeiros have to watch carefully at the condition of the sea, a false step and they could fall into the ferocious current and die. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441309924-YKI7Y2K8YAJVYVVXFM8I/006-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A percebeiro gets hit by an unexpected wave. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441314381-S7II9W83EE03AUQVRVL4/007-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros try to escape from an unexpected wave. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441316087-BXFNS99GJ11XMZKZX9NW/008-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebes grown in the gaps between rocks and sometimes the only way to harvest them is by hand. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441319210-8AC3KUOM48DJC5VR44R1/009-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). "El Presidente", one of the youngest percebeiros, empties his catch in a bucket. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441320120-PCCNH0YZRUNXPLRS8U82/010-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A percebeiro cleans a perfect sample of percebe. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441323897-LFLA1KFPWENLWXD5XOSU/011-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 05, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small port of Laxe bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441323969-6T7FQOFP5YBDDY66594E/012-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio and Feuto - a retired percebeiro - inspect the condition of the sea. It's the second day of harvesting, but not even the gale force eight and heavy rains can stop them, Christmas' time is too important. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441329654-DSEV63HARKUBMFJ62DEM/013-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebeiros secure their companions with a rope. It's the second day of harvesting, but not even the gale force eight and heavy rains can stop them, Christmas' time is too important. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441330623-5YW8XF10VRIFNWJA7V5F/014-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 03, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The Coast of Death is one of the most dangerous places for fishing in the world. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441335643-746JD6SF94GNIY683O4R/015-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A percebeiro inspects a rock to find percebes. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441335960-CE1H9R9LUPWTGNMQ2ANC/016-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 09, 2011 - La Coruña. A buyer inspects the quality of a box of percebes at the fish market of La Coruña. Most of the fish and sea food catch in the region is sold here. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441339217-ZB0WWFQY13OEXPEQZ6H4/017-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 09, 2011 - La Coruña. Buyers discuss the price of a box of percebes at the fish market of La Coruña. Most of the fish and sea food catch in the region is sold here. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441341974-1HGA1RGP9JXBW953TFTO/018-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 09, 2011 - La Coruña. Detail of the wall of Paco Moinelo's office, one the most important buyers in the fish market of La Coruña. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441344539-XUB4T18GJ9K0TNYKUNDE/019-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe November 30, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A cross has been place to remember all the fishermen who died in the ocean, many of them were percebeiros. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441348213-VYS5IW2U8SFQ6SYT3RO0/020-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 16, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros inspects the condition of the sea. Unfortunately is another bad day, foam and big waves don't allow them to harvest in safe conditions. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441349482-RL5AWT51DH5G990M4RK6/021-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Despite the bad condition of the sea, Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros, decide to go out and harvest anyway, Christmas' time is too important. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441352939-SHTHPIUOVY9P7ELJSZMW/022-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A moment of rest for Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441357005-0KQNRS5MDZCSCP43HRRP/023-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Detail of the torn shoes of a percebeiro. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441359334-ZDNXCT55474H1B8FGYB3/024-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros, try to escape from a unexpected wave. Despite the bad condition of the sea, they decided to go out and harvest anyway. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441364653-3L1PCF89PC1XY4Z8KV8R/025-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 16, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). "Feuto" - a retired percebeiros - observes his son finding his way on the cliff. He can't stay home when the sea is in bad conditions and he stays all the time with his son. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441365855-LEEQ5T3C867GFUMJXN6E/026-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Detail of the torn wetsuit of a percebeiro. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441368323-UVH43FQA172P8YTTT0GK/027-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 17, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebeiros talk outside the bar of the port. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441371822-BJNGTTOWEWZ6H1JA925O/028-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 17, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio reads an article on the local newspaper about the percebeiros dealing with the bad conditions of the sea of the previous days. The title says "Risking the life for 2 kg of percebes". © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441374923-RFHUQ3SXS3AIM6UQXM0V/029-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros talks minutes before starting the harvesting. After a week of rain and huge waves, the sun is shining and the percebeiros are in a very good mood. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441379815-RLGY70YYK8SU6RYWXUU5/030-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebeiros try to harvest together to prevent any accident as even when the weather is good, the sea is extremely dangerous in this part of the coast. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441379159-B14KBLMLL22X4YWKWCCX/031-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio cleans a perfect sample of percebe. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441386144-ESMUIFHZFF8RX5E2Q3IN/032-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros gets hit by an unexpected wave. Even when the weather is good, the sea is extremely dangerous in this part of the coast. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441386163-NQKPM101OM62VK8HPYAX/033-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio checks his daily catch. Due to the sea tides, sometimes the percebeiros need to harvest with artificial light. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441389530-G77VSJILZKDYL0U6GYD9/034-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio is ready to go back home with his daily catch. Due to the sea tides, sometimes the percebeiros need to harvest with artificial light. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441390760-49TJ57YM615GU8A1HHGL/035-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 18, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A view of the sealight of Laxe. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/prints-for-eclissi daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580789857542-Z44FHC7UTF7FGCUAXADH/002-hong_kong.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Hong Kong 2014 (Copy) Hong Kong 2014 December 29, 2014 - Hong Kong. The Hong Kong skyline from The Peak. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580789858890-YFBCJTWBN54EF2LISGW9/003-phnong_mondulkiri.jpg Prints for. Eclissi July 29, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A Phnong family sits around the fire inside a traditional house in Busra village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877417107-PS5TAUWTS99W9OYYUNXG/004-In_between_living_under_the_sharia.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 26, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dicky (26) shows one of his tattoos. Dicky is a young semi-pro skater who loves to practice with his friends in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. He lost all his family during the 2004 tsunami and sports a tattoo on his left arm with the date of the tragic event. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877419724-DE3CKNRVI1BUU2YEUGDU/006-si_phan_don_fishermens.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - The Si Phan Don's fishermens (Copy) The Si Phan Don's fishermens A fisherman fights against the ferocious current of the Khone Phapheng falls, in order to clean a "Ly Trap" - a traditional bamboo made trap - from debries. Traps need continuous maintenance as sticks, small branches and grass get entangled, which would deprive the fishermen of their catch – and their only income.04/08/2013 © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877419997-4P1FAKYWN49RZ7V0IU0G/008-china_travel.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Shanghai - China (Copy) Shanghai - China January 1st, 2017, Shanghai (China). Daily life the streets of Shanghai. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877436260-USJUA5G0CZM4F00B8SVG/011-north_vietnam.jpg Prints for. Eclissi September 20, 2014 - Meo Vac (Vietnam). The Ma Pi Leng Pass between Dong Van and Meo Vac, is considered one the most spectacular road in Vietnam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877436030-EXY6P30TAA4RS2NJQXKR/014-si_phan_don_fishermens.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - The Si Phan Don's fishermens (Copy) The Si Phan Don's fishermens A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls.04/08/2013 © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877462052-TEIJKU7RABVHG3L4ZDSJ/015-DSC09552.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. Young pilgrims eat ice cream in a cafe of Qom, the second holiest city in Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877463464-6UG4ZZHDN6P5887JCTE7/020-india_ladakh.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Ladakh (India) (Copy) Ladakh (India) October 11 - 2016 - Leh, Ladakh (India). Inside the Thiksey Monastery a few km from leh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877474472-JGFFTSEWCL4Z6LVAH91S/020-india_trekking.jpg Prints for. Eclissi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877473112-3YX6GA9OZRTUJQ5RGZPR/020-once_upon_a_time_in_myanmar.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar Waiting for the train to Hsipaw in the station of Pyin Oo Lwin, the former British-era summer capital. The journey takes about 8 hours, but it's for sure one of the best travel experience in Myanmar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877484110-J09Z3M6U81SKZJ492XO6/021-india_ladakh.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Ladakh (India) (Copy) Ladakh (India) October 11 - 2016 - Leh, Ladakh (India). View of the 40 ft. statue of Maitreya Buddha, built inside the Thiksey Monastery a few km from Leh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877518015-62YVDKAKO9K9UIBSDXY5/040-chaktomuk_theatre.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Chaktumok Theatre (Copy) Chaktumok Theatre October 05, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Aerial view of Chaktumok Theatre designed by Vann Molyvann on the riverside of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877524625-NHU6GDZBGN2IHZY31WGR/045-IRAN_travel.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 29, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. A woman shops at Hyperstar, Iran’s first international-style hypermarket, built inside the Persian Gulf Complex, a huge mall built a few kilometers outside Shiraz. Hyperstar plans to open 15 branches by 2015 in 5 different cities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877530112-M2FGSDTBJXOB2D3LCPBP/047-once_upon_a_time_in_myanmar.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung Monastery is located just a few kilometers outside Shwe Nyaung, the main touristic city in the Inle Lake's region.The temple, built entirely of teak, provides education to a large number of very young monks and is famous for its oval windows. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877530112-SUY8OVUFEK1LTAS22NEP/DJI_0056-Pano-Edit.jpg Prints for. Eclissi August 30, 2016 - Battambang (Cambodia). Aerial panoramic view of Phnom Sampeau's pagoda, a few km outisde Battambang. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877537273-W0N5TAXXV7B842YZICQZ/DSC07805.jpg Prints for. Eclissi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877537035-QXHMA5MF7NHMWWBS35LU/DSC08470.jpg Prints for. Eclissi February 02, 2016- Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Locals and tourists enjoy the last hours of the day in front of the Royal Palace of Phom Penh.. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877559735-0JNQHYY874HWGM8BQRGK/kampot-033.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Kampot - Cambodia (Copy) Kampot - Cambodia September 24, 2016 - Kampot (Cambodia). Commuters cross the old colonial bridge in Kampot town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877559333-X29HJXPOJY5Q7FIDJMM9/the_death_of_a_king-11.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). A security agent scans a group of Buddhist monks ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877569498-S2DHVXIEOUHH9F5MGPSD/TOM08914.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Phnom Kulen (Copy) Phnom Kulen November 7, 2017 - Kep (Cambodia). Two monks take a rest in the vicinity of Phnom Kulen waterfall where their peers are having a swim. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877566316-QJU37JV5X26U4NH8U77Q/TOM09250.jpg Prints for. Eclissi - Kep - crab monument (Copy) Kep - crab monument November 14, 2017 - Kep (Cambodia). A group of buddhist monks visit the crab monument in Kep. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/mekong-2013-2018 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706848406-IVC8IK4OSDLT7H1RQOJZ/001-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls, the location designated for the construction of the Don Sahong Dam. Experts say that the construction of the dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the construction site and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706845243-XXJEFA63N3RLLOWRCQH7/002-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). An army helicopter brings food supplies to the remote village of Bane Pindong, flying over one of the affected areas by the fury of the floods caused by the failure of an auxiliary dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project. 10 days after the accident, most of the villages were still cut off and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles or tractors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706853522-5X1XI5FSZQTNVCXPMWF0/003-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Dorn Bann (47), deputy head of Anlung Cheauteal River Guard Post, poses for a picture inside his house. The particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by the workers building the Don Sahong dam, has forced the dolphins into unprotected waters threatening their survival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706857772-6QVNTT507H8CN6QHS8HK/004-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 08, 2012 - Ben Tre (Vietnam). A woman rows her boat through the intricate canals outside Ben Tre in the Mekong’s delta region. As the world's 3rd largest delta and one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, the Mekong Delta provides both ecological and food security for its million of inhabitants. According to International Rivers, “dams could significantly reduce fishing, restrict the flow of sediments and elements for agriculture, impact food security and jeopardize the Mekong Delta, in addition to forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to relocate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706858539-P5RTW8PS9JC9GO0A9KRW/005-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains February 14, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). A group of divers exercises on the shore of Independent beach. They are part of Cambodia’s first batch of salvage divers trained to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. A potential of 300 ships were sunk in Cambodia’s in the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers in the 1960’s and 70’s, when the former regime received U.S. supply from South Vietnam before being toppled by the Khmer Rouge. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706869425-7MW93EHK7RCR0QON3099/006-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains October 16, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). Villagers clean and pick fishes to sell to the local market. Along the Mekong’s long path, over sixty million people rely on its waters for rice crops and as a resource for the fishing industry. But in the last decades, the construction of over 39 mega dams along its pathway is putting at risk the delicate ecosystem and the livelihood of million of people. According to International Rivers, “dams could significantly reduce fishing, restrict the flow of sediments and elements for agriculture, impact food security and jeopardize the Mekong Delta, in addition to forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to relocate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706866847-N6N4O8HURXF7E2BTV1U5/007-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 24, 2018 - Kratie (Cambodia). A team of WWF personal performs an autopsy on the carcass of an Irrawaddy dolphin found dead on June 29th. The mammal was found by local fishermen in the protected area of Kampi and the cause of death was determined as bruising caused by an illegal fishing net. Experts say that the construction of dams will further jeopardize the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish and other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — like the Irrawaddy dolphin. @ Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706873608-ER8PCHK9J38NETRFRBOR/008-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a check point inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706876180-DZ9IGS1G4HD6SEP38E20/009-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vaste area that will be soon flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706877050-R247224FP94M8L04B3PS/010-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 26, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A fisherman checks his net in the water in front of the controversial $800 million, 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The project, a joint venture between powerful Cambodian businessman Kith Meng’s Royal Group and Chinese state-owned Hydrolancang International Energy Co Ltd., has been controversial from the start, with experts raising concern about the environmental impact on fish stock and sediment flow, but also because of the thousand of indigenous people whose lives have forever changed when dam’s 50-megawatt turbines went into operation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706882319-SWIHV7LUB7ZKR2AGS649/011-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of Kbal Romeas’ school, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. Thousands of indigenous Phnong families have been forced to relocate in the process. A 2009 report, released by the NGO Rivers Coalition in Cambodia (3 years before the project was formally app­roved by the Cambodian government), stated that more than 38,000 inhabitants of 86 villages “would lose access to the vast majority of their fisheries resources” were the dam to be built, while 78,000 people would lose some access to fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706886219-7PC00OEWOSIETRLVS6EM/012-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the relocation village built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.— displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and put at risk the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706901273-BS7Y7PMY7J9GRXD8P0VP/013-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains Dec 16, 2016 - Srekou II Village, Cambodia. Thom Ne's husband sits with one of his children. He recently suffered a stroke and he's slowly recovering. The family was relocated from her village in Srekou to make way for the Lower Sesan II dam. They currently have no income in her new location and they already spent all the 6000 USD they received as compensation to move and renovate their house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706915163-QLB860H98P0HE3FJN7UQ/014-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). A group of phi bob take off running through the pond, where they must cover themselves in mud, before continuing to the banks of the Mekong, where they will swim and bathe. The phi bob is a demonic spirit that invades an individual and it is believed to proceed to cause untimely death in humans and livestock. Someone accused by their village of being a phi bob is at best socially ostracised by the community although they may also be threatened with violence or even killed – unless they can get to Nakasang. Since at least the French colonial era, the village has accepted phi bob and rehabilitated them with a special ceremony run by the local spirit mediums. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706921334-YTK96FIMH8UQATH55M3H/015-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls, the location designated for the construction of the Don Sahong Dam. Experts say that the construction of the dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the construction site and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706929956-GOXBL09WXD9NF4KJ5Y3C/016-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A mother and her daughter catch small fishes in front of the wall built to block the water of the Don Sahong in order to prepare the 308 acres reservoir for the massive hydroelectric dam. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls), less than 2 kilometers upstream of the Laos-Cambodia border. According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706929042-3HSLEERORMAIRHUHPT22/017-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A truck carries rocks inside the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the Laos - Cambodia border. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls). According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706944153-4BDOPRPQV5WCYT521TIT/018-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). A group of young villagers walks through the main street of the small village of Kokkong, on the edge of area affected by the floods caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam. The village has been partially submerged but most of the houses are covered in mud but still in good condition. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people were confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others were displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706949374-VC1H0XF3OT5DZ9F9A3XW/019-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Aerial view of Mai village, one of the affected villages by the fury of the floods caused by the failure of an auxiliary dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project. According to the measurements made with an European Union’s satellite, the tide of floodwater reached 10m in the village and uprooted trees, power lines and collapsed most of the houses. 8 people lost their lives in the floods just in this village and many are still missing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706951872-VMYJ1B6ZK75DU28UGO6N/020-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Food supplies and medicines are transported with an army helicopter and distributed to the people of the remote Bane Pindong village. 10 days after the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, most of the villages were still cut off and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles or tractors. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people are confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others have been displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706961453-VFU78S5R6YCSIH1H81YF/021-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). 6 bodies of people that lost their lives during the floods caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, and that were recovered in the previous couple of days, are cremated during a Buddhist ceremony. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people are confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others have been displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706963765-X0ASTFY97FXC7KJX2K6J/022-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People queue for a Christmas draw at Aeon Mall, one of the biggest and more modern mall in the capital. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706965114-57AUIA1GY9J3LVK001RG/023-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 13, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A worker has a cigarette break while cleaning a kiln from broken bricks and ashes. Cambodia is in the midst of a construction boom. The building of high-rise office blocks and housing is pushing the capital city upwards but the country’s vertical drive into the skies and status as one of Asia’s fastest growing economies hides a darker side to Phnom Penh’s ascent. Building projects demand bricks in large quantities and there is a profitable domestic brick production industry using multigenerational workforces of debt-bonded adults and children to supply them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706971913-AFCPYGPFCSKUUWPMCBIS/024-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Fish vendors at the local market of Stung Treng, located where the Mekong and Sesan rivers join together. Fish experts have long warned about damage to fishing stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706971067-HDGWDNARD9H8GKI2CYOL/025-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 22, 2018 - Phnom Penh. A Chinese man look through the windows of the gym built on the 39th floor of the Bridge, a massive mixed-developments costed around $300 million and built by the Chinese company Sino Great Wall. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706983175-EMN0ZK3SIQI1KTLCW6WM/026-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A solar powered light illuminates Sreui Lang (19) and her small baby in the house they rebuilt a couple of km from their ancestral village Kbal Romeas, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in October 2017. Sreui Lang belongs to one of the 58 Phnong indigenous families who decided not to leave their village and continue fighting to preserve their way of life and identity. Struggling to find clean water and surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations the families resettled to an elevated area, a couple of km away from their ancestral village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706982310-IF5UAA2M0L0HIWIKLR2O/027-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel (Cambodia). Floodlights across the Mekong river, the particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the 3 dolphins left into unprotected waters. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls). According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706990295-XMWUX80DSYCF3TIMXZX0/028-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains July 19, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A single window has seen lit in newly built condominium in central Phnom Penh. In the last years, Cambodia’s real estate sector has seen a boom in high-end investment especially by Chinese buyers and has stoked concerns that they are pumping up a market in a country where the median household income is only around $11,000 per year. Half of the buyers are Chinese and most of the purchases are made for investment purposes by people who neither live in Cambodia nor rent the units. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706992371-X6AGIOYAQICVKTHQOHTR/029-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Thousands of people gather on the river banks to enjoy a firework show for the closing ceremony of the water festival. “Bon Om Touk” or the Water Festival, is a Cambodian festival celebrated in November and marks the unique reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap River (one of the Mekong’s tributaries) Visitors from every Cambodian province travel to Phnom Penh to watch boat races and attend free concerts and fireworks shows. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706996075-GQWC7W7WOA3L0F9E49Z7/030-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong 2013 - 2018 - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Locals enjoy an evening stroll at "Hun Sen Park" in central Phnom Penh. Behind them, the building of "Naga World 2" - the only casino licensed to operated in the Cambodian capital. Owned by the Malaysian multi-billioner Chen Lip Keong, the casino specifically targets Chinese clients. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/mekong-a-river-in-chains-1 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597236358-LH9Z8NZ2I6MCGVS9JFL0/001-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls. Experts say that the construction of the Don Sahong's dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the dam and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597235829-0M65K37HJAPH3GKLJXUK/002-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Dorn Bann (47), deputy head of Anlung Cheauteal River Guard Post, poses for a picture inside his house. The particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the dolphins into unprotected waters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597243953-9SWCLI8L57Y2UJ9B1B2L/003-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains August 11 - 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Construction workers wait in line to be paid after a day of work in a construction site in Phnom Penh. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development and the capital Phnom Penh consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597246834-Z5SEE0QHH1VWEW5HNKO7/004-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam October 16, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). Villagers clean and pick fishes to sell to the local market. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597254155-QJ64YDNYJC0VIJC6S3YU/005-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam August 15, 2012, Chau Doc (Vietnam). Commuters cross the Mekong river on a ferry. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597256288-GF4SEY2A3N7B0A03IICE/006-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains December 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People queue for a Christmas draw at Aeon Mall, one of the biggest and more modern mall in the capital. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development and the capital Phnom Penh consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597261511-T70FD1XO24UXP4AK3HC0/007-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). River guards during a patrol in the Anlung Cheauteal Pool. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597264166-IPCDLNGT3SA4ZXMFAV4G/008-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam August 08, 2012 - Ben Tre (Vietnam). A woman rows her boat through the intricated canals outside Ben Tre. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597268270-9517BD8WIBCRQWJ7IJ84/009-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Mekong Delta - Vietnam (Copy) Mekong Delta - Vietnam October 14, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). A woman harvests vegetables and aquatic plants inside the National Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597268547-NYKWY362C7VQWMBP5IFX/010-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam April 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). Aerial view of the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the border between Cambodia and Laos. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597277255-PB4LVL5Q3CQLIHPN5JF3/011-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains December 20, 2012 - Svay Rieng (Cambodia). A group of young factory workers is transported on a truck to the PUMA's shoes factory in Svay Rieng Province, on the border between Cambodia and Vietnam. The Cambodian energy sector needs considerable development if it is to meet the growing needs of the country and provide a stable and affordable power supply to potential investors in industry. The government sees hydropower as a priority area for development in the energy sector. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597277898-UVI9DDBRXESSW0O3R8NQ/012-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - The National Assembly (Copy) The National Assembly October 05, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Workers at the construction of "Naga World 2" a massive Chinese casino built in front of the National Assembly designed by Vann Molyvann. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597282479-TD1XDSIRD3BUY2XJ6H06/013-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a check point inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597286674-P28Z0PJ1020HJEA7V1T8/014-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Demining in the Depths (Copy) Demining in the Depths February 14, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). Tourists look on as staff from the Cambodia Mine Action Center learn how to scuba dive in a hotel's pool in Sihanoukville. The team was the first batch of salvage div­ers who received training to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597291534-MYHG9OWAICYOP0L9B3NT/015-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Nam Khan (Copy) Nam Khan 16 May 2017 - Xiang Nguen, Laos. Young kids go to school at the relocation village built for the 655 families (from 10 different villages) that have been forced to move due to the construction of the Nam Khan III dam. Although they have been partially compensated, the inhabitants do not now have any farming land and have been forced to build a series of temporary grazing areas for their animals and grow a minimum of crops for food. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597295784-9IQSWQV6KX2QJC721RRH/016-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman fights against the ferocious current of the Khone Phapheng falls, in order to clean a "Ly Trap" - a traditional bamboo made trap - from debries. Traps need continuous maintenance as sticks, small branches and grass get entangled, which would deprive the fishermen of their catch – and their only income. Experts say that the construction of the Don Sahong's dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrwaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the dam and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597301389-EUFN887G9985978ACVMQ/017-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A mother and her daughter catch small fishes in front of the wall built to block the water of the Don Sahong in order to prepare the reservoir for the massive hydroelectric dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597301432-PYZAND3PY2O1LM1P7KVM/018-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A truck carries rocks inside the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the Laos - Cambodia border. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597310806-8OU4CXDAS6LPN8NBAALU/019-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains August 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Young Cambodians have lunch in one of the Brown Cafe - one of the most famouse coffee chain in Cambodia - of the capital, Phnom Penh. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development and the capital Phnom Penh consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597311319-G8MZO3RUN38BFL8JI6W5/020-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 12, 2014 - Kratie (Cambodia). FIsh is sold at the local market of Kratie. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597316561-4MBUQLHQP0GPC09XKBRP/021-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A family lives in a small wooden shack by the plot of land that the company gave to the villagers who now live in the relocation's site. Located 11 km away from the village, with a very rocky soil and a limited access to water it will require years of work in order to being converted into arable land. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597318527-BSR27S3E8695Y7GPI1UG/022-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the relocation village built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597322316-B0NYUZKTZ5129DWL2IPU/023-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 25, 2015 - Srekor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). An abandoned house in a village set to be flooded by the Lower Sesan II Dam. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597325008-D8JXW071Z38RWX7JNMIL/024-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). Je Srey Neang (wearing a pink t-shirt) has lunch with her extended family in her small house in Kbal Romeas. In the last couple of years she and her family fought hard the relocation’s plan. She was born in the village and she’s worried of loosing their identity as indigenous once they will leave the ancestral land and forest. The family was threatened several times by the company but she always refused their offers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531537820998-GDKQCWQNOEQ45QZM23S5/001-mekong_lower_sesan2.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of the Kbal Romeas school now flooded due the rise of the Sesan river's water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597327953-EOGLS70PROM63Q1PS0W2/025-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Water Festival 2016 (Copy) Water Festival 2016 November 13, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Top officials watch the opening ceremony from the main VIP tent. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597334428-RDQLWXMLICP73SCZ285Q/026-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam Dec 17, 2016 - Pluk Village, Cambodia. Fishermen and loggers in a temporary settlement along the Lower Sesan II river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597334948-RSM52UCSF62BA40L1F77/027-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia August 03, 2013. Don Sahong (Laos). A kid plays in the rain in courtyard of Don Khon's pagoda. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597339761-UFOL3WVHU6IWPK5MJQ6C/028-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vaste area that will be soon flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531537823908-AS7YIRCECWHHQ2NJL5RZ/026-mekong_lower_sesan2.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 26, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A fisherman checks his net in the water in front of the controversial $800 million, 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The project, a joint venture between powerful Cambodian businessman Kith Meng’s Royal Group and Chinese state-owned Hydrolancang International Energy Co Ltd., has been controversial from the start, with experts raising concern about the environmental impact on fish stock and sediment flow, but also because of the thousand of indigenous people whose lives have forever changed when dam’s 50-megawatt turbines went into operation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597342287-LCQU6LI8F9CTQODX5K7M/029-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Water Festival 2016 (Copy) Water Festival 2016 November 13, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People hang out in front of the Royal Palace, waiting for the fireworks show. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597348798-2MK6UISOWLUZUA0WBIEX/030-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 9, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the flooded forest inside the Ramsar protected area. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597349381-E1NDM9T05YIUQTHI8HQC/031-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia (Copy) Don Sahong Dam - Laos / Cambodia Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel, Cambodia. Locals examine a part of the river bank that recently collapsed. It's not clear if the event is somehow related to the construction of the Don Sahong's dam just a few hundreds meters away. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597353781-6ITLK80D8ACOPWX7URSQ/032-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Floodings in Kampong Cham (Copy) Floodings in Kampong Cham October 01, 2013 - Kampong Cham. Flooded houses in Tonle Bit Commune. Heavy rains starting in the third week of September 2013 resulted in floods in 20 provinces throughout the north-west and along the Mekong River in central and southern Cambodia, killing 188 people and affecting more than 1.7 million. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597356572-KXT7L81GQYKVWZCGUFIO/033-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan II Dam (Copy) Lower Sesan II Dam August 25, 2015 - Srekor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). An old sign used to educate villagers to protect the environment is seen outside Srekor village. The village and the sorrounding areas have been will be soon be flooded because of the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597359029-BZE57458FLL8FYRVH213/034-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains Dec 18, 2016 - Kratie, Cambodia. Workers connect lines for new electrify towers in Cambodia. Cambodia’s power grid has been largely dependent on electricity imports from neighbouring countries since 1993, with the country having to import 1,691 megawatts from Vietnam, 579 megawatts from Thailand and 10.73 megawatts from Laos in 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597364017-45WQ2TRZEMRGF2JCYB0Z/035-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Home stay at Koh Pdao (Copy) Home stay at Koh Pdao November 6, 2014 - Koh Pdao, Kratie (Cambodia). Prum Sarean (44) and her husband Korm Sokhan (47) harvest rice in their paddy field. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597365038-KSPSHIN7EU6GO0BY52J0/036-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Construction sites Koh Pich (Copy) Construction sites Koh Pich September 08, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). View of the construction site of the $150 million commercial and residential project "The Élysée" on Koh Pich island. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597369026-DOS1UYF1HR1HG91259FD/037-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Sok Lang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597370836-UG7CM3T629I4YUT3IMFY/038-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains April 22, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Commuters desembark one of the ferry that connects central Phnom Penh with the village of Akreiy Ksatr, on the opposite side of the Mekong river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542676696734-RJ4STKDF5AL8QBWWJLVQ/025-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality (Copy) How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). Villagers prepare their offerings of candles, flowers, and eggs at the biannual spirit ceremony. Animist spirits in Laos can cause illness or other problems if they are not appeased. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542676698828-UNXW4X1MPZOQ2X1B4GBA/026-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality (Copy) How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). The group of phi bob take off running through the pond, where they must cover themselves in mud, before continuing to the banks of the Mekong, where they will swim and bathe. Phoueyxan Kheuang can be seen in the left corner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542676703028-KH7SN3EQIDV0JKEYTI11/027-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality (Copy) How a Lao spirit “exorcism” is addressing new inequality May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). Spirit medium Phoutan ties symbolic threads around the wrists of phi bob living in Phiengdy village, which takes in people with less money or family assistance. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597374751-C35VD4L1CWWV3FW6HC07/039-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Demining in the Depths (Copy) Demining in the Depths February 19, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). A group of trainees makes practice during a night diving in the port of Koh Rong. The team was the first batch of salvage div­ers who received training to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597379609-W15TKQ0G9GAS517U3169/040-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Water Festival 2016 (Copy) Water Festival 2016 November 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Thousands of people gather on the river banks to enjoy a firework show for the closing ceremony of the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1531537820665-QXL1LOBQQFCNCHM6YWPS/015-mekong_lower_sesan2.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Lower Sesan 2 dam (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 dam April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Sreui Lang (19), wife of Rithy, plays with their small baby. Despite being a very young couple they decided to stay in the village as they were worried of loosing their ancestral traditions and the relationship with the forest and nature. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597379338-ZY3ANWXN2W0E8BCMLS5W/041-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Don Sahong Dam (Copy) Don Sahong Dam Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel (Cambodia). Floodlights across the Mekong river, the paticular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the dolphins into unprotected waters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523597382131-Z11SEIAND00WIVEB4CC9/042-mekong_river_chains.jpg Mekong: a river in chains - Development in Koh Pich - Phnom Penh (Copy) Development in Koh Pich - Phnom Penh January 18, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Panoramic aerial view of Koh Pich. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/blood-bricks daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477577356-ZTO2WIF4W0UEQL2SMXSK/001-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A truck full of wood is unloaded at night in a brick kiln located in the periphery of Phnom Penh. The government has imposed sever restriction on logging due to high levels of deforestation in recent decades. Nonetheless, some kiln owners continue to use logs for fuel in brick kilns, with the unloading of logs taking place at night to avoid detection. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477583937-30QT82Z8DCHL0UP8PWMG/002-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Drying bricks are framed by hanging washing, a reminder that the kiln site is a space of work and home for debt-bonded brick workers and their families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477594107-3IUTYDIE4O4YYRD1O723/003-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Yorm digs out clay from a huge pile of earth in a small brick factory located in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. 4 years ago, his son lost an arm while working in the brick factory. The family had to borrow an additional 1500 USD from the owner (they owned 4000 USD already) to pay for the medical expenses. The kid now lives with an NGO who’s providing him with education. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477597547-XB64ENBXIA7CGH23X2RE/004-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Leakena removes bricks that have been fired from inside the kiln, and moves them onto a cart to stack them outside for cooling. Leakena is paid on a piece-rate basis for this work, like all workers on the kiln site, so she is incentivised to work faster. Due to the heat of the kiln after firing, workers like Leakena report issues like migraines, nosebleeds, and more serious conditions. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477598111-8H7KCQIUT4AGS8GM6H4H/005-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Leap loads garment off-cuts into the brick kiln fire late into the night. Brick firing takes around 10 days, and several workers are forced to labour into the night and on early mornings to complete tasks and collect piece rate wages. Despite this, they are still forced to borrow increased amounts from kiln owners during the rainy season, when work stops due to the risk of damaging bricks, and kiln owners generally prevent workers from leaving the kiln to find other work. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477604936-SP0L9SOM91JSZUP09Z02/006-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Reaksmey loads rice husks into a basket to fuel the brick kiln. He was working as construction worker and he was earning more money than here, but he had to quit to help his family repaying a 4000 USD debts they own to the factory’s owner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477611181-LAV8ZF5YMF1DSL1YUV09/007-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Raeksmey cleans one of the brick kiln from the ash produced during the cooking process, a work that normally takes him around 6 days to complete. He works together with his wife and 3 children (all minor) earning around 50 USD. He has been working in the factory since 2015, when the family’s debt - around 2000 USD - was bought by the owner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477615439-EAPM8A21H91XHXY6T12F/008-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sochea (5) has a sleep after lunch in the family’s house located inside a brick factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Her family, originally from Kampong Cham, has a debt of 800 USD when her brother had an accident and, unable to repay for the expenses, they were forced to sell their house and moved to work into a brick factory. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477622996-97QRZRG7DJ4W5NMT67CG/009-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A man throws his fishing net in a pond in front of a group of houses used by the workers of a brick factory. Many factory owners provides basic house accommodation for the workers who live there with their families, but often the few dollars they earn per day are not enough to sustain themselves and many have to go out fishing after work. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477622348-W2DWD88V4E5M43JH4NEG/010-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Veasna, a smallholder farmer in a village with high migration to brick kilns, sprays pesticide over his field. Many smallholder farmers report an increase in pests due to increasingly erratic rains. Over the past two decades, the cost of chemical inputs like pesticide has risen, and the government continues to provide scant support to farmers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477630080-CXQ6SLB7BJK3LAK3IGOY/011-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Munny provides medical and spiritual services to residents of this brick sending village. This type of traditional medicine is particularly popular with brick workers and sending village families who in many cases cannot afford to access formal medical services. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477630779-8L5JIAOUVLCJDOMKO3U5/012-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Treating a broken arm, Tevy, a 73-year old woman, applies a mixture of rice wine and wild roots to her grandson’s broken arm in order to help reduce the swelling. A few days earlier he fell from a tree whilst collecting tamarind. Our research in sender villages found that many families are only one illness away from having to follow departed neighbours who have entered brick work due to unsustainable debt. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477638741-BI4PPF9NXLU7QTDZSUIG/013-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sopheap disassembles copper wires from an old interrupter. A few years ago one of her son asked a loan of 1 million Riel (around 260 USD) while he was working in a brick factory and then run away. Sopheap was asked to repay her son’s debt. She worked for some time in the same factory and now she’s earning money selling scrap metals. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477639604-7KOIPZXBS0V3DMADVIE6/014-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Darany, a smallholder farmer in a village with high migration to brick kilns, ploughs a rice field. Most smallholder farmers continue to cultivate rice as their mainstay, both for subsistence and for commercial purposes. The research finds that the combination of poor state support for agriculture and the impacts of climate change render this a precarious form of farming. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477648270-9RUEP5UT4U0EYG7LYRB4/015-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Nakry stacks fired bricks outside the kiln to dry. Once dried, bricks are sold to construction sites across Phnom Penh and elsewhere. Dried bricks are transported to trucks by kiln workers, ready for transport to construction projects. This transportation work is also paid piece rate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477647359-L6WJDBS0NEMCB1MFAFNG/016-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Boran feeds clay into a brick-moulding machine. Machines like this present a serious danger of limb loss, but workers have little choice but to use them. Boran’s family are debt-bonded, they owe £2,000 to the kiln owner, far more than a brick-working family could ever earn in a year. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477658924-VBS4GWII4UAYXYT544IU/017-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sothea pulls a cart with recently made bricks inside a factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. A few years ago her brother suddenly died of exhaustion at the age of 40. This kind of sudden exhaustion – leading in some cases to death – is referred to as “Kjal Goh” and it is relatively common amongst brick workers. Also one of her son, P. (12) was paralysed and left unable to walk after being pushed from a pile of bricks by other children at the kiln. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477658951-YPZYAE6IKGG1QWCAYN4T/018-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Aerial view of a group of brick factories in the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Most of the surrounding fields, once owned by local villagers, have now been sold to the owners of the factories and used to dig clay to produce bricks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477668842-0Q3IYC141ESANC9CBTEF/019-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sann stands among labels from garment off-cuts that are used to fire the brick kiln. The research identified well-known British and global fashion brands whose off-cuts are used in these brick kilns. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477670600-11CNG2EDKJ18A22ICWLG/020-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Piseth loads a brick kiln with a bag full of garment off-cuts. These off-cuts are purchased by kiln owners as they are transported from Phnom Penh’s garment factories to the dump located on the outskirts of the city. Piseth came to work on the brick kilns after previous generations of his family did the same. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477674364-ZXIZGPPQZILGBYS1R4I0/021-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A man pushes a cart full of bricks that have been fired inside the kiln of a factory located in the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Workers are paid on a piece-rate basis for this work, so they are incentivised to work faster. Due to the heat of the kiln after firing, workers report issues like migraines, nosebleeds, and more serious conditions.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477676233-3GBUYKJ1L3OLOEBM21OY/022-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A worker transporting logs surveys a kiln site at night using the light of his head lamp. Despite restrictions, some kilns continue to use logs as fuel, though due to a crackdown on logging by the government in recent years, logs are delivered to kilns at night to avoid scrutiny. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477681157-J6N0HJGBVAYIPR5TX4CH/023-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Srei-Mom, a 10-year old girl, helps her parents by carrying fired bricks out of the kiln. As well as helping their parents, children that grow up on the kilns can also end up taking on their parents’ debt when they reach adulthood. In this way, debt bondage on the kilns becomes intergenerational. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477685687-VZQAUCIBQL2DMFHHUHYW/024-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A burning brick kiln stands surrounded by heaps of garment off-cuts, waiting to go into the kiln fire. Garment off-cuts are found to be from major global brands, and are used because they offer a cheap and readily available source of fuel for brick kilns, therefore lowering costs for kiln owners. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477691939-QK2J6YTDN445MN3NT0X2/025-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Piseth (54) works at one of the machine to mold bricks together with his wife Chenda (45), son Kosal (14) and daughter Phalla (15). The family has a 2500 USD debt with the owner of the factory after they sold their rice field. The family is payed around 200.000 riel (50 USD) to produce 20.000 bricks, a work that takes them around a week to complete. They also need to take care of the gasoline to run the machine, spending an additional 4 USD per week. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477695492-XPO5VEGL3KYAHTO0QMR8/026-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Children of kiln workers play together on site. Children of kiln workers play together on site. Some children work in kilns after school (if they attend) or at the weekends to help their parents pay off debts faster. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477704939-CSSJ4VT4DWLLMHV8Q82B/027-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Kosal empties ash from the kiln into a nearby pond. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477706246-W2AX2DST8CRYK3F559Z6/028-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Phala, a debt-bonded brick worker, excavates clay. He normally works together with his wife and their children trying to repay a US$1,000 debt. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477712285-NOSS5SBD5MSI6QRSSME9/029-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Chariya loads fired bricks on a cart to be transported out of the kiln. Her 10-year old daughter also helps the family, children that grow up on the kilns can also end up taking on their parents’ debt when they reach adulthood. In this way, debt bondage on the kilns becomes intergenerational. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477717501-BYUDVRH8OPM6CRD2WF9A/030-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Workers at the construction site of the Parisian-style "Élysée" development project currently on Koh Pich (Diamond Island). The island is home to Phnom Penh’s most expensive and ostentatious building projects© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477719598-A4EJ4V9YV49E21ZX09IW/031-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan September 08, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). View of the temporary shacks used by workers employed in the construction of the $150 million commercial and residential project "The Élysée" on Koh Pich island. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477726026-PRX3GA7C6VONJ9EJHXZ7/032-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan September 08, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). View of the construction site of the $150 million commercial and residential project "The Élysée" on Koh Pich island. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477733248-1RL2TIRKSSMU7NUA0UMU/033-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan December 28, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A replica Arc de Triomphe is built at The Elysee development using blood bricks, located on Phnom Penh’s ‘Diamond Island’ (Koh Pich). The island is home to Phnom Penh’s most expensive and ostentatious building projects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477736416-N33PYVRMAO35KDW90DYN/034-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan An image of Buddha drawn on the walls of the kiln. Many brick workers are deeply religious and make sense of their current hardships through promise of a better life. Brick kiln owners encourage workers to pursue a “good character” as diligent workers and the subsequent merit it brings. In some cases this moral commitment is one of the key factors preventing workers from simply fleeing the kiln and abandoning their debts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477755969-O5WK1IWI0M1C4UUB94BL/035-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Meng(45) cuts pieces of clay to make bricks together with his wife Sophea and his sister. They have been working in the factory for over 20 years and they own the owner around 1000USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477757530-A1IEGSTZM7ZTP6NYHNGX/036-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Srey (21) and her mother Vicheta (48) unload a cart full of bricks to dry. Her father was a farmer but when his mother got sick he had to borrow money and, unable to repay the loan he was forced to sell the land. The family borrowed more money for buying a motorcycle and to pay for their sons’ wedding and they now own 5000 USD to the factory’s owner. The family is payed around 200.000 riel (50 USD) to produce 20.000 bricks, a work that takes them around a week to complete. They also need to take care of the gasoline to run the machine spending an additional 4 USD per week. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477772233-IBZEYD0LNHOOCZAJAR9C/037-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Garment waste dump site, located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The dump is also used by the city’s garment industry to dispose of garment off-cuts. Some of these are intercepted by kiln owners and used as fuels for kiln fires. Garment off-cuts used on brick kilns come from garments made for a number of global brands including M&S, Walmart and J Crew. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477779679-CIO3N24E6IYUM49LZMLF/038-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Aerial view of the dump used by the city’s garment industry to dispose of garment off-cuts in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Some of these are intercepted by kiln owners and used as fuels for kiln fires. Garment off-cuts used on brick kilns come from garments made for a number of global brands including M&S, Walmart and J Crew. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477791566-LMTXUN6N8A76W92M1G5S/039-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Garment waste dump site, located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The dump is also used by the city’s garment industry to dispose of garment off-cuts. Some of these are intercepted by kiln owners and used as fuels for kiln fires. Garment off-cuts used on brick kilns come from garments made for a number of global brands including M&S, Walmart and J Crew. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477802442-HBO0C4XM5TWJZ20P0LF9/040-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A kid plays on a pile of bags full of garment off-cuts from the garment production. Factories in this area use it as fuel creating huge columns of black smoke contaminating the houses of the people who live in the neighborhood. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477820236-TF58EPLZ9P4BH2QXW5OV/041-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Children play around moulded bricks that are drying, waiting to be fired. Children often come with indebted parents to live on brick kilns. Kiln owners prefer that debt-bonded labourers bring their whole family, as it reduces the risk that they will runaway. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477832452-8O57GNOHVDT8SI8UJZ9G/042-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Reaksmey and his wife Phalla use an hydraulic log-splitter to cut pieces of wood to be burn in the kilns of one of the brick factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Originally from Svay Rieng province, they have been working in the factory for 2 years and they own around 1000 USD when they asked for a loan to buy a motorbike. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477831846-RF5LLQSOXXEDL0105KG3/043-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A thick column of blackened smoke emerges from one of the kilns where garment off-cuts are used as fuel. Kilns are located next to houses, and kiln workers and their families live on the kiln site itself, so many people are exposed to these fumes. Protective equipment for workers is minimal, and many report numerous adverse health effects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477843974-0W3O5HF5BLWSGQIJGE87/044-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Children of kiln workers play together on site. Children of kiln workers play together on site. Some children work in kilns after school (if they attend) or at the weekends to help their parents pay off debts faster. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477841355-3IO0V36WB7KG9PMASZV0/045-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Blood from a duck that recently killed is put in a plate for a late consumption. Many workers subsist raising chickens and other domestic animals, collecting vegetables and fishing in ponds close to the factories. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477851329-9QVFJL1N7YKQ0DRM3YJO/046-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A young girl has a shower in front of one of the houses built by the owner of a brick factory in the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The owners of the factories normally provides basic house accommodation for the workers who live there with their families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477852618-UX308A9ZUS0YN1NJ2G58/047-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan The houses of debt-bonded brick workers and their families stand nestled into kiln site. Most families live in single-room corrugated iron constructions, located next to kilns. Despite the poor conditions, these are also social spaces where workers meet to eat, drink and socialise, and where many children spend their childhood. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477861166-OJBKEED5Q07H3R5JFDQB/048-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Kunea (23) with her newborn baby inside one of the house built for the workers of a brick factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Originally from Prey Veng, she struggled to find a job at home and she decided to move to the factory together with her husband Piseth (25). They have now collected around 200 USD of debt with the owner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477863926-9NBQZTSPOAYOXPZNMT80/049-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A thick column of blackened smoke emerges from one of the kilns where garment off-cuts are used as fuel. Kilns are located next to houses, and kiln workers and their families live on the kiln site itself, so many people are exposed to these fumes. Protective equipment for workers is minimal, and many report numerous adverse health effects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477867016-1OQI1RZIAVSUKXER8GK6/050-blood_bricks.jpg Blood bricks - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan January 18, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Panoramic aerial view of Koh Pich (Diamond Island). 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Juan Calcano, a fisherman from Sanchez, a coastal town in the Dominican Republic, rises before the sun to prepare for a day of fishing on the Sanchez Bay. With USAID, he is pioneering a new way of fishing that is helping to protect the bay's endangered coral reefs and restore a once thriving fish population. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686831704-3R5AP7Q0VSGA4Z8HOUVQ/005-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686834971-HID3Y36TTK8PHWRG3NZB/008-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686852299-VRQFLH5ZQV432QKJR2CJ/033-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686835275-RXN4LRZW0XE0MKEF8XUP/011-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686845126-7A80U90UF292N28VBEYW/017-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686845778-6BEATJDP37NXKXQ8HW3M/026-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 25, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fisherman Juan Calcone is a passionate advocate for restoring the Sanchez Bay's fish life and sharing its natural wonders with tourists. That is why he is working with USAID and using a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage than other methods. "If I use any other nets that are harmful I'm hurting myself," he says. "Because I won't be able to survive, my kids won't be able to survive." © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686848219-IE9ZJNQLKCHHL4798K4I/028-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 25, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fisherman Juan Calcone is a passionate advocate for restoring the Sanchez Bay's fish life and sharing its natural wonders with tourists. That is why he is working with USAID and using a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage than other methods. "If I use any other nets that are harmful I'm hurting myself," he says. "Because I won't be able to survive, my kids won't be able to survive." © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686841973-EWNZNT9YD0S8JERQ2NNS/013-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686856900-659GTQD6GK0TS9GOMBCC/037-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686869214-F3XWD3L6LOVC9U103TOV/044-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686878242-YGSMJ1719YA8JC0O9O7C/045-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686881415-DGGZUKAJ73YN0S5KA77J/051-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686882428-3O6X4RV09554A27L9NAI/055-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). A special kind of fishing net call the “suripera” must be unfurled and set up the evening before fishermen go out on the hunt for their catch. But the extra time is worth it. The net causes less damage to coral reefs, and is helping restore the bay's once thriving fish population. Juan Calcone, a fishermen from Sanchez, Dominican Republic, is one of the many fishermen in his community using the nets through a USAID project. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686889412-SFHV3SWC5EOZZZ439LIB/060-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Yamara - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). A special kind of fishing net call the “suripera” must be unfurled and set up the evening before fishermen go out on the hunt for their catch. But the extra time is worth it. The net causes less damage to coral reefs, and is helping restore the bay's once thriving fish population. Juan Calcone, a fishermen from Sanchez, Dominican Republic, is one of the many fishermen in his community using the nets through a USAID project. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/instagram-cover-page daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/cambodian-statues daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145136277-1YFQSE65AXFTG5ZXPW99/koh_ker_temple-002.jpg Cambodian statues - More discoveries at Koh Ker (Copy) More discoveries at Koh Ker November 17, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Aerial view of Prasat Thom, the main temple of Koh Ker located in northern Cambodia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144369150-M3O3PJH9CFOPZWJNWVW6/lion_the_former_looter-002.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lion" (Copy) Former looter "Lion" October 28, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Former looter "Lion" with the statue of Shiva and Skanda that he looted in the 90' within the Koh Ker complex. The piece has recently been returned by Douglas Latchford's daughter to the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144382431-67I37A2UQDW7DH2IV5Z2/Lion_visits_koh_ker-014.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). “Lion” at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple where years ago he looted two females statues, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144373862-80T7P2NEDEIQ1TNF45Y0/Lion_visits_koh_ker-004.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). "Lion" imitates the lion statue that he looted years ago inside Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144379347-E30JLLQN7KPU14RRC4WN/Lion_visits_koh_ker-012.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). "Lion" touches the pedestal of a missing statue that he looted years ago inside Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. This may be the base of the Standing Female Deity from Nancy Wiener at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144379349-HXXFYCP0XY1UB68T08NB/Lion_visits_koh_ker-007.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter Lion" walks towards Prasat Thom, the main temple of Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144392103-UV9QTIKZ4H7BY550YP4D/Lion_visits_koh_ker-033.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 3rd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). “Lion” overlooks a team of archeologists from the Cambodian Ministry of Culture during an excavation at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple to locate the pedestal bases of statues he looted years previously. Lion looted two females statues from this site, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144388977-8FNHX661LT78M0CF6OYB/Lion_visits_koh_ker-028.jpg Cambodian statues - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 3rd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). A team of archeologists from the Cambodian Ministry of Culture during an excavation at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple to locate the pedestal bases of statues “Lion” looted years previously. Lion looted two females statues from this site, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144333132-CWX6WUHHDBG5ION679Y4/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-031.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Phoeurng Sackona - Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts - poses for a portrait inside The National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144340326-RTSSAPS1SW3G7DNJ9WQD/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-044.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Workers at an excavation site at Prasat Krachap’s temple (Koh Ker). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144338463-01N3SLZW6FJ1H0Y6YC3Y/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-040.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Brad J. Gordon talks with Thach Phanit, one of the archeologist working at the excavation site at Prasat Krachap’s temple (Koh Ker). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144357951-8GXP13X0CAXMP9Q8CW34/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-085.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter “Blue Tiger” walks through the remnants of Prasat Khnar temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144352410-6TL6ATHM6Y2M6AV7A5YK/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-074.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter “Blue Tiger” poses for a portrait at Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144351771-TCULXD7XIVQASFJCRFTA/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-072.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter “Blue Tiger” poses for a portrait at Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144364773-BEXNXQK9YKHKJZMT5PLJ/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-104.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Brad J. Gordon’s assistants chat about a bas-relief of Prasat Khnar temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144366808-0XNYP9KR5Y9OA5ELHFQ8/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-111.jpg Cambodian statues - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Brad J. Gordon’s assistants chat with a villager regarding the looting of statues and artifacts from Prasat Khnar temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145172050-80DV9CSH1Q3W4E24YYV2/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-043.jpg Cambodian statues - Koh Ker Temples (Copy) Koh Ker Temples August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the stunning Prasat Pram in Koh Ker. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145178277-59KE6XSAAJTSEN683FIV/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-053.jpg Cambodian statues - Prasat Tadong (Copy) Prasat Tadong August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the jungle and rice fields that surround the remote Prasat Tadong temple built in the 9th century at the feet of Kulen mountains. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145172042-OM0J04S8PCSXRITR7T5N/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-049.jpg Cambodian statues - Prasat Tadong (Copy) Prasat Tadong August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the broken pedestal of a statue at remote Prasat Tadong temple built in the 9th century at the feet of Kulen mountains. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145175952-1L51C1UHBVWTQ4MPJJFZ/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-051.jpg Cambodian statues - Prasat Tadong (Copy) Prasat Tadong August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the remote Prasat Tadong temple built in the 9th century at the feet of Kulen mountains. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144324875-PRI43JX7GJCMUA4H6H8M/Antiquites_Handover_Museum_PP-005.jpg Cambodian statues - Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum (Copy) Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum July 13, 2022 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Assistant Secretary Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy and H.E Minister Phoeurng Sackona preside a handover ceremony of a batch of antiquities stolen from Cambodia and recently returned to the National Museum of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144327232-I1JMLYU3CAEWH7A8OMNW/Antiquites_Handover_Museum_PP-007.jpg Cambodian statues - Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum (Copy) Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum July 13, 2022 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Assistant Secretary Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy and H.E Minister Phoeurng Sackona preside a handover ceremony of a batch of antiquities stolen from Cambodia and recently returned to the National Museum of Phnom Penh. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/princess-of-the-tong-setan daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344637979-XTVQHO8LS52552404NTT/001-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Aerial view of the itinerant funfair (Pasar Malam in Indonesian) where Karmila works set in the remote town of Parlilitan in North Sumatra. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344638213-N3D7DE78ZIZSDQKY3DSE/002-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) watches while her “Tong Setan” rider colleagues work on her motorbike to prepare it for an afternoon training session. The exhaust pipes are removed from the motorbikes to make the engines sound louder to make the audience feel the noise. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344639762-TNMXZOUJZIJIPMUA9SZL/003-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) rides her motorbike inside the “Tong Setan” during an afternoon training session. Riders make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure and can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (285 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344642103-KKUKFO6XRMDKKKXY4HP8/004-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) hands out a bill to her follow rider Sapong Sinaga (24) during an afternoon training session. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs and make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344643750-XFV6EFII84P67L5D0NA3/005-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). “Tong Setan” riders during an afternoon training session. Riders make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure and can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (285 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344644890-NBKXESNG0WSYJ01ST01O/006-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Pangeran Nasution (23) performs a trick with his motorbike during an afternoon training session. The riders of the “Tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and a good economic opportunity to get a decent income. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344646695-UK876SQ2AIL7QMZKTXGI/007-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) watches while her “Tong Setan” rider colleagues ride their motorbike during an afternoon training session. Riders in the “Tong Setan” can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (around 285 USD), while the minimum wage in North Sumatra province in 2019 is around 160 USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344646498-YUAOVM59FAI7A2IZIQ9J/008-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) gets ready for an evening of work at the “Pasar Malam”. She started riding in the “Tong Setan” four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344648908-03TPJDD03AXBGHMCSZZB/009-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) and the other “Tong Setan” riders kill time before the opening of the funfair playing with their phones. The income for the people of the “Pasar Malam” is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344649501-45QPIHWBX8X4ST3LGPAJ/010-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) and the other “Tong Setan” riders kill time before the opening of the funfair playing with their phones. The income for the people of the “Pasar Malam” is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344651751-BF0QHM5HMTKTO1FBYGIS/011-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) helps preparing food for the workers of the “Pasar Malam”. She recently got married with Agung, another “Tong Setan” rider and the son of the owner of the funfair. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344654677-USUUDYIDNDROY52IAY2Z/012-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Rain falls over the “Pasar Malam” ruining an evening of work. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344655732-TCJNQC95YSOECLMJQR8L/013-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Despite the heavy rain, Karmila (20) gets ready for an evening of work. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344659573-8B0EBQANMKU619EY9CI2/014-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). One of the worker of the “Pasar Malam” tries to dry up one of the attraction soaked after hours of heavy rain. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344658786-8RLD6DWAXX17J8RA8GFI/015-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) checks her instagram account on her phone. She is an avid fan of Hello Kitty and she sports a tattoo of the iconic character on her left arm. Karmila loves to share every aspects of her life as a “Tong Setan” rider to thousand of followers of her Instagram and Facebook account. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344662746-WTRXBPFX1NZ4G338QWWI/016-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) cracks a joke with her husband’s family. She recently got married with Agung, another “Tong Setan” rider and the son of the owner of the funfair. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344674300-SUT3BPT5CTTAZ3B2CK0H/021-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Locals enjoy the attractions of the “Pasar Malam” where Karmila works set in the remote town of Parlilitan in North Sumatra. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344665553-NGPX983SBMQS9QUCTIFN/017-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Despite the heavy rain, Karmila (20) gets ready for an evening of work. She recently got married and started wearing hijab, a more modest image than before. Her moderate change is one of many in the increasingly conservative muslim majority country, yet she still defies gravity every week on top of her motorcycle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344666942-2YO3WQ6PMOAET78QHI0F/018-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Rider Sapong Sinaga uses a mixture of rice powder and gasoline to dry up the surfaces of the Tong Setang. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344668681-B1OHWSB11MHUQFQW7NQF/019-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Rider Sapong Sinaga prepares a mixture of rice powder and gasoline to dry up the surfaces of the Tong Setang. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344671783-4DVWXSOGXA234JYO0LTS/020-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Aerial view of the itinerant funfair (Pasar Malam in Indonesian) where Karmila works set in the remote town of Parlilitan in North Sumatra. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344674011-U06CCO0H0T60GGJMEV44/022-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). A crowd of locals waits for the beginning of a session of riding on the top of the “Tong Setan”. The riders are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344675978-F486GOFKWU8DMOXUJ2NF/023-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) gets ready for a riding session inside the structure of the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344677336-4BEPOQ1E3RUY1YS7ES9U/024-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) performs a trick riding the walls of the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344679068-PJSGEIFD8XWHF20I7OK7/026-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) covers her ears while her fellow riders companions perform a session in the “Tong Setan”. The exhaust pipes are removed from the motorbikes to make the engines sound louder to make the audience feel the noise. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344681282-AB6BNSWTE7UP7YEO7TOA/027-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) tries to catch a bill from a spectator during an evening session inside the “Tong Setan”. Riders make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure and can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (285 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344684417-ZQRCW6I1N3FAOK79R61G/030-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) and her follow riders count the money earned during an evening session inside the “Tong Setan”. Riders make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure and can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (285 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344681714-JHAHSQR5A3UEHH8R7FVY/028-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) helds a Facebook live session for her fans at the end of a riding session inside the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344687775-U1EWXPRPWD2JDWK9LZV6/031-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) poses with fans after a riding session inside the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344689107-Z79ZBQMSTMZC8ZOS7QGE/033-princess_tong_setan.jpg Princess of the Tong Setan - The Princess of the Tong Setan (Copy) The Princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) helds a Facebook live session for her fans at the end of a riding session inside the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-photojournalist-bangkok-thailand daily 1.0 2026-03-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/0edc8709-a74a-490e-b15c-8ae90f18274b/YouTube_thumb.jpg Documentary Cinematographer and photojournalist in Bangkok and Phnom Penh https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/8f0933f3-9ed2-49a5-87c6-3c221fd6e7d7/website_img.jpg Documentary Cinematographer and photojournalist in Bangkok and Phnom Penh https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1740640429451-E9JVNJWKSG4O9LTW6VPK/moken_thumb.jpg Documentary Cinematographer and photojournalist in Bangkok and Phnom Penh https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/975d5260-0f65-435c-a67a-2574703e4c52/thailand.jpg Documentary Cinematographer and photojournalist in Bangkok and Phnom Penh https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/6df0b1a6-5cca-4774-ae5a-6e5d691d44de/My+Clients https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/irans-consumerism daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438678117-7OIDPM7B88MK13WT47VJ/001-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 29, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. A woman shops at Hyperstar, Iran’s first international-style hypermarket, built inside the Persian Gulf Complex, a huge mall built a few kilometers outside Shiraz. Hyperstar plans to open 15 branches by 2015 in 5 different cities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438678078-2ACWF1QJQGNHIQN6JNDF/002-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 12, 2014 - Tehran, Iran. A woman shops at the Grand Bazaar of Tehran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438684897-DQECFW0OP5XAZN1LAG8D/003-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 12, 2014 - Tehran, Iran. Two young girls walk in the streets of Tehran. Iranian women are increasingly reluctant to comply with government-imposed traditional dress codes and many have started to go around the prohibitions, wearing western-style hi jabs, made of fashionable fabrics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438685532-31WJBIWD4I9X3GZDTZDK/004-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. A family of pilgrims take a souvenir picture outside the shrine of Hazrat-e Masumeh in Qom. The shrine is considered one of the most significant Shi'i shrines in Iran and every year, thousands of Shi'i Muslims travel to Qom to honor Fatima Masumeh and ask her for blessings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438693192-FIWM90RT4E30ZCDVMTVO/005-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A portrait of Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini is displayed on a wall of the Isfahan City Center Mall, one of the biggest in the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438692826-INHX39HTIQ2V0D57JYPC/006-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. Customers at the "Kentucky House" one of the fast food restaurant built inside the Isfahan City Center Mall, one of the biggest in the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438698357-6H9A900G8PPQD895GE30/007-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A woman shops in an appliance center inside the Isfahan City Center Mall, one of the biggest in the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438702457-NPOO78SNGDGBEYAGDBGS/008-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 29, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. Children play at Iran Land, an amusement park built inside the Persian Gulf Complex, a large shopping mall located in the outskirts of Shiraz. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438707538-BTJU26V8I2F4O3A48MEI/009-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 08, 2014 - Tabriz, Iran. A view of the local Grand Baazar, the oldest in the Middle East. Despite the increasing number of malls opened around the country, many Iranians still prefer to shop in traditional bazaars. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438712509-GN68C0SJ1UTWMNQYX5AC/010-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 08, 2014 - Tabriz, Iran. Locals take photographs using their smartphones. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438717134-T20MRFDH8IDM9THXO3BJ/011-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 22, 2014 - Yazd, Iran. Local women shop at the local Grand Bazaar. Despite the increasing number of malls opened around the country, many Iranians still prefer to shop in traditional bazaars. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438720021-BNND6T5ITRK8TB1EGTWN/012-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 18, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. Traditional Islamic black chadors are sold at the local Bazaar. Iranian women are increasingly reluctant to comply with government-imposed traditional dress codes and many have started to go around the prohibitions, wearing western-style hi jabs, made of fashionable fabrics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438722843-1GQR29PSQ4TT92VKWYIG/013-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A local sits in front of a recently opened unofficial Apple reseller. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438726957-T00NAHWPZN48TK30CNI5/014-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 23, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. Cars are seen in a parking lot of Shiraz. Due to the international sanctions, importation of foreign cars is expensive and many Iranians opt to buy locally produced cars. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438726961-ID73D6E3W6D3O3ZZU3DP/015-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE June 08, 2014 - Urmia, Iran. Iranian youths take pictures of the surface of Urmia lake with their smartphones. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438731548-N2HLKVHWQ8BGLC6C5DPZ/016-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. Young pilgrims eat ice cream in a cafe of Qom, the second holiest city in Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438732852-EBQYE42JHJ82WK0AU9NB/017-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 07, 2014 - Tabriz, Iran. Iranian youths play backgammon on a tablet in a traditional cafe. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438739884-FL952CV4UDYOMQNF1QEH/018-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 25, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. A man plays with a videogame in the arcade section of a mall. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438739465-HCWGC34MKHKADL24YTYP/019-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A young couple walks hand by hand in the streets of Isfahan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438747454-5KUH8WQSKARG97PQ98YO/020-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 18, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A young boy looks through a shop window. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438746284-YD5XW6VPA6FA14P5O1FO/021-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. Two young pilgrims walk in front of a mosque in Qom, the second holiest city in Iran. The girl on the left is seeing wearing a patch, after having plastic surgery done on her nose. Iran has the world's highest nose surgery rate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438751238-KR2SUWXSP86S6B1EQAQG/022-iran_consumerism.jpg IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 18, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. Two girls check facebook on a smartphone. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/khmer-rouge-christians daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970044739-1NAXKW5FB43S88JZSHXC/001-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Sunday church-goers stroll into Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church for the service. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970045155-OOBZ1UCL8IC7WEOI86WU/002-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Morm Phin (75) gets ready for the Sunday's service. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970049988-R8EMFWX4FSEOLROZ38EM/003-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Nornh Chhay (wearing a blue t-shirt) participates in the Sunday's service at the Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Nornh was a Khmer Rouge soldier for almost 20 years and he converted to Christianity in 1996. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970048933-M9FFBFCMHXJU8UMVVM67/004-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians December 4, 2016 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Ing Sophat celebrates the Sunday's service at the "Khum O" presbyterian church. Ing was a former commander of a Khmer Rouge platoon and now is a pastor in the small rural church of Phnom Srouch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970051707-3NMQ13ZL8A23BCLCVCED/005-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Morm Phin (75) prepares her church for the Sunday's service. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970053822-5UKFYKHH23QH0F56ENOD/006-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth practice songs ahead of the Sunday's service at Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970056298-VV9C9DMPHMRRQHIE289N/007-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Sok Sem (58) reads his bible together with his smaller daughter Sok Sreypao (4). Sok was a commander of a special military unit of the Khmer Rouge and he converted to christianity in 2011. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970061111-9Y9EH56XLVGAT33GIF22/008-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Photos of the christian wedding ceremony of Touch Sokhan's daughter, Ven Sophon. Touch is a former Khmer Rouge cadre from Kampot and he is now chief of O’ Tapuk Krom's village in Pailin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970062184-Q0KR7BYLW4UCUERAUNUU/009-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Morm Phin (75) leads the Sunday's service. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970066360-8EJMIKXLH17H54HPKSGV/010-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Former chief propaganda for Pol Pot, Kon Duong, in the recording studio of his radio station. Kon Duong has been broadcasting christian program on the radio since 2004. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970068466-59O2HQA0TUK7WIIJVWUJ/011-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 26, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth wait oustide the Marist church of Pailin the beginning of the Saturday's service. Pailin is a small town of just 70.000 habitants but it's home of 22 churches. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970071993-AGMP9LA7BT612JOA9GRK/012-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). An old Christian poster hang on the wall of Sok Sem's house. Sok was a commander of a special military unit of the Khmer Rouge and he converted to christianity in 2011. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970075794-HBZUIZ09BKLKYGZ5V4CV/013-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Tun Vann (on the left corner) sits on a chair, while a buddhist ceremony is held to commemorate the death of her husband Kong Hei. A Christian priest organized a small celebration in the morning, but Tun couldn't afford the full funeral service and her landlord, a practicing Buddhist, offered to organize and fund one. Despite Tun and her husband’s religious affiliation as Christians, he insisted on Buddhist funeral rites. Both her and her late husband joined the Khmer Rouge in 1997. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970079008-7V0S8WUWU3ZVOXHYIH10/014-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A group of Australian christians participates in the Sunday's mass in one of the local church. Pailin was considered the last Khmer Rouge-held territory until the current government agreed in 1996 to provide amnesty to the former leaders, and gifted them administrative control. During this period, Christian missionaries flooded into the border provinces in an effort to proselytize the word of God to this group whose ideology had just been toppled. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970079400-DVTMIRLP2FH21GWZDBH8/015-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians December 4, 2016 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). A man holds a cup of Sacramental wine during the Sunday's service at the "Khum O" presbyterian church. The pastor of the church, Ing Sophat, was a former commander of a Khmer Rouge platoon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970084266-COS665NWDO26HR055I9V/016-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 23, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A small christmas trees is seen inside the house of Moses Samol Seth, a Cambodian pastor who leads AGAPE, a christian organization. He personally converted to christianity hundreds of former Khmer Rouge cadres during the 90s. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970084684-XLQMRG9TH3B73Q2Z3IDQ/017-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Mut Sivon (third from the right) sings during the Sunday's mass at the Pailin KwangMyoung Church - one of the biggest in town. When she was just 18, she was helping to carry weapons and supplies for the Khmer Rouge. She converted to Christianity in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970092012-D9R7SQWOE8925LBY2P20/018-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Touch Sokhan works in the courtyard of his house. Touch is a former Khmer Rouge cadre from Kampot and he is now chief of O’ Tapuk Krom's village in Pailin. He lost a leg stepping on a landmine and converted to Christian thanks to his daughter. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970095710-VI7SFI1E13HKMGISGNWG/019-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). One of Nornh Chhay's nephew plays with his dog. Nornh was a Khmer Rouge soldier for almost 20 years and he converted to Christianity in 1996. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970098587-8J4EF0HOL19Z53WWY62L/020-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Christmas decoration inside the Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970100576-CA3PI2RCUSXCVFECBTUK/021-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians December 4, 2016 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). A young girl prepare a bag to collect donations during the Sunday's service at the "Khum O" presbyterian church. The pastor of the church, Ing Sophat, was a former commander of a Khmer Rouge platoon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970119833-HFWPXUJ2ZG7P9LIV7RTE/022-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A buddhist nun sweeps the floor of one of the pagoda at Wat Phnom Yat, one of the few religious buildings that survived the Khmer Rouge's regime. Religion during that years was banned, all leading Buddhist monks were killed and almost 95% of the pagodas around Cambodia were destroyed and turned the remaining few into warehouses or allocated them for some other degrading use. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970120322-DG7QNQ3S7X3XAZ68JVTL/023-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Kids play during the Sunday's service leaded by pastor Morm Phin. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970124422-FUCIUEW1Y4H081IS2VHN/024-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Nornh Chhay reads the bible with a smartphone's app that his nephew downloaded for him. Nornh was a Khmer Rouge soldier for almost 20 years and he converted to Christianity in 1996. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970124435-6GG6PL01AYBR5ROPRYBX/025-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Sok Sem (58) with his smaller daughter Sok Sreypao (4). Sok was a commander of a special military unit of the Khmer Rouge and he converted to christianity in 2011. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970132445-D4W1J7Y2BQE6N6R4FPJS/026-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 26, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth practice songs in the Marist church of Pailin ahead of the Saturday's service. Pailin is a small town of just 70.000 habitants but it's home of 22 churches. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970131959-LDBP0FXI1S71SIU1MBC6/027-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth practice songs ahead of the Sunday's service at Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970134234-W9B7KHAU5QPF3RD5URCH/028-kr-christian.jpg Khmer rouge christians - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 26, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A view of the Marist church of Pailin during the Saturday's service. Pailin, one of the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, is a small town of just 70.000 habitants but it's home of 22 churches. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/pole-dancing-for-the-gods-1 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595188571-YJBG3D0UTV50S31A524X/001-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 07, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li takes a train to Taichung to participate in a photo session for a local bike seller. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595188529-E5N7QYFLP968JHO7UFZ3/002-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li takes climbs over the roof of a jeep minutes before the beginning of a performance. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595194309-BIFOYKBVI9VGEJY64G1B/003-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li (right) performs during a religious ceremony organized in the streets of Lukang. This common practice of temple marching is attributed to elements of Daoism and Buddhism, the two main religions of Taiwan that are intermixed in their traditions and manner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595197491-6U1C1UIEFFXO26ZRZ41C/004-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - Dancing for the gods (Copy) Dancing for the gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li (left) performs inside the courtyard of Longshan Temple in Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595202415-G3Y2CWAH890CHGWT982I/005-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li (left) and her colleagues walk toward their jeeps after a performance in a small temple in the town of Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595204761-Q514R1XIVGE1HBMTGEO4/006-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li (left) rests in between performances outside the Longshan Temple in Lukang. This common practice of temple marching is attributed to elements of Daoism and Buddhism, the two main religions of Taiwan that are intermixed in their traditions and manner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595211371-QVRKEPO4WOPRL6GVK76K/007-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li is paraded through the streets of the small town of Dounan during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595212185-CYEFFB2YL9EMSL8PNZ1S/008-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li performs inside the courtyard of a temple in Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595214102-ONDDOIG6TMKZ5EQI07HL/009-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 06, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li chats with a friend. Most of her gigs come through messanging apps and Line's groups. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595218395-NC85L708X77BNUWVPV8L/010-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li jokes with her boyfriend Xiaoquan in a bar of the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595220008-ZN33WVF465ZDN48J0SAJ/011-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595221305-XF0FV8R8Q9FF4GTJ6FY7/012-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li gets ready during an early morning train ride on her way to a performance in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595225261-LSLUT04CCAHGWDMQ2WF8/013-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 07, 2016 - Taichung (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li gets ready for a photo session organised for a local bike seller outisde the Taichung train station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595228138-QNYCGEW9SLUYGR638043/014-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li dances with her collagues in front of a group of devotees during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595232047-VB1T064Y33H10FXYEGIX/015-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li dances together with her colleagues in front of a small temple in Dounan during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595234675-991FEPBMRRO3IWU54MTH/016-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Young devotees get ready for a religious procession in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595238210-VCCJA5Z46EHK9B8388FH/017-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li is paraded through the streets of the small town of Dounan during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595239912-JIZS7K9R1ELC5E0QI7X1/018-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li performs on the roof of a jeep through the streets of Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595242549-P1AG08GFRRA3M9DHGMG0/019-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li rides a motorbike together with her boyfriend Xiaoquan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595245792-SJTL2D26Q91UFC5TI5B9/020-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li hangouts with her boyfriend Xiaoquan and other friends in a bar of the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595248849-VFAC72K1LW03J1X9GILS/021-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li watches a youtube video clip on her smartphone. Most of her dances and moves for her performances come from K-Pop videos. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595252788-30BYMF7226JD3QNHG3M0/022-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li talks with her boyfriend Xiaoquan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595255258-OQOL988NJ3O5JLEBNGKT/023-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 06, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li hangs out with some of her friends and colleagues. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595259326-LANFFXHQW8E1984ODL4J/024-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li runs to catch an early morning train to Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595259589-MIUWISI1A1SVA1TOCX85/025-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li catches some sleep on a early morning train on her way to a performance in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595266554-K878LNAAOU9YNYZUMGLC/026-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 07, 2016 - Taichung (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li poses during a photo session organised for a local bike seller outisde the Taichung train station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595266528-0CE8BIVBZL6BXE25BEOP/027-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Devotees carry a religious relic through the streets of Lukang. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595269966-4MBL0HUWU500DGC78OE4/028-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li during a religious performance in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595270864-WFD8ZU3XC3BOSMJWQW6C/029-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg Pole Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li performs on the roof of a jeep through the streets of Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/rising-ma-ba-tha daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496928980-YCY1EQL2LW35YEJPDGM4/001-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha September 1st, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Monks walk around Shwedagon pagoda, the most sacred of Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar. The country has a population of some 54 million people of which 89% are said to be Buddhist predominantly of the Theravada tradition. The government is actively promoting Buddhism, putting pressure on religious minorities and excluding them from positions of power within the government and military. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496928921-64U0OPF3BNES3AWYCSGA/002-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 12, 2013 - Meiktila (Myanmar). One of the areas of the city destroyed during the violent clashes erupted between Buddhist and Muslim ethnic groups that took place on March 20, 2013. At least 40 people lost their lives during the 3 days of conflict. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496938359-UR28T4RH70UHNRO9B5CR/003-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 14, 2013 - Yangon. More than 200 Myanmar Buddhist monks gathered to discuss how to solve inter-religious conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims. The conference, held in a monastery on the outskirts of Yangon, was dubbed by local and international media less as a resolution to conflict but more as an opportunity to discuss the inter-faith marriage law that the 969 movement (now Ma Bha Tha) is hoping to present to the government. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496939395-RUMD4JMRVZA1XSSVMC51/004-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 9, 2013 - Mandalay. Muslim prayers at the Mogul Shia Jamay Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496945384-JNCGC62IN8LO1GFKHM8F/005-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 23, 2013 - Mandalay. Wirathu and his entourage leave after ending an anti-muslim sermon in front of hundreds of supporters, just four blocks away from the Dhamma Tharlar Hall (Mandalay), in which several local organizations and civil society activists organized a peace event to prevent future riots. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496946101-1YVVEYWI647MXDUM7YQ8/006-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 11, 2013 - Meiktila. A woman, who returned to her destroyed home in Meiktila, recovers pieces of a burnt Hindu book explaining the teachings of Islam. The Muslim community had started that week a 7 day clean up program escorted by armed police. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496952539-GDNOV5GEKUPPX7A40MA6/007-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 7, 2013 - Mandalay. Muslim wait for prayer time at the Joon Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496955623-2WI2S1EV1DWCSUS5AXCX/008-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 12, 2013 - Meiktila (Myanmar). Families are escorted by police back to a refugee camp that holds Muslims who have been displaced by the interfaith violence that took place at the end of March 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496959707-PEFHZMJRB295AL9ZG03V/009-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 15, 2013 - Yangon. Buddhists in front of a shop in Downtown Yangon. The owner has chosen to display the 969 sticker (that it is sold and distributed through out Myanmar to label shops and business as being Buddhist own and run). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496963201-R2GUIQCI1XG8EAKJGAWP/010-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 7, 2013 - Mandalay. A young muslim girls enters the Madrasa in front of the Joon Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496968471-B9M8CP8GCJ384BRAV6BB/011-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 15, 2013 - Yangon. Wedding ceremony of a young couple of Muslims in the Cholia Jam-e Mosque's Trust Hall in Downtown Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496971146-7W9NIY45T72LTI5JW3A1/012-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 22, 2013 - Yangon. Members of the National Patriotic Saturday Youth Association, wrap up their flag, minutes after the end of a meeting held by U Thaddhamma, one of the leader of 969 movement, in a monastery 20 km outside Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496976121-FSDU1B4VDVOI7DQ5B280/013-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 20, 2013 - Yangon. Members of the Patriotic Youth Nationalistic Network - one of the 70 different civil organizations that support the 969 movement all over the country - during a meeting with U Thaddhamma in Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496980884-BXK6J81INY02PIXDZS5W/014-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 17, 2013 - Mawlamyine. Monk Wimala, one of the founder of 969 movement, shows a propagandic map in his Monastery in Mawlamyine. They believe that some arabs countries are financing the Burmese Muslims in order to overcome the Buddhist majority. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496985977-5XIPWCRUN7ALZS0NGUGL/015-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 22, 2013 - Yangon. Young Buddhist nuns board the ferry crossing the Hlaing river over to downton Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496989322-JM0YQGLSAUFGI73G3PBE/016-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov 03, 2015 - Meiktila. A family walks through one of the areas of the city destroyed during the violent clashes that erupted between Buddhist and Muslim ethnic groups in March 20, 2013. At least 40 people lost their lives during the 3 days of conflict.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496991174-ROWCX5F28A5BHD4WUCZL/017-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 26, 2015 - Mandalay. Daw Win Mya Mya is the vice-president of NLD in Mandalay. She wasn’t able to be a candidate in the upcoming elections because she is a Muslim. Daw Win Mya Mya was one of scores of NLD members injured in an attack on Aung San Suu Kyi's convoy in 2003.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496994671-72S1ZLFEZSOW3PLXKX1G/018-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 26, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). A young print shop employee cleans a screen used to make t-shirts of the NLD party inside Anoud Udchode, a Muslim compound in Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496995357-QDS26DHQS15A8S64N3J8/019-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 27, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). A young Muslim girls holds her identity card stating that her race is "Burmese Indian". In the last years thousands of Burmese Muslims were forced to being labelled as “Pakistani” "Bangladeshi" or “Indian” in their ID cards. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496999584-TE0U50WJDBT0VY9BJ36W/020-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 27, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). Monks light candles during the Thadingyu festival in Masoeyain monastery. The monastery is home to Ma Ba Tha monk U Wirathu. The ultra-nationalist Buddhist group of monks has been whipping up anti-Muslim sentiment ahead of the polls, holding huge rallies to celebrate the passage of laws that place restrictions on interfaith marriage. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497000218-3IJA0IN8RVPP72JVG9R6/021-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 31, 2015 - Meiktila. Children in a makeshift Madrasa in one of the areas of the city destroyed during the riots in 2013. After 2 years, only 3 of the cities 16 mosques have been reopened. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497006180-85XI30PG20Q3C510M32N/022-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 03. 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. Refugees from the religious violence that took hold of the city in March 2013, they lost their documents and land titles in the fires. Two years on they are still living in shelters by a football pitch on the outskirts of the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497011482-1QN9STP5H6E8PBS77WA1/023-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 25, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). Customers eat in a street restaurant in front of Mogul Shia Jamay Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497013534-K15A6VGMI17DFA77BKR4/024-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 03, 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. Construction workers rebuild one of the houses destroyed during the 2013 violence in a Muslim neighborhood of Meiktila. After two years, just some of the resident have received the permission to rebuild their houses by the government, most of them are still living in temporary shelters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497020534-8GL5WE4G0BH19D84CG8L/025-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 03, 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. An National League of Democracy rally takes places in Meiktila. Meiktila in 2013 saw three days of religious riots that killed some 40 people. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497021254-G2MZ4GCR44AX51O5K00K/026-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Oct 31, 2015 - Meiktila. Youth play a board game inside a temporary shelter built in one of the areas of the city destroyed during the violent clashes that erupted between Buddhists and Muslims in March 20, 2013. At least 40 people lost their lives during the 3 days of conflict.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497025776-NKY8EV8BB1D5378O84TU/027-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 01, 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. A young Muslim boy prays in a makeshift Mosque near one of the areas that was destroyed during religious violence in 2013. Only 3 of the cities 16 mosques have been reopened. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497027231-8KHI4VDJ5NN8YNLVIUY8/028-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha November 9, 2015 - Yangon, Myanmar. Supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League of Democracy (NLD) wait outside the party headquarters as a large TV screen shows the results announced by the Union Election Commission. It is predicted that the NLD will win by Myanmar's national elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/new-gallery-2 daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594310506-ZU1098EVH0AFK3TM8L3K/001-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 25, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Devotees pray inside the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. The mosque is one of the few buildings that survived the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of Acehnese lost their lives. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594308306-JM6LDITJ5W0EIKYA2S7O/002-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 02, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). J. is a young university student who's struggling to find her sexual identity in such a conservative society. “I’m not sure if I can be defined as lesbian of bi-sexual - I am attracted to women by their beauty, intelligence but, I feel more secure to be protected by a man.” Hostility towards LGBT people is increasing in Indonesia. Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Saaduddin Djamal, recently instructed youths in villages to help identifying members of the LGBT community so that they can be helped and re-educated. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594315153-PRN4P41ACIJCICEJIH3J/003-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 02, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Nanda (17), Puja (17) and Chichi (18), three female members of the rap group Gram Audio Family, pose at the "Thanks to World Park". Nanda started to rap 3 years ago, she is studying at one of the local high schools, and she would like to become a fashion designer. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594315779-NE6NHALIJEIX3VY7TFJF/004-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 26, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dicky (26) shows one of his tattoos. Dicky is a young semi-pro skater who loves to practice with his friends in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. He lost all his family during the 2004 tsunami and sports a tattoo on his left arm with the date of the tragic event. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594324793-XB2IQWO50I6QKCRS4BUD/005-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young man, caught spending time alone with his girlfriend, is publicly caned in front of a large crowd in the court yard of a school. Alcohol, gambling, not dressing according to Islamic code, premarital romance, and adultery are outlawed and made punishable by public flogging. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594325082-H29CMHM3HZI2F6844VNH/006-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dekdi (21), one of the most talented b-boys in Banda Aceh, performs during a break dancing contest held at a skart park in Oleelheue. He recently won the Break Invasion 7 in Medan, one of the most important contests in Indonesia. Dekdi started dancing 7 years ago and he recently began teaching young break dancers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594331881-MCMOXOPBCMN1HNETJYVI/007-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Some of the members of Nanggroe Break Cypherz crew relax in a coffee bar. Young people in Banda Aceh don't have many places where they can hang out, and they normally meet in numerous cafes around the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594332626-4X7JUWDNF4IFDL8B9HSV/008-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 26, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Yudy (26) performs a rail trick in a skate park in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. Around 30 young people skate in Banda Aceh, among them there are 3 girls. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594336054-WB1MRSH1C1QUDUYS32GY/009-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 03, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Ferry (23) and Syifa (20) paint a wall together with other members of their crew. Ferry likes visual arts and founded the crew 3 years ago. Islam has a complicated relationship with drawing, as for some people, to “illustrate creatures with souls” is considered forbidden. He thinks that most of the young people oppose the Sharia law. and is thinking of leaving Aceh in the near future as it’s not a good place for him. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594341311-MNI4EK8LBMQEL2X48RS2/010-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 23, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Two young girls play with their smartphones before the beginning of prayer at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. The mosque was one of the few buildings that survived the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of Acehnese lost their lives. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594341955-8YCV97YH276K90EI67V6/011-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 27, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Diva (17) practices break dancing under the supervision of Dekdi, one of the best b-boys in Banda Aceh. Diva is a high school student and started practicising break dancing 3-months ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594344765-PZPY2P5BDH2IJDMYLALG/012-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Tya (26) learns how to paddle on a surf board in the water of Lho-nga beach in Lampuuk, a few km' outisde of Banda Aceh. She works at a car dealership and tries to come to the beach every day after work. She consideres Lho-nga the only place in Banda Aceh where she can be herself. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594417847-YJD5GPZPJ3XLWRZLJ7LF/013-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). People watch a public caning ceremony in which 18 people are convicted and punished for "immoral acts" - including a young unmarried couple who were caught spending time alone together. Alcohol, gambling, not dressing according to Islamic code, premarital romance and adultery are outlawed and made punishable by public flogging. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594418419-WSL1OJGYVSOQ1UX2G7H1/014-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Felicya (20) practices board tricks with her friends in a skate park in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. She started skating just 2-years ago and she would like to see more girls doing it. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594424815-P2LKIQ0F6T7V8YYKU0WE/015-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). The interior of one of the rooms used by a member of the Kommunitas Kanoot Pu- a collective of artists that live in an abandoned building that was damaged during the tsunami. The collective is composed of 15 members (4 women), among them are painters, illustrators, comic designers, writers, journalists and poets. Their aim is to give knowledge to people, teaching critical thinking. Much of their art has a strong social message. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594423900-X64DTGWJTEDC4XEVYY4J/016-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 27, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Friends of Jakie (right) like to gather inside his bike shop to talk in central Banda Aceh. He's considered one of the best skater and surfer in town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594432146-7P6KYVBSXJO11DHXAQJP/017-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Kiki (center), one of the few b-girls in town, assists a break dancing contest organized at a skate park in Oleelheue. She works as a receptionist, but she’s studying to be a graphic designer and animator. She loves dancing and would like to participate in contests abroad. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594433216-RMGZU0L7MBCIZZ41EY9I/018-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Ryan (22) and Aulia (32), two of the local surfers, check the conditions of the waves at Lho-Nga, a beach located a few Km outside Banda Aceh. Ryan is studying economics and has been surfing for 14 years. He was living in Bali but decided to come back to finish his studies in Banda Aceh. He misses the waves and lifestyle of Bali, and is planning to leave again, as soon as he's finished with school. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594441644-2LYS04ZMMGVT9SG3BX5Q/019-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 03, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young bride wearing a traditional Acehnese dress, gets married in the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594441302-6PHKPTRG1M954IYHH936/020-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Some of the members of the Nanggroe Break Cypherz crew chat after a break dancing contest organized at a skate park in Oleelheue.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594449342-IFXQOHBROV3GW5727X1L/021-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Local surfers get ready to enter the waters of Lho-Nga, a beach located a few Km outside of Banda Aceh, and one of the best surf spots in north Sumatra. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594451422-QSZX56N3UMO4WC0JIWKI/022-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young woman visits the Tsunami museum. Aceh was the hardest-hit area by the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of its habitants lost their lives in the tragic event. Many Acehnese viewed the disaster as punishment for their lack of devotion to God. Though the Sharia law was officially introduced in 2011, the cataclysmic event helped religious authorities bring a further radicalisation within the society. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594461906-C6DFQFT5NQ548QUWM3MK/023-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). One of the members of the Kommunitas Kanoot Pu, a collective of artists that live in an abandoned building that was damaged during the tsunami, collects water from a pit built in the courtyard. The collective is composed of 15 members (4 women), among them are painters, illustrators, comic designers, writers, journalists and poets. Their aim is to give knowledge to people, teaching critical thinking. Much of their art has a strong social message. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594460192-8XTHV4515HPZ9LBR4GL9/024-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dekdi (front) and his brother Nay (blue t-shirt) pray at the back of a cafe. Praying 5 times a day, is mandatory for muslims in Banda Aceh, and many cafes are equipped with prayer areas for the clients. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594465764-S5DODIQSO6MBQA3839DN/025-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 02, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Kiki, one of the few b-girls in town, talks with Nay after a session of break dancing. Many young people consider Nay as a big brother. He's the owner of a barber shop, a restaurant, and is the founder of the biggest hip hop crew in Banda Aceh. He also designs t-shirts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594468758-SJNRWDOLG33SDCRSHE08/026-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Young girls visit the Tsunami museum. Aceh was the hardest-hit area by the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of its habitants lost their lives in the tragic event. Many Acehnese viewed the disaster as punishment for their lack of devotion to God. Though the Sharia law was officially introduced in 2011, the cataclysmic event helped religious authorities bring a further radicalisation within the society. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594473062-TYCW2ZPR2MJW5RD0FEGN/027-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dekdi (21), one of the most talented b-boys in Banda Aceh, smokes from a vaporizer. He recently won the Break Invasion 7 in Medan, one of the most important contests in Indonesia. Dekdi started dancing 7-years ago and he recently began teaching young break dancers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594476233-G420JHV1LGZM8MCXUCVF/028-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Felicya (center) hangs with her friends at a skate park in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. She started skating just 2-years ago, and would like to see more girls doing it. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594480449-G0IBQIBSDTFCW62NGZ46/029-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 03, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Sofia and her friends enjoy their time together time at Lho-nga beach in Lampuuk, a few km outisde of Banda Aceh. It is considered as the “tsunami ground zero”. Sofia loves to go to the beach, as it’s the only place where she feels free from all the restraints of society. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594482136-KXQCNKHDJ7S0LD3EVRRK/030-youth_banda_aceh.jpg IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 25, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young woman sits outside the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. The mosque was one of the few buildings that survived the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of Acehnese lost their lives. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/lower-sesan-2-gallery daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810604363-MAGZE1QKK801QTDEJ5BX/lower_sesan2_dam-001.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vaste area that will be soon flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam is seriously affect fisheries and the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810606820-XFRM7WS4BKLK220P9MAC/lower_sesan2_dam-002.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 25, 2015 - Sre Kor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). An old sign used to educate villagers to protect the environment is seen outside Sre Kor village. The village and the sorrounding areas have now been flooded with the closure of the gates of the Lower Sesan II dam. The 400-MW plant —a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam is seriously affect fisheries and the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810608956-H7KKUKW4P2Z8F32P7QDW/lower_sesan2_dam-003.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a check point inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. A powerful conglomerate, headed by tycoon Kith Meng, chairman of Royal Group, received carte blanche by the goverment to fell and sell timber inside the 36,000-hectare reservoir reserved for the dam. But forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810613285-IQB7YM6YOS5EFK5HIWQN/lower_sesan2_dam-004.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Dec 17, 2016 - Pluk Village, Cambodia. A group of fishermen and loggers in a temporary settlement along the Lower Sesan river. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810616751-2AEHMAS7RWZ4ZNWP351M/lower_sesan2_dam-005.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). Je Srey Neang (wearing a pink t-shirt) has lunch with her extended family in her small house in Kbal Romeas. For the previous couple of years she and her family fought hard the relocation’s plan. She was born in the village and she was worried of loosing their identity as indigenous once they will leave the ancestral land and forest. She now lives in a settlement built by a group of villagers who refused the relocation plan offered by the company and the goverment. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810619826-039ZF5SWOJXTPPE7C9EL/lower_sesan2_dam-006.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). A spray sign 'No LS2 Dam' is seen on one of the house of Kbal Romeas. This is one of the villages that has been submerged by the water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810632373-B71AFMZC3CO4SBK34R5P/lower_sesan2_dam-007.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 25, 2015 - Sre Kor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Locals transport pieces of wood with a tractor. A powerful conglomerate, headed by tycoon Kith Meng, chairman of Royal Group, received carte blanche by the goverment to fell and sell timber inside the 36,000-hectare reservoir reserved for the Lower Sesan 2 dam. But forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810637066-3BNRWWBKFUK27WZ6IAD3/lower_sesan2_dam-008.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). Monks have lunch at the Pagoda of Kbal Romeas. This is one of the villages that has been submerged by the water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810642256-HTOXLJY22V1O12XPRGJY/lower_sesan2_dam-009.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). A wedding photo of Je Srey Neang and her husband in her small house in Kbal Romeas. The relocation cost the couple their marriage. Srey Neang fought hard against the relocation plan while her husband wanted to accept, leading them to divorce. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810644738-O1KGJYFVBH04KMIUW70B/lower_sesan2_dam-010.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 16, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Ouch Vibol, an activist at CEBA (Cultural and Environment Preservation Association of Cambodia) shows a map with the areas - indicated in green - that will be flooded once the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be completed. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810647612-ZKY8JF53GEUEWS6KG0KI/lower_sesan2_dam-011.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view at sunrise of the controversial 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The dam produces most of the energy during the day affecting the level of the water of the Sesan river downstream during the night when the gates are closed. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810653921-NO2DN7H0EAJASH9863KQ/lower_sesan2_dam-012.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of what remain of the forest that once surrounded the Lower Sesan 2’s reservoir. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810657536-3MOPNRV8E1GQ9DRH89GN/lower_sesan2_dam-013.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the one of relocation sites built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.— displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and put at risk the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810660939-TS2D70XFGQU06JWO5KQY/lower_sesan2_dam-014.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 10, 2020 - Kbal Romeas II (Cambodia). Bai Yoeun washes his hands with the water from a well built in the relocation site for the people who were living in Kbal Romeas. Villagers complain that the quality of the water is not good enough for drinking and they use it just for washing and watering plants. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810663275-99ENJUF6TPGNLSGCD9UB/lower_sesan2_dam-015.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 December 16, 2016 - Sre Kor II Village, Cambodia. Thom Ne's husband sits with one of his children. He recently suffered a stroke and he's slowly recovering. The family was relocated from her village in Sre Kor to make way for the Lower Sesan II dam. They currently have no income in her new location and they already spent all the 6000 USD they received as compensation to move and renovate their house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810665132-HDZVRUROWH39ER6SIOKO/lower_sesan2_dam-016.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 05, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Sothea fishes in front of the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Since the dam has blocked the river, he noticed less and less fish and it’s difficult for him and the other fishermen to catch anything. On a good day, he can catch around 10kg of fish and sell to a middle man for around 17 USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810667071-FLM1HSYM76W64GE9JKQX/lower_sesan2_dam-017.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A solar powered light illuminates Sreui Lang (19) and her small baby in the house they rebuilt a couple of km from their ancestral village Kbal Romeas, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in October 2017. Sreui Lang belongs to one of the 58 Phnong indigenous families who decided not to leave their village and continue fighting to preserve their way of life and identity. Struggling to find clean water and surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations the families resettled to an elevated area, a couple of km away from their ancestral village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810669056-GXV6030DW2B7PEV11S1J/lower_sesan2_dam-018.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 July 19, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A single window has seen lit in newly built condominium in central Phnom Penh. In the last years, Cambodia’s real estate sector has seen a boom in high-end investment especially by Chinese buyers and has stoked concerns that they are pumping up a market in a country where the median household income is only around $11,000 per year. Half of the buyers are Chinese and most of the purchases are made for investment purposes by people who neither live in Cambodia nor rent the units. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810670964-0IWEY9NWW4DWPI4UWEV9/lower_sesan2_dam-019.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Dec 18, 2016 - Kratie, Cambodia. Workers connect lines for new electrify towers in Cambodia. Cambodia’s power grid has been largely dependent on electricity imports from neighbouring countries since 1993, with the country having to import 1,691 megawatts from Vietnam, 579 megawatts from Thailand and 10.73 megawatts from Laos in 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810674765-7LR29KP1BHGPZ32UVF65/lower_sesan2_dam-020.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 10, 2019 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A supermarket in Phnom Penh during a power cut. Due to the insufficient level of water to supply hydroelectric dams, Cambodia experienced an energy deficiency of 400MW and authorities were forced to repeatedly cut the energy supply to vast parts of the capital, drastically affecting small business owners and people who didn’t have access to generators or solar power. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810677013-K7MGZMC889MMB59EB39H/lower_sesan2_dam-021.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of Kbal Romeas’ school, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. Thousands of indigenous Phnong families have been forced to relocate in the process. A 2009 report, released by the NGO Rivers Coalition in Cambodia (3 years before the project was formally app­roved by the Cambodian government), stated that more than 38,000 inhabitants of 86 villages “would lose access to the vast majority of their fisheries resources” were the dam to be built, while 78,000 people would lose some access to fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810678873-KIYIIYXKSTEYJK7NWEJU/lower_sesan2_dam-022.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Activist and former Sre Kor’s inhabitant Sokhourn and his little son watch TV in their new house. His village was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Sokhourn, together with other families, decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and he settled in a new village built at the edge of the reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810680178-4LAWP5JY5KGHKQNG0SC7/lower_sesan2_dam-023.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A ferry's service now help connecting the 2 shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam's reservoir transporting goods and people. With the closing of the dam’s gates, the villages of Kbal Romeas and nearby Sre Kor were flooded and a massive lake now covers what once were hectares of ancestral forests and rice fields and dozen of families of fishermen have moved from other Cambodian provinces to take advantage of the abundance of fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810682816-BIQ1HWLUCJ85RO0XECKV/lower_sesan2_dam-024.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Phnong villagers from the - now flooded - Kbal Romeas meet to discuss how to rebuild their new settlement. Kbal Romeas was submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Some families decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and they settled in a new village built at the edge of the dam’s reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810684940-23NSRAGOXEM2G7D4JQI5/lower_sesan2_dam-025.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A group of villagers build a new house in Sre Kor Thmei, a new settlement created by a 73 families of former residents of the old Sre Kor who decided to not accept the relocation deal from the government. 73 families - mostly ethnic Lao - living in Sre Kor were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810690731-SJOFODNX4V3446LITYH7/lower_sesan2_dam-026.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Phnong villagers from the - now flooded - Kbal Romeas meet to discuss how to rebuild their new settlement. Kbal Romeas was submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Some families decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and they settled in a new village built at the edge of the dam’s reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810693993-LTUH4YCUEB8ML0V2KO7C/lower_sesan2_dam-027.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Elders held a ceremony for the spirits to celebrate the foundation of the new village of Kbal Romeas with a small shrine made of bamboo and offers of rice and drinks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810696933-WOOD56PW3K2DGUL6VY5V/lower_sesan2_dam-028.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Banners used during the protests against the relocation are seen used as a garden fence by activist and former Sre Kor’s inhabitant Pheng Khey. Her village was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Pheng Khey, together with other families, decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and he settled in a new village built at the edge of the reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810699987-3HEESI8V3R8C8YDR48ZF/lower_sesan2_dam-029.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Kharn and her son Vatha collect cashew nuts in their 2 hectares farms in a new settlement created by villagers from the old Sre Kor and who decided to not accept the relocation deal from the government. 73 families - mostly ethnic Lao - living in Sre Kor were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810702754-O8352LQ5U267PZ5T6O4G/lower_sesan2_dam-030.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 November 13, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the old Kabal Romeas, one of the villages that has been submerged by the water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810704898-MWOGNS68ILZ6PZ4MUYEH/lower_sesan2_dam-031.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Activist and former Sre Kor’s inhabitant Sokhourn, shows the remaining of his house. The village was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Sokhourn, together with other families, decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and he settled in a new village built at the edge of the reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810707553-3JO4F6UTT9FSQV854JTT/lower_sesan2_dam-032.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A man is seen loading water from the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir into a tank to sell it to the villagers of Sre Kor Thmei. During the dry season. villagers don’t have access to clean water and they’re forced to buy it from these sellers. Sre Kor Thmei is one of the new settlements for the villagers who were forced to relocated to make space for the Lower Sesan 2 dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810711273-DWVZBL3OL8J1XLU3BOAH/lower_sesan2_dam-033.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Villagers are seen crossing the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir on a ferry trying to reach Sre Kor Mouy - a new village built by the former residents of Sre Kor and who didn’t accept the terms of the relocation from the government. Sre Kor was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810713705-PDDUW50Y7GIHAQ3MUXQL/lower_sesan2_dam-034.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 9, 2020 - Ksach Thmey, Stung Treng (Cambodia). A family prepares dinner in their house in Ksach Thmey. Located upstream from the dam, Lao and Khmer families from Ksach Thmey village lost 30 per cent of their farmlands to the reservoir, and their remaining land is now prone to flooding. No compensation was provided to them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810717125-CFSBSHOHR3ZN0ESQ0VX6/lower_sesan2_dam-035.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Workers repair a section of the fish ladder built close to the Lower Sesan 2 dam. The system costed $1.5 million and was engineered to facilitate fish migration overcoming the barriers caused by the dam. However no independent study has been conducted gauging the LS2 dam’s impact on fisheries since 2012 and it’s not clear how effective the ladders are. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810726968-EL8WI69IP0MXCDZFZDQC/lower_sesan2_dam-036.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 9, 2020 - Ksach Thmey, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Cattle roam across land that is now uncultivable due to periodic water infiltration and flooding. Located upstream from the dam, Lao and Khmer families from Ksach Thmey village lost 30 per cent of their farmlands to the reservoir, and their remaining land is now prone to flooding. No compensation was provided to them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810727913-KXF29VC477FTBWXTY6UZ/lower_sesan2_dam-037.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 November 13, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the forest that surrounds the new settlement of Kbal Romeas and now partially flooded by the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810731786-DU9XTVAVTRZCKETDL3UX/lower_sesan2_dam-038.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A middleman buys fish from local fishermen in the stretch of the river in front of the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Fishing in area around the dam site is forbidden and fishermen can be fined up to 1.000.000 riel (250 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810734139-K7X9TWO6PF4NGIM0F7SR/lower_sesan2_dam-039.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 08, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the old Sre Kor, one of the villages that has been submerged by the water once the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810737166-92UR9SHC9OT6PCYQTLA1/lower_sesan2_dam-040.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Rithy (23) holds a snake that his cousin just caught in the forest. They will sell the meat in the local market for around 25 USD. The villagers were relying heavenly on the natural products they could find in the forest and the Sesan river. Forced to move their houses, they’re now struggling to find clean water and animals to hunt as the new village is surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810741560-KNYIBIW5DJEO4Q33UPWX/lower_sesan2_dam-041.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 10, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Snails are collected in one of the Cham settlements built on the shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir. When the dam gates closed, a fish boom occurred in the reservoir. Invasive species of fish and shellfish also began to appear. Ethnic Cham settlers from Kampong Cham Province, many of whom were landless or land-poor, moved in to take advantage of the fishery (depicted here), causing conflict with Bunong families from Kbal Romeas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810744684-XASRNJX25FX65QREV7MK/lower_sesan2_dam-042.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Je Srey Neang in her new house with one of her daughter. The villagers were recently able to organize an impromptu school and a volunteer teacher is now giving classes to their children. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810748415-RJGL7BSVULYEAYYICVOX/lower_sesan2_dam-043.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 10, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Small fishes are collected to produce “Prahok” - a traditional Cambodian fermented fish paste - in one of the Cham settlements built on the shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir. When the dam gates closed, a fish boom occurred in the reservoir. Invasive species of fish and shellfish also began to appear. Ethnic Cham settlers from Kampong Cham Province, many of whom were landless or land-poor, moved in to take advantage of the fishery (depicted here), causing conflict with Bunong families from Kbal Romeas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810751575-I611V85V0AG5KX5QBGI9/lower_sesan2_dam-044.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Fish vendors at the local market of Stung Treng, located where the Mekong and Sesan rivers join together. Fish experts have long warned about damage to fishing stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810761305-16A059P8A5E2YM1XCHVT/lower_sesan2_dam-047.jpg Lower Sesan 2 gallery - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Locals enjoy an evening stroll at "Hun Sen Park" in central Phnom Penh. Behind them, the building of "Naga World 2" - the only casino licensed to operated in the Cambodian capital. Owned by the Malaysian multi-billioner Chen Lip Keong, the casino specifically targets Chinese clients. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/climate-change-stories-in-southeast-asia daily 0.75 2026-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765854951459-GVD5EJNWZS25YWYCBXPJ/moken_ocean_guardians18.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/d5d4efdd-049d-4605-8554-8d3af6d122f0/tonle_sap_lake.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477681157-J6N0HJGBVAYIPR5TX4CH/blood_bricks.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1580877419724-DE3CKNRVI1BUU2YEUGDU/si_phan_don_fishermens_laos.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/4387b061-a21b-40c6-829a-7720984abc9f/thomas_cristofoletti.jpg https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories-for-development-in-cambodia-thailand-southeast-asia daily 0.75 2026-01-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055535947-3XEZL0IAAUPU1RB1G6XC/012-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279725968-P0FMQ9TPKTLV4TPPIXWU/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_016.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768893166741-WW0RVWHU7VHLYMDMI2TC/030-usaid_jordan_ghusun_and_raghad.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 030-usaid_jordan_ghusun_and_raghad.jpg AJLOUN, JORDAN, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 Raghad and Ghusun line up in the courtyard of the school and sing the Jordanian national anthem before starting lessons. In Syria, Raghad [right] used to sit in the first row at school. When she came to Jordan, she was determined not to change that. Raghad has a special relationship with her father. He helps her study and find new solutions to homework problems. It’s through him that she was able to excel in Arabic. They spend hours together talking about literature and poetry. Ghusun [left] loves helping people and hopes to make that a career by becoming a doctor one day. Still, she knows that you can’t always predict the future and admits that her ambitions may change one day. For now, she enjoys studying a range of subjects, especially English, and spending time with her best friend, Raghad. Both girls attend the Anjara Elementary School in Ajloun where USAID and the Jordanian NGO Queen Rania Teacher Academy train teachers on how to accommodate and integrate new students who have suffered unthinkable trauma and may need special counseling and care through the CISLE project. The CISLE project supports 340 schools across Jordan. Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time – one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries – over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768893171914-P3002K504STLKKLJO1HN/142-USAID_Nepal_Jharana_Kumari_Tharu.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 142-USAID_Nepal_Jharana_Kumari_Tharu.jpg November 19, 2013 - Binauna village, Banke (Nepal). Female Community Health Worker Jharana Kumari Tharu councils a group of women, including expectant mothers and those who have recently delivered, on good health practices in Binauna village, in Nepal’s Banke District. One of the many interventions that Jharana helps promote is how to apply a chlorahexidine-based antiseptic gel on a newborn’s cut umbilical cord stump to prevent infection. This simple life-saving intervention, which is supported by USAID and partner JSI throughout Nepal, has been shown to reduce infant mortality by roughly one third in a large community trial conducted in Nepal by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in conjunction with partner organization Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768895400291-WF1XZTZ7KO27AXOF7IOA/008_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 008_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg CAIRO, EGYPT, October 11, 2015. High school students Azza [left], Nada [upper right] and Nourhan [lower right] attend a class at the USAID-supported Maadi STEM School for Girls in Cairo, Egypt. These students are part of an elite class of just 120 who apply and are admitted to the school each year. In every region of the world, women and girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math, denying them opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and finance that could help break the cycle of poverty. The worldwide average for women’s representation in these fields is only 30%, and women in developing countries are 25% less likely to be online than men. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768895422432-FQ9CPS9W13J2CN12IMNH/049_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 049_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg November 20, 2013 - Beung Kachhang village (Koh Kong). Members of the community participate in a Mangrove replanting activity. The project, sponsored by UNDP, aims at conservation of 500 ha of mangrove forest by demarcation of the area using cement pool and encouraging local participation especially women to manage and sustainable use the resources. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768895448744-BXR3HZCG12ZE9ZGJGCGG/025_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 025_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg February 20, 2015 - Ilobasco (El Salvador). Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa plays with students at El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768895656879-X1C0GCWAGZBSSRTRYC6D/034_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 034_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg October 8, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Eighteen-year-old Doaa Mohamed Bakr is one of the first female entrepreneurs her village has ever known. In July 2015, she was among 92 high school students from all over southern Egypt to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition. Doaa bought 140 ducklings with nearly $200 in startup capital awarded through the competition. And with that, she became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “My dream is to expand this project, and have a big barn,” Doaa says, “My advice and message to girls my age is that they should start with this project. You’ll become a great business woman and make your dad and mum proud.” Doaa’s high school is one of 10 agricultural technical schools that USAID supports as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768895693354-CCOJXU59KJIUTJJ47ED9/031_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 031_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768895701235-DVQNFEV6T9WYU5282IT7/005_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg Stories for Development in Thailand, Cambodia and Southeast Asia - 005_ngo_humanitarian_org.jpg November 29, 2013 - Lvea village, Seang kveang Commune - (Prey Veng). Farm workers load organic rice into a threshing machine and collect the separated rice. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/794c71a8-d782-4ac4-81c3-4a4277fbf0ee/Australia_lost_shellefish_reefs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/4387b061-a21b-40c6-829a-7720984abc9f/thomas_cristofoletti.jpg https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-thailand-southeastasia daily 0.75 2026-02-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/8f0933f3-9ed2-49a5-87c6-3c221fd6e7d7/website_img.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765854946916-OPDQXXQKOFQOYMVQTPRA/moken_ocean_guardians01.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1719226739404-YNKWAF3PA96PL1PUVV5V/vimeo_thumb.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/d5d4efdd-049d-4605-8554-8d3af6d122f0/tonle_sap_lake.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/4387b061-a21b-40c6-829a-7720984abc9f/thomas_cristofoletti.jpg https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/store daily 0.75 58001-07-31 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/portfolios daily 0.75 2026-01-05 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/portfolios/drone-aerial-show-reel-ga3bm monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/portfolios/portfolio-portraits-4bbfn monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279673741-03RSREDHDO7IVDIM22QI/001_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson poses for a portrait. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279673038-N3XMCTNWPJGOYD08055R/001-Francesca_Erdelmann.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Francesca Erdelmann (Copy) Francesca Erdelmann February 18, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Francesca Erdelmann, deputy country director of World Food Programme in Cambodia, visits one of the organisation's warehouse in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Wageningen World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279674800-AMG53BN7AK2ZQNQWJ5IQ/001-rain_tree_cambodia.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Raintree Cambodia (Copy) Raintree Cambodia September 11, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Zoë Ng - Co-Founder at Raintree Development in Cambodia - poses for a portrait. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279675990-FN7TVPRJAJGQBJVB3G7V/001-svay_sareth.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth (Copy) Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth August 30, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian artist Svay Sareth poses for a portrait inside SaSaBassac gallery. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279677339-F16V3HW131N09MN0XBKU/001-usaid_jordan_chairs_series.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits AMMAN, JORDAN - OCTOBER 1, 2015: Maha al Ashqar is the principal of Khawla Bint Tha’laba Primary Girls School in a suburb of Amman Jordan. The school, which has 356 students, hosts around 65 Syrian students—many of whom have fled violence and destruction in their country to live as refugees in Jordan. Although her school struggles with overcrowding, Al Ashqar is committed to accepting students. She also recounts this powerful anecdote: A few months after school started this year, a Syrian mother arrived at the front gates asking to enroll her daughter. The women at reception apologized, “There is no way. This school is full.” The mother was crestfallen. She asked to see the principal and was directed to Al Ashqar. And as she has done so many times before, the principal told the mother that, of course, she would enroll her daughter. But she had one request, “Please bring a chair.” “This touched me,” Al Ashqar explains. “I saw the tears of many mothers, and it was impossible to tell them that we had no room, to try somewhere else. I told them, just bring a chair with you, even if it’s a small plastic chair, and we will make do.” Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time—one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries—over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279678794-0H1UL9RB53GVP2D5VFJA/001-USAID_Nepal_Gita_Kunwar.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer (Copy) Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer November 17, 2014 - Ugratara village, Kathamandu (Nepal). Gita Kunwar is a 36-year-old Female Community Health Volunteer in Ugratara Janagall village, in the Kathmandu Valley. She is one of roughly 50,000 health volunteers tasked with encouraging better health behaviors among Nepal’s underserved populations, including expectant and new mothers. One of the most important behaviors that Gita helps promote is the use of a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel that is applied to the umbilical cords of newborns throughout the country after birth to prevent infection and newborn death. USAID has been a major supporter of every step of the chlorahexidine program over the past decade, from the early stage trials, conducted by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and development, to the current scale-up across Nepal being implemented by JSI and the Nepal government Ministry of Health and Population. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279679294-LAFP4PDLW4OSZP1EJLDF/002-china_cambodia.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Haijun Zeng (Copy) Haijun Zeng January 28, 2019 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Haijun Zeng, entrepreneur from China's Hunan province and member of Tings & Associates, a team of architects and professionals based in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279682557-RWKNOO07YSX2EPSM0XWK/003-Sou_Theavy.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SEA Globe 2014 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279683528-9A1SC8FATVE91FDMJ6QB/003-USAID_ethiopia_Aberu.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait outside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279684423-WNSFQQSFWYG74CCN8JQN/004-USAID_Egypt_diggers_portraits.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. For eight years—until the tourist downturn following the January 25 Revolution in 2011—Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan worked as a chef at local restaurants. But today, he supports his wife and two children as a day laborer at the Qurna archeological dig site on the West Bank of the Nile. “It’s tough work, but I have adjusted my lifestyle,” he says. The site was also home to modern Egyptians for over a century until 2007, when the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - began resettling Qurna residents to nearby villages. As part of a USAID project to preserve Egypt’s cultural heritage while also boosting the local economy, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to remove rubble left from the demolition and improve the site for official tourism. Before 2011, Luxor had a thriving tourism industry, with thousands of visitors every day combing through Luxor’s ancient temples. Now only a few hundred make the visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279686958-GWK2JNFP0ETS0027WHF0/007-chef_somsack.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Chef Somsack (Copy) Chef Somsack May 12, 2017 - Luang Prabang (Laos). Chef Somsack poses in his house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279688522-OO13VNB0ROGYH5DCM0HR/007-ECCC.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits July 15, 2014 - Phnom Penh. William Smith, Deputy Co-Prosecutor at the Extraordinary Chambers in the courts of Cambodia. © Thomas Crisofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279690844-H6135YGLQVVKA9WD28H2/007-WWF_Kui_Buri_Phanasit_Phiboonwattanakorn.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Phanasit Phiboonwattanakorn (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Phanasit Phiboonwattanakorn February 20, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Phanasit Phiboonwattanakorn (42) poses for a portrait inside his rubber plantation. A part of being a driver for the tourists who visit the Kui Buri park, he’s also a farmer and he owns a field close to edges of the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279692772-CC3VJDHK5WXXOYIXW114/009-WWF_Kui_Buri_WorravootKassamee_lodge.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge February 21, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Worravoot Kassamee (33) works in his pineapple plantation. He was a former WWF staff and now works as a farmer and as a tour guide at the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279695165-LUVTPBTCUOU5LEYJAVYD/010-Kopi_Lestari_Aceh_Indonesia.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Marissa (21) checks one of the plant in the tree nursery run by the local cooperative. Kopi Lestari is an agroforestry project deployed at landscape level in partnership with coffee farmers across Indonesia. The aim is to help them regenerate their ecosystems and diversifying their crops to increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of shifting to monoculture productions such as palm oil.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279695763-5F7MRTP8XA5ORARJTUJ2/010-svay_sareth.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth (Copy) Cambodian Artist Svay Sareth August 30, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian artist Svay Sareth poses for a portrait inside SaSaBassac gallery. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279697616-7PDDGUW6SULR5MUX822U/012-ECCC.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits July 14, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). © Thomas Crisofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279698551-VI32PKAOSF9Q9FL1AXVH/017-USAID_ethiopia_Aberu.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait inside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279699331-1CM2K0843N33LNP6EA45/019-NBC_khmer_rouge.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits April 7, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Ron Ung poses for a portrait at the YMCA's office in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for NBC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279701986-4336U01KS78SH9BXRJY1/026-Colombia_from_coca_to_cacao.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia): Jose Blanquiceth is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. For the past five years, USAID has helped him grow better cacao and get a fairer price for his crop by connecting him to the chocolate industry. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. This group then pools product from several farmers and sells it to a major chocolate company based in Colombia. “With the cacao, now we can buy rice easier,” Jose explains. “Cacao changed my life.” Supporting the cacao industry is one of many USAID activities that gives Colombians living in areas long strained by civil conflict alternatives to illicit activities and helps rebuild trust in government and other institutions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279704776-G877J5376SDUONIQ2SG4/027-wwf_mekong_cambodia.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Teng Leang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279704680-TSX8F15140LDQGHGH2S1/056-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, does his homework in the courtyard of his home. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279708429-HCAS4PPKA4HVQBHGT84S/Arn_Chorn_Pond-003.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Arn Chorn-Pond (Copy) Arn Chorn-Pond November 11, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodia living arts founder Arn Chorn-Pond poses for a portrait at the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279709544-TKUP62JW4EK9NCNWNJOF/Arn_Chorn_Pond-012.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Arn Chorn-Pond (Copy) Arn Chorn-Pond November 11, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodia living arts founder Arn Chorn-Pond poses for a portrait at the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279710904-PABPCV4QVSCI5PBG65CB/IMG_6642.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits January 2015 - Yangon (Myanmar). Shooting for the feature "Yangon analogic" published on Tiger Tales - March 2015. Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for TIger Airways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279713573-BDZ77VIUH0HM9ECSJI71/IMG_7222.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits January 2015 - Yangon (Myanmar). Shooting for the feature "Yangon analogic" published on Tiger Tales - March 2015. Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for TIger Airways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279714922-6Y1VWLZXDY99DDNG1H05/IMG_7569.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits January 2015 - Yangon (Myanmar). Shooting for the feature "Yangon analogic" published on Tiger Tales - March 2015. Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for TIger Airways https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279715781-D1RHJX91ZUTH8KRMSCYJ/jessica_manning_cambodia-4.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Jessica Manning - Looking for the Next Pandemic (Copy) Jessica Manning - Looking for the Next Pandemic February 10, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Dr. Jessica Manning at work in her laboratory located inside the CNM (National Center for Parasitology Entomology and Malaria Control) of Phnom Penh. Here, Dr. Manning and her team analyse the blood samples collected in Kampong Speu and other Cambodian provinces. An open-source software tool called IDseq sifts through the pile of sequences and matches them with pathogens that cause known diseases like dengue, malaria, and now Covid-19. It also looks for sequences that don’t match with anything in global databases: potential signs of an unknown pathogen causing a new disease. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279716592-GAWO2R187TV8KPXUG2AQ/lgbt_jakarta_002.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279717359-EGRZ3RE50H3OWEZJXQFQ/lgbt_jakarta_006.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Rio and Rangga are a young male homosexual couple who met each other in Grinder and now live together in a condominium in Central Jakarta. Rio discovered he was into guys when he was very young . During his childhood Rio was physically and psychologically abused by his uncle, who lived in the same house. His mother found out he is gay when she got into his Facebook account and told all his family. She didn’t accept his choice and he told him that she would like to kill him if it was legal. He was 18 back then, and a few months later he got kicked out from his house by his uncle, at that time he touched rock bottom and even had suicidal thoughts. Rangga was born in the US and he lived in different places before arriving in Jakarta when he was around 10 years old. He is studying medicine. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279718476-8QUTSVKBCLKZPIPZMJSY/lgbt_jakarta_007.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Being LGBT in Jakarta (Copy) Being LGBT in Jakarta Masboi and Bintang met through Tinder and they have been together for a year. Masboi is a transgender man and Bintang is a cisgender woman unsure if she identifies herself as bisexual or just lesbian. Masboi felt like a boy since his childhood but he wasn’t sure about transitioning until he was 30 years old. Bintang doesn’t remember when she started feeling attracted to tomboy looking girls and she was in denial until recently. She thinks that what they do is a sin according to their religion, but she is trying her best to be a better human being despite of what the religion believes. They were both raised in conservative muslim families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279719883-PA45TG79EUT07LTX858G/lion_the_former_looter-011.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Former looter "Lion" (Copy) Former looter "Lion" October 28, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Former looter "Lion" looks the statue of Shiva and Skanda that he looted in the 90' within the Koh Ker complex. In the background is visible the statue of Prajnaparamita, also looted by "Lion". Both pieces have recently been returned by Douglas Latchford's daughter to the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279721886-0JWW1ZKYKBQ0EFNQIT4Y/Lion_visits_koh_ker-014.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). “Lion” at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple where years ago he looted two females statues, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279725968-P0FMQ9TPKTLV4TPPIXWU/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_016.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with the new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families: young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To make matters even worse, Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who use them to commute, or make trips to the market. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1655279730871-HM6QN1QY81RZYDAUP4AT/yoga_Navutu_Resort_006.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - Portraits - Yoga at Navutu Dreams Resort (Copy) Yoga at Navutu Dreams Resort October 26, 2019 - Siem Reap (Cambodia). Yoga at Navutu Dreams Resort. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/portfolios/portfolio-travel-j88c8 monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967937140-6EFQ4N9T5WANWMWWZS9T/001_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL March 31, 2014 - Siem Reap. Tourists visit the Bayon Temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967937549-QTHDAJWGHQTRXVJIIC93/002_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 13, 2012 - Shwe Nyaung (Myanmar). Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung Monastery is located just a few kilometers outside Shwe Nyaung, the main touristic city in the Inle Lake’s region.The temple, built entirely of teak, provides education to a large number of very young monks and is famous for its oval windows. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967939979-K8TMTALWU8FFN82PDQY9/003_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL July 29, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A Phnong family sits around the fire inside a traditional house in Busra village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967941435-MHMVQSG0GFDC0AQD9HQD/004_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Kampong Phluk (Copy) Kampong Phluk November 13, 2012 - Kampong Phluk (Cambodia). A girl enjoys the heavy rain in the small village of Kampong Phluk, a few km outside Siem Reap. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967946984-E4CIF457QTSL2Z6A0KG7/005_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL December 29, 2014 - Hong Kong. The Hong Kong skyline from The Peak. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967946280-IOW5D5O2Z8T0DL8UYRAL/006_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL November 42, 2011 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A man controls the fire on his field. People in this village are indigenous but nowadays they seem to have lost most of their ancient traditions, as they have adopted many Western customs, such as the way they dress and, above all, the fact that they are now burning the forests that surround their village in order to plant potatoes and rubber trees. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967950830-BUB8EXGBG1XL3529NYTH/007_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Inside the 969 Movement - The Myanmar Buddhist radicals (Copy) Inside the 969 Movement - The Myanmar Buddhist radicals June 22, 2013 - Yangon (Myanmar). Young Buddhist nuns board the ferry crossing the Hlaing river over to downton Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967951225-1HF3MCZS6E5219QXGWNN/008_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 13, 2014 - Tehran (Iran). Female polo players are awarded after winning the 83rd Federation of the International Polo Ambassadors’ Cup, organised in a field located in the south of Tehran. Among the participants, Morgan Ru (wearing a yellow cap), the first American woman to play polo in Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967956425-ZPNWUEEHIQ80560Y606Z/009_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 2, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Passengers on the ferry crossing the Yangon river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967956773-92DXMXO2EDZJLD4AWKSV/010_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 05, 2012 - Saigon (Vietnam). Young people outisde a coffe in Saigon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967960273-0H7AEL0BVLNDBAHS6IV4/011_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - An afternoon in the arena: Neak Pradals (cambodian boxers) (Copy) An afternoon in the arena: Neak Pradals (cambodian boxers) June 30, 2012 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A boxer is prepared minutes before the beginning of a match. Every weekends, CTN studio hosts the matches of Neak Pradals (Cambodian Boxers), the most important sport event for the people of Phnom Penh. Its roots are very ancient, but unlike Muay Thai, this sport hasn't any international recognition. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967961074-TSM33SBC2952N8AHGIA2/012_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL june 14, 2010 - New York City. A group of nurses walks in the streets of Manhattan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967971777-OWWF2VL4XM7RAHMTWOJQ/013_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race (Copy) Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race 04/10/2013 - Vihear Suor (Kandal - Cambodia). Cambodians compete in a Khmer wrestling match during the annual Pchum Ben (Festival of the Dead) held in the small village of VIhear Suor. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967970359-TVZYUW4DXWKSH40RPGHO/014_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 20, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). People pray inside the courtyard of the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu - also known as Bodnath, is the biggest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan temple outside Tibet. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967972822-WBH1O6M6QZGCAU1UT095/015_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL July 3, 2012 - Dubai (UAE). A girl sits on a moving walkway inside Dubai’s international airport. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967977396-MLMZE3CGMXGO516T9OEE/016_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL January 07, 2010 - Takayama (Japan). Snow over the local cemetery in Takayama. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967976675-SVUHSPGU1QB716SOX9CU/017_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 08, 2014 - Urmia, Iran. Iranian youths take pictures of the surface of Urmia lake with their smartphones. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967981531-6TKIBSTP2Q3I6DG6NC9Z/018_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 10, 2012 - Tra Vinh (VIetman). A violent storm over the centre of Tra Vinh, in the Mekong Delta region. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967983968-1JFIF9E2HSX4FFRWSJ4B/019_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar August 31, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Passengers on a public bus. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967986065-A3K2R8CUQ65PNC14R048/020_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 20, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). Buddhist monks in front of the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu - also known as Bodnath, is the biggest stupa in Nepal and the holiest Tibetan temple outside Tibet. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967991335-O4JRUW4U2LAOHOM70N6J/021_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL December 02, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small port of Laxe bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967994200-45UOVOONZ9G9WY0W1D9A/022_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 21, 2014 - Yazd (Iran). Customers in a fast food restaurant react after Argentina scored a goal against Iran in the last minutes of their first match of the 2014 World Cup. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524967998217-BMMDXCASG3JVTGHSDML5/023_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 6, 2012 - Pyin U Lwin (Myanmar). Passengers wait for the train to Hsipaw. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968002797-A1VOB7VD9O4FBZLRM4DF/024_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Lethwei: burmese boxe (Copy) Lethwei: burmese boxe September 16, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Several times a month the “Theinbyu Sports Hall” in Yangon hosts matches of "Lethwei", the burmese boxe (entry fees from 5 USD). Dates to at least the 11th century, was used by Burmese monks to defend themselves and by warriors to protect the king. It is now a way for young men from Myanmar’s impoverished countryside to fight their way to a better life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968005713-RW79PDLM961X7M069DSK/025_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 05, 2012 - Saigon (Vietnam). An army officer guards the entrance of a governamental building. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968008215-CUS3KERRF78C1PYFF1QZ/026_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Khmer Krom (Copy) Khmer Krom August 09, 2012, Thra Vin (Vietnam). The local market of Tra Vinh, a province home to over 140 Khmer pagodas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968013732-LG3ZEYBJJIFW8UE8MPZW/027_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Monks pay respect for the death of Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. (Copy) Monks pay respect for the death of Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. October 20, 2012 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). About 3500 monks come from all over Cambodia to pray and to pay respect to the former king Sihanouk on the fourth day of commemoration of his death in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968018813-LXLVDTXNFDIAS0ST52EW/028_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - The school of circus of Battambang (Copy) The school of circus of Battambang June 22, 2012 - Battambang (Cambodia). "Phare Ponleu Selpak"PPS is a Cambodian association using arts to answer children psycho social needs. One of the most important program is the circus school, that provides teaching in the major disciplines as juggling, acrobatics, aerial acts, clowning, balancing, dancing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968020111-1JYYUI2Q0QZXL8R58P41/029_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 12, 2012, Soc Trang (Vietnam). A Khmer Krom's devotee helps monks to prepare the Wat Mahatup Pagoda for a ceremony. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968024294-9075F8DLTDM1KT51TNCY/030_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Thaipusam Festival Kuala Lumpur (Copy) Thaipusam Festival Kuala Lumpur January 27, 2013 - Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A devotee in a state of trance during the Thaipusam Festival. Devotees are brought into a trance, whereupon they can apparently be lanced and skewered without feeling pain. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968028585-S9PEX2DLP5VOEYINRNFB/031_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Vietnam (Copy) Once upon a time in Vietnam August 15, 2012 - Chau Doc (Vietnam). A view of the Cham cemetery of Chau Doc. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968032594-6B4LETDXHJQNKS36P2O0/032_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL September 20, 2014 - Meo Vac (Vietnam). The Ma Pi Leng Pass between Dong Van and Meo Vac, is considered one the most spectacular road in Vietnam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968035059-48U0RJ2SI6GIUM2O7YBN/033_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Once upon a time in Myanmar (Copy) Once upon a time in Myanmar September 6, 2012 - Hsipaw (Myanmar). A train passes over the Goteik Viaduct on its 8 hours journey between Pyin U Lwin and Hsipaw. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968036959-M0E8I621YF3S18NHZE20/034_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL July 28, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Reflections in a rice field. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968037873-WDV5NIFQG92M2MORUONQ/035_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 9, 2014 - Koh Preah (Cambodia). Fishermen at work in front of Koh Preah. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968043832-TW8S0DY11FJI9V1M0EVB/036_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. A kid swims in a fountain close to the holy shrine of Qom, in central Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968044235-SCOE2DC4BJFML40JTHYH/037_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Starling Pepper Farm - Kampot (Cambodia) (Copy) Starling Pepper Farm - Kampot (Cambodia) February 1st, 2014 - Kampot (Cambodia). A woman collects pepper inside the Starling Pepper plantation in Kampot. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968052109-KWQYMYE848TPB7GCLLGC/038_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - The Si Phan Don's fishermens (Copy) The Si Phan Don's fishermens August 04, 2013 - Si Phan Don (Laos). A fisherman fights against the ferocious current of the Khone Phapheng falls, in order to clean a "Ly Trap" - a traditional bamboo made trap - from debries. Traps need continuous maintenance as sticks, small branches and grass get entangled, which would deprive the fishermen of their catch – and their only income. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968052108-IHVHRI22LVBGPKJAKTW0/039_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Los Percebeiros de Laxe (Copy) Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros, try to escape from a unexpected wave. Despite the bad condition of the sea, they decided to go out and harvest anyway. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968057776-SHJOLZNIC5YA5CWNNJ81/040_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race (Copy) Pchum Ben festival’s buffalo race October 04, 2013 - Vihear Suor (Kandal - Cambodia). Chap Linch (25), cleans his horse minutes before the beginning of the annual races held as part of the Festival of the Dead (Pchum Ben) in the small village of Vihear Suor.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968062588-8OS9BCU9N18U1WBQSY01/041_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL November 4, 2013 - Areng Valley (Koh Kong). A monk during a tree-blessing ceremony in a forest nearby Pra Lay Village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968066134-CXZI0OQNG0SQQ952WCOF/042_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL February 14, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Young people enter Lux Cinema for the afternoon screening of a khmer commedy movie. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968066865-TRUZEK9TP37N3E01VMDN/043_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL April 4, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A man walks over a structure inside Kids City. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968070981-NTFSSZ46N002MT3FDFBB/044_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL April 4, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A family of tourist walks pass by the Royal Palace. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968073463-2008Q2QBOTK2SUNHCR00/045_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL July 29, 2014 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). A Phnong mother with her baby pose inside a traditional house in Busra village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968082282-O1AO8DU3JHA48TXZ8XJY/046_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 22, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). A family prepares the body of a loved one for an open-air cremation at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu - locals believe that the deceased person sin's are cleaned away submerging his feet in the Bagmati river. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968080015-5S0MIEDN7HHSL4TYUIZ1/047_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL October 26, 2013 - Kampong Chhnang. Garment factory workers come back home in Span Dieg village, 40km north of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968091152-9D47MIDBZACL4IGOQBCN/048_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 8, 2014 - Urmia (Iran). A sheperd with his sheeps around Urmia lake. Today, the lake is a shadow of its former self. Decades of poor water management, aggressive agricultural policies and drought have rendered it almost completely dried up. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968092466-SU1SFJ2Y2QD7QRQ1ROJD/049_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL September 22, 2014 - Meo Vac (Vietnam). Locals harvest a rice field in the outskirts of Tam Son. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968095094-IJBB6R6BOIZDVRP68S14/050_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL September 2, 2014 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian youths take a selfie on the roof of the recently built Aeon mall. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968098655-OMBR4TF4ZF8P0VPWNB7M/051_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL November 29, 2013 - Lvea village, Prey Veng. A boy rides a water buffalo back home. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968101078-MZ1TLBWPLIWMSC0467GQ/052_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Nepal (Copy) Nepal November 21, 2014 - Kathmandu (Nepal). Buddhist monks play football in the courtyard of a monastery nearby Swayambunath Stupa in Kathmandu. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968108369-BNB150M0YB3RELMXGSQD/053_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 12, 2014 - Tehran (Iran). A woman walks in front of a light decoration installed to celebrate the birthday of Imam Mahdi. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968107772-H9PTHMG4F82ES4NFQ4HH/054_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL December 29, 2014 - Hong Kong. Rush hour in the metro of Hong Kong. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968111935-YO235MTUGLIJNMGZBCH2/055_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL February 05, 2011 - Hanoi (Vietnam). An army officer waits the train at Hanoi station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968113350-1DFDDY2BXJOKNTMMHTKK/056_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL April 19, 2014 - Jakarta (Indonesia). Catching an early flight at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968115489-YO375ZPWY0QV8KTCHVNL/057_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL September 19, 2014 - Don Vang (Vietnam). A girl waits in a hairdresser in the center of Don Vang. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968118555-L8OAH7X3PCR6IK6ODRQ4/058_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL June 22, 2014 - Yazd (Iran). Locals gathered at Jame Mosque of Yazd. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968119627-FSCXNKBKIJPNNHJ9UK81/059_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL January 07, 2010 - Takayama (Japan). A truck in a snoewd parking in Takayama. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524968120710-7E65W87VBQKFVAVRM4V2/060_travel_photography.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - TRAVEL - Los Percebeiros de Laxe (Copy) Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 18, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A view of the sealight of Laxe. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/portfolios/ngo-and-humanitarian-organizations-k2ls7 monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446895276-DIG8ULHE6LOMYCXBCSOW/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-1.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446900630-QKQZB3UGWIGN136SI64H/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-2.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 02 - Lean Socheatra (Copy) 02 - Lean Socheatra July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Len Socheatra plays with his cousins outside the family house. Socheata suffers of intellectual disabilities and before COVID-19 was attending a special class at Kampong Speu’s school so he could integrate into government school and socialize with his peers of all abilities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446905132-V3BFIYC91MJAKBJHQASO/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-3.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - RTI Cambodia (Copy) RTI Cambodia August 24, 2020 - Prey Kouy Village, Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Bun Soeun Pisey (22) collects vegetables together with her little daughter Meng Lang (22 months old) in the garden of their house located in the outskirts of Kampong Thom. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RTI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446906596-CJFI0U71AZWIYX4AZIEB/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-4.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 04 - Nha Nha (Copy) 04 - Nha Nha July 24, 2020 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nha Nha uses a training exercise video made by ISF together with her smaller sister Sopheap. The school has been using streaming apps to provide essential teacher-student interaction and creating a series of physical training exercises. Using Google classroom, Telegram and Facebook Groups, as well as Messenger, allow students to continue studying from the safety of home. To ensure students have suitable equipment to learn online, ISF loans tablet computers to those in need. Subsidies are also available for students who struggle to afford internet service. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446917270-5CKG72NZ9J9P231DFL1I/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-5.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - RTI Cambodia (Copy) RTI Cambodia August 25, 2020 - Prey Kouy Village, Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Dien Sokhnin (25) feeds her son Rattana Likong (22 month) with “bor bor” porridge. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RTI https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446921284-GJ1A4F4FNZKD5XRSE0LP/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-6.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 04 - Nha Nha (Copy) 04 - Nha Nha July 25, 2020 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nha Nha plays a match of social distancing football together with some of her classmates from ISF. Social distancing football was recently introduced by ISF to allow its students to play safely during the COVID pandemic and requires all players on the pitch to wear a face mask, keep a 2m distance from each other, and control the ball for only five seconds at a time. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446923758-5P5J25WHQY72H86A338U/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-7.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 02 - Lean Socheatra (Copy) 02 - Lean Socheatra July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Kiev En - Len Socheatara’s mother - collect crabs in the rice fields that surround their house. Before Covid-19, Socheatra’s family could earn up to 40,000 Riel (US$10) per day but during the pandemic demand decreased and they can’t earn enough. Lately they haven’t been able to sell anything for three consecutive days. When this happens they can’t afford to eat and need to buy food from the market on credit, promising the vendors to pay them back when they have money. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446927228-CZ47P0HGOFVVJM82L3FJ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-8.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 04 - Nha Nha (Copy) 04 - Nha Nha July 24, 2020 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Nha Nha helps her smaller sister Sopheap with her home-works using a live streaming lesson. The school has been using streaming apps to provide essential teacher-student interaction and creating a series of physical training exercises. Using Google classroom, Telegram and Facebook Groups, as well as Messenger, allow students to continue studying from the safety of home. To ensure students have suitable equipment to learn online, ISF loans tablet computers to those in need. Subsidies are also available for students who struggle to afford internet service. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446930885-4JBQNCHNZADDIKZW5D7F/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-9.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 01 - Horn Chandy (Copy) 01 - Horn Chandy July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Honr Chansy provides home assistance to 4yo Kosal Socheat who suffers of severe autism. In the midst of school closures in response to Covid-19, Honr Chansy visits her students every two weeks to check on their progress and to monitor the level of engagement of their parents. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446933866-XL2JN3Q2EGJSJCOKP4CS/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-10.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - 01 - Horn Chandy (Copy) 01 - Horn Chandy July 23, 2020 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Honr Chansy provides home assistance to 4yo Na Song Hour who suffers of moderate autism. In the midst of school closures in response to Covid-19, Honr Chansy visits her students every two weeks to check on their progress and to monitor the level of engagement of their parents. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446934503-Z5B228SUGLX3SIECX3X4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-11.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID India - Lead contamination (Copy) USAID India - Lead contamination November 13, 2019, Karmalichak (India). Blood tests are performed on children and personal of the school located adjacent to a blue building where local residents produce lead acid batteries, like those found in automobiles, exposing her and the other children to dangerous levels of lead contamination. Exposure to lead presents a global health threat, particularly to children in low- and middle-income countries. Informal and substandard lead acid battery production and recycling is a widespread practice.  Lead-contaminated waste, fumes and dust can migrate from these sites and be ingested or inhaled, causing lead poisoning, IQ loss in children, developmental and behavioural challenges, and other life-long health impacts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446936217-1R77PU1ZDDLFAWQZARSD/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-12.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID India - Lead contamination (Copy) USAID India - Lead contamination November 13, 2019, Karmalichak (India). Sonakshi gets ready to go to school. Her school is located adjacent to a blue building where local residents produce lead acid batteries, like those found in automobiles, exposing her and the other children to dangerous levels of lead contamination. Exposure to lead presents a global health threat, particularly to children in low- and middle-income countries. Informal and substandard lead acid battery production and recycling is a widespread practice.  Lead-contaminated waste, fumes and dust can migrate from these sites and be ingested or inhaled, causing lead poisoning, IQ loss in children, developmental and behavioural challenges, and other life-long health impacts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446937379-CBYE1ZT0QR2OOEVG5FQE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-13.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with the new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families: young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To make matters even worse, Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who use them to commute, or make trips to the market. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446940498-J4J3BZO1UH1QEVKUP81L/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-14.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USC - Mondulkiri - Srepok Sanctuary (Copy) USC - Mondulkiri - Srepok Sanctuary February 16, 2019 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Ly Bora, Deputy Director of Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary, poses during an interview in the WWF office of Sen Monorom. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446943626-HKMZT35C3VB6X3KKQ30C/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-15.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Samuel Shumuye, 38, leads his cattle out for grazing in South Tigray, Ethiopia. Samuel and his wife had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446947732-GS4ZITE8SBPZT4U8AHOJ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-16.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Linda (27), Nurhayati (20) and Hasni Laila (24) work in the tree nursery run by the local cooperative. Kopi Lestari is an agroforestry project deployed at landscape level in partnership with coffee farmers across Indonesia. The aim is to help them regenerate their ecosystems and diversifying their crops to increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of shifting to monoculture productions such as palm oil.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446952349-AQI2FNEFNIDL481IT6XW/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-17.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Irwani (46), Melvi (24) - her daughter - and Dina (12) - her granddaughter pose for a picture inside the family’s coffee plantation. This is another “role” farm where every inch is smartly used to get a better and more sustainable products with less impact on the nature. The family has a strong connection with the forest that surrounds the property and they want wild animals such as monkeys and orangutans to have a safe space where they can live. They started 3 years ago and they now own a 3 hectares agroforestry plantation and 1 hectare cultivated with coffee. They have around 900 plants of coffee and they are able to produce around 2.5 tons of product every year. They also own cows and use the manure as a natural fertilizer and to run a biodigester to produce natural gas. Melvi is still studying economy at the local university, and after the graduation she would like to be a teacher. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446954485-H8TFIRK5ZDHVYCC0YT9F/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-18.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia (Copy) Kopi Lestari Aceh Indonesia August 14, 2018 - Takengon (Indonesia). Marissa (21) checks one of the plant in the tree nursery run by the local cooperative. Kopi Lestari is an agroforestry project deployed at landscape level in partnership with coffee farmers across Indonesia. The aim is to help them regenerate their ecosystems and diversifying their crops to increase climate resilience and reduce the risk of shifting to monoculture productions such as palm oil.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446956573-KN6MZ9YX11P0C0PNQBV9/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-19.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Wild Animal Protection Thailand (Copy) Wild Animal Protection Thailand July 23, 2018 - Chiang Rai (Thailand). Mahout Thapdanai and his elephant Modee. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WAP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446958652-2EMLSHHDM0JMPDZTST9P/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-20.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446960233-CDWBZQHTTF0R6WP58UV4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-21.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Coral restoration (Copy) USAID DR - Coral restoration May 30, 2018 - Las Terrenas (Domincan Republic). Divers attach small corals to a metal structur, part of the efforts by USAID to help restoring the local reef. In total, 10 structures in the shape of marine animals that hold about 480 coral frgaments, were implanted between August 2017 and November 2017. The goal is to rehabilitate at least 1km of the coral barrier within 2 years. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446963090-EO8O2BG0NGL7MO5NDY8V/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-22.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446964649-Q49TPTP1QXG864D0Y618/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-23.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias and his classmates warmed up at the Angels Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446965475-M6JL03KHN5ZYDIGQ49E4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-24.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, does his homework in the courtyard of his home. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446966807-GSY205Z4F9UIH8ILKXQG/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-25.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Peru - National Health laboratory (Copy) USAID Peru - National Health laboratory March 08, 2018 - Lima (Peru). A technician uses a special pipe to capture mosquitos to use in a repellent resistance test. In Peru, USAID supports the national health laboratories to study mosquitoes that spread Zika and help the country combat the spread of the disease. USAID strengthens government health systems across Latin America to combat Zika and prepare for future health threats. In Peru, USAID is leveraging community partners and leadership to disseminate key Zika information and battle Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through low-cost community-based methods. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446968178-KACFSQF95WTVMCNIA1GE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-26.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Peru Zika - Community volunteers (Copy) USAID Peru Zika - Community volunteers March 11, 2018 - Tumbes (Peru). Community health volunteers Alicia and Magda check the content of an ovitrap looking for mosquitoes’ eggs.  The volunteers monitor for mosquito hot-spots using ovitraps, a community-based surveillance method, and report data to the local health department. In Peru, USAID supports the national health laboratories to study mosquitoes that spread Zika and help the country combat the spread of the disease. USAID strengthens government health systems across Latin America to combat Zika and prepare for future health threats. In Peru, USAID is leveraging community partners and leadership to disseminate key Zika information and battle Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through low-cost community-based methods. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446969148-SZS1UR5SWHB0NODONC5I/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-27.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Worravoot Kassamee and Baan Rai lodge February 21, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Worravoot Kassamee (33) works in his pineapple plantation. He was a former WWF staff and now works as a farmer and as a tour guide at the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446971405-Y2VULW54HF2ZAZFMMGC0/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-28.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Woraya Makai and patrol (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Woraya Makai and patrol February 23, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Woraya Makai (34) walks through the jungle during a morning patrol together with a team of rangers. She’s the only female ranger deployed in Kui Buri and in charge of photographing and surveying the animals she’s seeing around the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446973300-SV40V7466D9TCVSSZ2RC/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-29.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Elephants (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Elephants February 26, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). An herd of Asian elephants is seen walking inside the Kui Buri national park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446974283-6T3OASEBF8F7NS13AZXA/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-30.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Outside the Park (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Outside the Park February 24, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Among the different devices and techniques used by farmers and villagers to discourage elephants to enter their fields, there are flash lights that blimp during the night. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446975334-F7WPY7A87CHYOZ16JEBG/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-31.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Smart Patrol Training (Copy) WWF Thailand, Kui Buri - Smart Patrol Training February 25, 2018 - Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thailand). Rangers from the Kui Buri park train for the SMART Patrol, a 4-day event organized to help protected area and wildlife managers to better monitor, evaluate and adaptively manage patrolling activities. During the training the rangers learnt how to improve the use of weapons, how to setup a car check point and other activities to prevent and stop illegal poaching in the park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446976635-KL8NF6SHSGK90WLIN0B7/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-32.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Indonesia - Papua Vanilla (Copy) USAID Indonesia - Papua Vanilla January 9, 2018 - Papua (Indonesia). Farmer Agustinos Daka, 61, harvest vanilla beans in his farm. He's gonna then sell them at a cooperative, the first step in a global supply chain that sends his crop to the U.S. and around the world. “I am proud that my product is being exported to America,” he said. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446977691-BFADKPU19EAY20EH4NTY/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-33.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny (Copy) USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 28, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco during therapy session for her daughter Teanny in the local hospital of San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446979037-X28KHHDA5EGS92DN9UMO/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-34.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Zika (Copy) USAID DR - Zika June 28, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Technicians study samples of mosquitoes collected during a prevention campaign to fight the spread of Zika virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446981105-2XONP6K1QUDQRAVPOI0D/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-35.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny (Copy) USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 27, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco feeds her daughter Teanny in their house in San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446982479-UU2HKH1EQ65AH172EUWK/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-36.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - NPA's female UXO clearing team (Copy) NPA's female UXO clearing team April 27, 2017 - Banlung (Cambodia). The team takes a break between tasks. Most of the women are indigenous minorities from Ratanakiri province. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446984494-ZKEMN67Y7C2DFBGRGDV5/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-37.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Cambodia - Nanda (Copy) USAID Cambodia - Nanda September 27, 2016 - Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Nanda Pok harvests coffee together with some indigenous women and Phalla, the owner of the plantation. Nanda is not only the owner of her own successful business in Cambodia but she also keeps herself busy by grooming other women to start their own businesses. She believes that when women are economically-empowered, money flows back into businesses and towards the health, education and wellbeing of families. She says, “When women become independent financially, they make their own decisions and they can stand on their own two feet without fear, without intimidation, and they are brave in making decisions for themselves for the children, for the family and for the whole society.” Nanda participated in a USAID funded coffee production training program for female business leaders from Southeast Asia. She then passed her learnings to other women entrepreneurs in her country, helping them to start their own businesses.  She stands on the idea that women leaders should inspire the younger generation to become more productive. The training was apart of the GREAT Women (Gender Responsive Economic Actions for the Transformation of Women) initiative, organized by the USAID funded ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI) program. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446985600-IGROTFD4J1H72X8CKGK9/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-38.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF-UK - Tara (Copy) WWF-UK - Tara July 19, 2016 - Moradabad (India). Tara pulls weeds from her rice field. She's one of the farmers in her community who decided to test a new variety of flood resistent rice. The rice has been tested in India and Bangladesh and can survive up to two weeks of completesubmergence in water, providing farmers with protection against short-term flooding. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446987534-FCNX2FYFEIN0EKO0KDQQ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-39.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446992130-G5BFKQH1RF117X5KX4U3/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-40.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson reaches out a group of youth attending a governamental school. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446995929-SMV3R7NTUGETB2CIKFCU/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-41.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter (Copy) USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson poses for a portrait. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610446998381-F3R3MK7N6LXTSTES2FRA/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-42.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Isobel (Copy) USAID DR - Isobel May 05, 2016 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Isobel Báez plays with her daughter. Isobel is a 23-year- old young woman from Los Alcarrizos in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After getting pregnant with her daughter at the age of 17, she dropped out of school due to her fear of being bullied.  Isobel has always lived a life stricken by poverty that has affected both her as a child and her own children today.  “I often went hungry as a child because I helped my dad work”.  My parents never noticed but yes it is true,” She says. Her youngest son had to be sent to live with her mother because she didn’t have enough money to take care of two children on her own. Isobel wanted to do better for her children so she decided to take her life back and take classes at a USAID supported center for at-risk youth. It was there she learned how to make her own shampoo and sell it around her neighborhood. Isobel hopes to one day open her own shop to teach others like herself how to make hair products and candles. The USAID at-risk youth program, funded under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, has the objective to create a sustainable multidisciplinary safety net for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 24 to prevent crime.  Isobel’s life has changed because of the opportunities that USAID has given her and she wants the world to know that even people from poor neighborhoods can make it.  © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447000727-2O75FOTO13R97T6PILR7/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-43.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID DR - Isobel (Copy) USAID DR - Isobel May 04, 2016 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Isobel Báez during a class at the center for at-risk youth she attends. Isobel is a 23-year- old young woman from Los Alcarrizos in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. After getting pregnant with her daughter at the age of 17, she dropped out of school due to her fear of being bullied.  Isobel has always lived a life stricken by poverty that has affected both her as a child and her own children today.  “I often went hungry as a child because I helped my dad work”.  My parents never noticed but yes it is true,” She says. Her youngest son had to be sent to live with her mother because she didn’t have enough money to take care of two children on her own. Isobel wanted to do better for her children so she decided to take her life back and take classes at a USAID supported center for at-risk youth. It was there she learned how to make her own shampoo and sell it around her neighborhood. Isobel hopes to one day open her own shop to teach others like herself how to make hair products and candles. The USAID at-risk youth program, funded under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, has the objective to create a sustainable multidisciplinary safety net for at-risk youth between the ages of 11 and 24 to prevent crime.  Isobel’s life has changed because of the opportunities that USAID has given her and she wants the world to know that even people from poor neighborhoods can make it.  © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447002172-0BQXQ1LME0XQ1NDXVJ6U/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-44.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt (Copy) Let Girls learn - STEM School Egypt CAIRO, EGYPT, October 11, 2015. High school students Azza [left], Nada [upper right] and Nourhan [lower right] attend a class at the USAID-supported Maadi STEM School for Girls in Cairo, Egypt. These students are part of an elite class of just 120 who apply and are admitted to the school each year. In every region of the world, women and girls are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math, denying them opportunities in education, entrepreneurship and finance that could help break the cycle of poverty. The worldwide average for women’s representation in these fields is only 30%, and women in developing countries are 25% less likely to be online than men. Science and technology play a critical role in spurring innovation and achieving sustainable development. But for science, technology and innovation to accelerate progress, they must be available to everyone. They have the power to create connections, foster learning, increase economic growth, and provide lifesaving information. Science and technology can also help change social norms and stereotypes, and reduce inequality.In 2009, President Barack Obama announced his vision for new engagement with the Muslim world, including the advancement of science and technology. USAID answered the call by introducing STEM public education to Egypt. By 2015, USAID had helped establish nine state-of-the-art STEM schools across the country. STEM education is now a top priority for Egypt’s President Abdel El Sisi, with the Government of Egypt planning to eventually have one STEM school in each of its 27 governorates. Through the Let Girls Learn Initiative, USAID is reducing barriers to adolescent girls’ education and empowering them through new skills and leadership opportunities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447003720-698LYL2LM188LLDMHGCY/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-45.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Doaa - the duck girl (Copy) Doaa - the duck girl October 8, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Doaa Mohamed Bakr is an 18-year-old high school student with a big heart for animals. In July 2015, she was among 92 students to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition hosted at 10 agricultural technical schools across all of southern Egypt. She won nearly $200 in startup capital, which she used to buy 140 ducklings. And with that, Doaa became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “When I first bought my ducks, at the beginning of the project, I was very very excited about them and fell in love with them,” Doaa says. “Everyday I would feed them, cut them clover, make them swim and sleep, talk to them, and loved them like my kids that I don’t even have.” USAID supports technical high school education in Egypt and encourages entrepreneurship as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447005541-3SGP12I6VAWDL5VBLIJN/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-46.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Doaa - the duck girl (Copy) Doaa - the duck girl October 8, 2015 - Esna (Egypt). Eighteen-year-old Doaa Mohamed Bakr is one of the first female entrepreneurs her village has ever known. In July 2015, she was among 92 high school students from all over southern Egypt to win a USAID-sponsored entrepreneurship competition. Doaa bought 140 ducklings with nearly $200 in startup capital awarded through the competition. And with that, she became the owner of her very own duck farming business. “My dream is to expand this project, and have a big barn,” Doaa says, “My advice and message to girls my age is that they should start with this project. You’ll become a great business woman and make your dad and mum proud.” Doaa’s high school is one of 10 agricultural technical schools that USAID supports as part of a strategy to boost economic growth by increasing productivity and employability of Egypt’s youth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447006969-H3469DKXD4M5O94LDMNO/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-47.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation (Copy) USAID Egypt - Luxor conservation LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 5, 2015. Asmaa is a third-year student working on a tomb in Luxor’s Valley of the Nobles. Trained through a USAID project with American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, Asmaa uses distilled water to remove soot from the 18th Dynasty tomb, which dates to roughly the 1300’s B.C., or 3,300 years ago. USAID’s grant to ARCE includes support for conservation, restoration and documentation of Egyptian heritage sites along with training of Egyptian Government staff. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447007807-ITHSZHI1SVGSJ2OW81O1/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-48.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS LUXOR, EGYPT - OCTOBER 6, 2015. For eight years—until the tourist downturn following the January 25 Revolution in 2011—Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Hassan worked as a chef at local restaurants. But today, he supports his wife and two children as a day laborer at the Qurna archeological dig site on the West Bank of the Nile. “It’s tough work, but I have adjusted my lifestyle,” he says. The site was also home to modern Egyptians for over a century until 2007, when the Government of Egypt - in an effort to preserve the tombs - began resettling Qurna residents to nearby villages. As part of a USAID project to preserve Egypt’s cultural heritage while also boosting the local economy, the American Research Center in Egypt, or ARCE, has hired more than 500 local villagers to remove rubble left from the demolition and improve the site for official tourism. Before 2011, Luxor had a thriving tourism industry, with thousands of visitors every day combing through Luxor’s ancient temples. Now only a few hundred make the visit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447009686-OR18ZZQKXZXOJSXZCY1J/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-49.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS AMMAN, JORDAN - OCTOBER 1, 2015: Maha al Ashqar is the principal of Khawla Bint Tha’laba Primary Girls School in a suburb of Amman Jordan. The school, which has 356 students, hosts around 65 Syrian students—many of whom have fled violence and destruction in their country to live as refugees in Jordan. Although her school struggles with overcrowding, Al Ashqar is committed to accepting students. She also recounts this powerful anecdote: A few months after school started this year, a Syrian mother arrived at the front gates asking to enroll her daughter. The women at reception apologized, “There is no way. This school is full.” The mother was crestfallen. She asked to see the principal and was directed to Al Ashqar. And as she has done so many times before, the principal told the mother that, of course, she would enroll her daughter. But she had one request, “Please bring a chair.” “This touched me,” Al Ashqar explains. “I saw the tears of many mothers, and it was impossible to tell them that we had no room, to try somewhere else. I told them, just bring a chair with you, even if it’s a small plastic chair, and we will make do.”Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time—one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries—over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447010565-OC8KDX6ZAHZCO8P5XUOC/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-50.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Let Girls Learn Jordan (Copy) Let Girls Learn Jordan AJLOUN, JORDAN, SEPTEMBER 29, 2015Raghad and Ghusun line up in the courtyard of the school and sing the Jordanian national anthem before starting lessons. In Syria, Raghad [right] used to sit in the first row at school. When she came to Jordan, she was determined not to change that. Raghad has a special relationship with her father. He helps her study and find new solutions to homework problems. It’s through him that she was able to excel in Arabic. They spend hours together talking about literature and poetry. Ghusun [left] loves helping people and hopes to make that a career by becoming a doctor one day. Still, she knows that you can’t always predict the future and admits that her ambitions may change one day. For now, she enjoys studying a range of subjects, especially English, and spending time with her best friend, Raghad. Both girls attend the Anjara Elementary School in Ajloun where USAID and the Jordanian NGO Queen Rania Teacher Academy train teachers on how to accommodate and integrate new students who have suffered unthinkable trauma and may need special counseling and care through the CISLE project. The CISLE project supports 340 schools across Jordan. Syria’s civil war has resulted in one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time – one that knows no borders. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has fled their homes due to the violence. A generation of Syrian children has lost access to education and the ability to experience a normal childhood. Of those nearly 12 million people, more than 4 million Syrians have sought refuge in neighboring countries – over 628,000 of them in Jordan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447012996-T93ZDS4CQXQAIWODHYKE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-51.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Ms. Srey Khouch's daughter at work in the plantation. During the raining season, workers are paid less than 3 USD a day to clean and fertilize the sugar canes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447014929-E7U724ONS0BUGFOC6RIW/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-52.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant (Copy) Dina's roadside bakery and restaurant LLANO GRANDE, HONDURAS -- JULY 03, 2015: Dina Bila Dominguez Sanchez, 42 (left) poses together with her sister-in-law Nora Clementina Hernandez Manueles and her sister Claudia Francisca Dominguez Sanchez. At her roadside restaurant and bakery, Dina and her extended family make 280 pieces of bread a day, almost all of which are sold by evening. She has steadily expanded her business with the help of the USAID program ACCESO, part of the U.S. Government's Feed the Future initiative. The program lifts families out of poverty and malnutrition, helping more than 30,000 rural households in six departments in western Honduras since 2011 by expanding job opportunities and introducing better agricultural practices. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447016442-G90JUJP6R25O633UEXRQ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-53.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Jessel and the SkateBrothers (Copy) Jessel and the SkateBrothers COFRADIA, HONDURAS -- JUNE 28, 2015: At a community street fair in Cofradia, a town in northwestern Honduras, there was a bouncy castle, BMX, skating and soccer. Members of the youth group Skate Brothers put on a performance, showing off their daring tricks. The group, which consists of about 50 kids who learn rollerblading, skateboarding, breakdancing and BMX, was founded out of a USAID youth outreach center to guide youth away from gangs and drugs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447017073-DIN8DI8JGDDZWM75ROXL/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-54.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Tania Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist for the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, gets dressed at her home in Cartagena, Colombia. Tania is the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and fights so that those who commit crimes against LGBT persons are brought to justice. “The impact of Caribe Afirmativo is that before, here in Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, no one was talking about sexual diversity. No one was talking about gender identity. No one was talking about human rights reports. There were no data, there was no follow up. We were invisible people who, if we existed, only existed on TV,” says Duarte. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447018576-SZE3XANRORDYCL4WOZXM/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-55.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia): Jose Blanquiceth is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. For the past five years, USAID has helped him grow better cacao and get a fairer price for his crop by connecting him to the chocolate industry. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. This group then pools product from several farmers and sells it to a major chocolate company based in Colombia. “With the cacao, now we can buy rice easier,” Jose explains. “Cacao changed my life.” Supporting the cacao industry is one of many USAID activities that gives Colombians living in areas long strained by civil conflict alternatives to illicit activities and helps rebuild trust in government and other institutions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447019268-GKX9CN8DFX3S6158KUK8/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-56.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao (Copy) COLOMBIA - From coca to cacao February 23, 2015: Isla de la Amargura, Caceres, Antioquia (Colombia). Jose Blanquiceth cuts the cocoa pods to extract the wet beans. Jose is a Colombian farmer living on a small island only reachable by motorboat. In this community of only 300 residents, Jose grows bananas and cacao in a small plot alongside his home, which he shares with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. For the past five years, USAID has helped him grow better cacao and get a fairer price for his crop by connecting him to the chocolate industry. Jose is a beneficiary of a USAID program that aims to give farmers in coca-growing areas alternatives to the illegal drug trade – which is lucrative, but incredibly dangerous. Jose says that the cacao program helps him support his family. He can make around $300-$400 per month harvesting cacao and selling it to a local growers’ association. This group then pools product from several farmers and sells it to a major chocolate company based in Colombia. “With the cacao, now we can buy rice easier,” Jose explains. “Cacao changed my life.” Supporting the cacao industry is one of many USAID activities that gives Colombians living in areas long strained by civil conflict alternatives to illicit activities and helps rebuild trust in government and other institutions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447022851-3NDK40XO44ZGNG4NRKDJ/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-57.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officers from the Violence Prevention Division during a patrol through the streets of Ilobasco. On these foot patrols, the officers will visit around 15 houses in an eight-hour shift, getting to know residents, explaining their efforts and attempting to earn their trust. USAID supports community policing in El Salvador as part of its efforts to reduce crime in one of the most violence-prone countries in the Western Hemisphere. “When we do the street patrols, we have a lot of contact with citizens. People tell us their problems. And we help them in whatever way we can,” says Hernández Reynosa. Community policing is a new tactic for El Salvador, where tensions run high between law enforcement and residents caught in the crosshairs of gang activity. In the areas where community policing has been implemented in pilot programs, murder and robbery rates decreased by around a third, while confidence in the police has risen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447024248-4YETANMYCD8BGY6B6A74/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-58.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa plays with students at El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447025406-VQMAF35KRWYMYATR7Z65/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-59.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco (Copy) Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015: Children in Ilobasco, El Salvador practice soccer, one of several activities available to them at the USAID-supported Miranda Outreach Center where they can learn, play and socialize in a safe environment, away from the gang violence that plagues the community. “Soccer here, it’s very effective,” says Kevin, the center’s 17-year old volunteer soccer coach. “If kids were more involved in this maybe they would not be thinking about gangs and bad stuff.” Across El Salvador and Central America, USAID supports outreach centers as one way to address the insecurity and lack of options that can cause migrations to the United States, including a recent wave of around 50,000 minors who left in the summer of 2014. These centers give youth from Central America’s most violent communities a peaceful place to do homework, use the computer, study English or play sports. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447027482-ADXQ7YHUZDJJ13RYTL5Y/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-60.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina (Copy) Jharana Kumari Tharu - female community health volunteer in Bina November 19, 2013 - Binauna village, Banke (Nepal). Female Community Health Worker Jharana Kumari Tharu councils a group of women, including expectant mothers and those who have recently delivered, on good health practices in Binauna village, in Nepal’s Banke District. One of the many interventions that Jharana helps promote is how to apply a chlorahexidine-based antiseptic gel on a newborn’s cut umbilical cord stump to prevent infection. This simple life-saving intervention, which is supported by USAID and partner JSI throughout Nepal, has been shown to reduce infant mortality by roughly one third in a large community trial conducted in Nepal by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in conjunction with partner organization Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447029276-Q8WQRMWPHLGPXUZSZBT2/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-61.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital (Copy) Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital November 18, 2014 - Nepalganj (Nepal). A mother with her new born baby inside the post-natal ward at Nepal’s Nepalganj Medical College & Teaching Hospital. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447031315-JVGJM7C1YDM1WZYFZSS4/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-62.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer (Copy) Gita Kunwar - Female Community Health Volunteer November 17, 2014 - Ugratara village, Kathamandu (Nepal). Gita Kunwar is a 36-year-old Female Community Health Volunteer in Ugratara Janagall village, in the Kathmandu Valley. She is one of roughly 50,000 health volunteers tasked with encouraging better health behaviors among Nepal’s underserved populations, including expectant and new mothers. One of the most important behaviors that Gita helps promote is the use of a chlorahexidine antiseptic gel that is applied to the umbilical cords of newborns throughout the country after birth to prevent infection and newborn death. USAID has been a major supporter of every step of the chlorahexidine program over the past decade, from the early stage trials, conducted by Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and development, to the current scale-up across Nepal being implemented by JSI and the Nepal government Ministry of Health and Population. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447032679-IKLXD80FCVVD292I3GAE/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-63.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS August 19, 2014 - Kandal (Cambodia). Amanda Vanstone (Vision 2020's Chair and previous Minister of Parliament), Jennifer Gersbeck (Vision 2020 Australia’s CEO) and David Andrews (RANZCO's CEO) visit an activity related to the Avoidable Blindness Initiative in a village in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for RANZO https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447033929-W0VSJ8QU6UWSPB631RFB/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-64.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS - WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong (Copy) WWF’s conservation work in the greater Mekong April 8, 2014 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Mr. Teng Leang works as a river guard and boat driver, and occasionally bring tourists to see the Irrawaddy dolphins. © Thomas Cristofoletti for WWF-UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447036116-9PV7DPF4X0NDE6AHUPCK/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-65.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS February 04, 2014 - Ta Reach Village (Kampot). Ms. Rin Ren (30) recollects water from her dug well. This is her main source for potable water, but it's only available during the wet season . © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for SNV https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447038429-ARZE4P3BCIBOUGLSU1X1/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-66.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS November 30, 2013 - Lvea village, Seang kveang Commune - (Prey Veng). Ms Eam Pom (62) cuts organic rice with a sickle during a crop harvest in paddy field outside the community. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447039996-9YRS47WCNLSB94HUHK4Y/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-67.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS November 29, 2013 - Handicap International Rehabilitation Center (Kampong Cham). Dott. Chai Borany (27) measures a patient's amputation to fit a prostethic leg. She is one of the 70 Cambodians who graduated at the CSPO (The Cambodia School of Prosthetics and Orthotics), a school that provides Prosthetics - Orthotics training for students from low-income countries in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447043218-4URUJ4VWXC0ARRVEKBYM/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-68.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS November 28, 2013 - Sterng Chey Commune (Kompong Cham). Mr En Noy (55) rides his bycicle on the way back to his home. He was a soldier during the war and he lost a leg as the conseguence of a bullet. Nowadays he has a small bike repair shop in the village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447047498-LI3INXPNJMIGDZ84Y4OA/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-69.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS November 28, 2013 - Batheay village (Kompong Cham). Ms. So Yeou (50) received a tranining in sewing and she is now able to make some small incomes with this activity. She lost a leg when she stop on a landmine while she was working at her Bamboo farm. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for UNDP https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1610447050748-2NNWYHGX30BZF5MZO4RR/NGO_thomas_cristofoletti_portfolio-70.jpg PORTFOLIOS - Portfolio - NGOs and HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS October 30, 2013 – Teabanh Komrou Primary School (Siem Reap). Students line up before the beginning of the morning classes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / UNICEF https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia daily 0.75 2026-03-04 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/china-drug-addicts-call-for-divine-intervention-e6srr monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523611697690-VXT98S33AN4W1XKXBQU8/024-rehab_clinic.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SIX TONES - China’s Drug Addicts Call for Divine Intervention - Rehab Clinic March 18, 2017 - Baoshan (China). Patients of the rehab clinic during a praying session. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixth Tone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523611689216-8ND9XRT7FC9TU9IST2TM/002-rehab_clinic.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SIX TONES - China’s Drug Addicts Call for Divine Intervention - Rehab Clinic March 18, 2017 - Baoshan (China). Patients of the rehab clinic help with the contruction of a new building. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixth Tone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523611693405-UEBB30PHK9VLO95RIPZJ/016-rehab_clinic.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SIX TONES - China’s Drug Addicts Call for Divine Intervention - Rehab Clinic March 18, 2017 - Baoshan (China). Patients of the rehab clinic help the cook preparing dinner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixth Tone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523611697704-LTCQJHI5QK2DZ8HGEHXK/027-rehab_clinic.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SIX TONES - China’s Drug Addicts Call for Divine Intervention - Rehab Clinic March 19, 2017 - Baoshan (China). Cao Yufa, one of the rehab clinic's patient, studies the bible. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixth Tone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523611694197-EXULRAJYG833C2JZCT08/018-rehab_clinic.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SIX TONES - China’s Drug Addicts Call for Divine Intervention - Rehab Clinic March 18, 2017 - Baoshan (China). Patients of the rehab clinic during a praying session. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixth Tone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523611689533-79CSTLE2M4XORD20XLDU/001-rehab_clinic.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SIX TONES - China’s Drug Addicts Call for Divine Intervention - Rehab Clinic March 19, 2017 - Baoshan (China). A patient of the rehab clinic helps the cook preparing dinner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Sixth Tone https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/bloomberg-covid-mask-from-lotus-8chht monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/vanishing-roots-9teya monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/laos-dam-collapse-survivors-recount-the-horror-y9x4f monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/0fa3574a-09c3-4424-9adb-4bc27d178a26/002-laos_dam_collapse.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Laos dam collapse: survivors recount the horror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/22ccc0bc-ca57-429d-a460-4414d4c1b66c/024-laos_dam_collapse.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Laos dam collapse: survivors recount the horror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/12742d72-dc36-4903-bc6f-b21fcd070f54/004-laos_dam_collapse.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - 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SCMP - Laos dam collapse: survivors recount the horror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/4cf0d8e2-5889-4074-b924-fd7e79cfc2a7/042-laos_dam_collapse.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Laos dam collapse: survivors recount the horror https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/ec7cffa0-d4dd-43fd-b131-d8793766a890/048-laos_dam_collapse.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Laos dam collapse: survivors recount the horror https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/outkast-being-lgbt-in-indonesia-za95r monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869529169-RSYVIHIZT2ZH7DVMJY94/001-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869529786-XF1XTYMP9S1OGN83T6UM/002-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869531590-K39IPP87RXQKR2UUG04N/003-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - 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SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869541025-FCPKZ3XNCOC8CQENTCYV/009-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869542321-H21GD0SGL4AZYSMSNQ1U/010-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869546763-HZRIDO5AHKILS7VTFK66/011-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869545463-MRQRIS13M07B8KINWEQZ/012-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - Outkast: being LGBT in Indonesia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1554869549652-6PCSUXU5HVBP6LMM0QUP/013-lgbt_indonesia_jakarta.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - 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SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Aerial view of the itinerant funfair (Pasar Malam in Indonesian) where Karmila works, set in the remote town of Parlilitan in North Sumatra. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas, and for Karmila, a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344638213-N3D7DE78ZIZSDQKY3DSE/002-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) watches while her “Tong Setan” rider colleagues work on her motorbike to prepare it for an afternoon training session. The exhaust pipes are removed from the motorbikes to make the engines sound louder to make the audience feel the noise. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344642103-KKUKFO6XRMDKKKXY4HP8/004-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) hands out a bill to her follow rider Sapong Sinaga (24) during an afternoon training session. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs and make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344643750-XFV6EFII84P67L5D0NA3/005-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). “Tong Setan” riders during an afternoon training session. Riders make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure and can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (285 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344644890-NBKXESNG0WSYJ01ST01O/006-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Pangeran Nasution (23) performs a trick with his motorbike during an afternoon training session. The riders of the “Tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and a good economic opportunity to get a decent income. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344646695-UK876SQ2AIL7QMZKTXGI/007-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) watches while her “Tong Setan” rider colleagues ride their motorbike during an afternoon training session. Riders in the “Tong Setan” can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (around 285 USD), while the minimum wage in North Sumatra province in 2019 is around 160 USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344646498-YUAOVM59FAI7A2IZIQ9J/008-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) gets ready for an evening of work at the “Pasar Malam”. She started riding in the “Tong Setan” four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344648908-03TPJDD03AXBGHMCSZZB/009-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) and the other “Tong Setan” riders kill time before the opening of the funfair playing with their phones. The income for the people of the “Pasar Malam” is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344649501-45QPIHWBX8X4ST3LGPAJ/010-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) and the other “Tong Setan” riders kill time before the opening of the funfair playing with their phones. The income for the people of the “Pasar Malam” is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344654677-USUUDYIDNDROY52IAY2Z/012-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Rain falls over the “Pasar Malam” ruining an evening of work. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344651751-BF0QHM5HMTKTO1FBYGIS/011-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) helps preparing food for the workers of the “Pasar Malam”. She recently got married with Agung, another “Tong Setan” rider and the son of the owner of the funfair. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344655732-TCJNQC95YSOECLMJQR8L/013-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Despite the heavy rain, Karmila (20) gets ready for an evening of work. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344659573-8B0EBQANMKU619EY9CI2/014-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). One of the worker of the “Pasar Malam” tries to dry up one of the attraction soaked after hours of heavy rain. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344658786-8RLD6DWAXX17J8RA8GFI/015-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) checks her instagram account on her phone. She is an avid fan of Hello Kitty and she sports a tattoo of the iconic character on her left arm. Karmila loves to share every aspects of her life as a “Tong Setan” rider to thousand of followers of her Instagram and Facebook account. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344662746-WTRXBPFX1NZ4G338QWWI/016-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) cracks a joke with her husband’s family. She recently got married with Agung, another “Tong Setan” rider and the son of the owner of the funfair. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344665553-NGPX983SBMQS9QUCTIFN/017-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Despite the heavy rain, Karmila (20) gets ready for an evening of work. She recently got married and started wearing hijab, a more modest image than before. Her moderate change is one of many in the increasingly conservative muslim majority country, yet she still defies gravity every week on top of her motorcycle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344666942-2YO3WQ6PMOAET78QHI0F/018-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Rider Sapong Sinaga uses a mixture of rice powder and gasoline to dry up the surfaces of the Tong Setang. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344668681-B1OHWSB11MHUQFQW7NQF/019-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Rider Sapong Sinaga prepares a mixture of rice powder and gasoline to dry up the surfaces of the Tong Setang. The income for the people of the itinerant fair is hardly impacted by the unpredictability of the weather especially during the monsoon season when they can earn just half of their normal earnings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344671783-4DVWXSOGXA234JYO0LTS/020-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Aerial view of the itinerant funfair (Pasar Malam in Indonesian) where Karmila works set in the remote town of Parlilitan in North Sumatra. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344674300-SUT3BPT5CTTAZ3B2CK0H/021-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Locals enjoy the attractions of the “Pasar Malam” where Karmila works set in the remote town of Parlilitan in North Sumatra. The riders of the “tong Setan” are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344674011-U06CCO0H0T60GGJMEV44/022-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). A crowd of locals waits for the beginning of a session of riding on the top of the “Tong Setan”. The riders are one of the main attractions of the itinerant funfairs in the Indonesian archipelago. They represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344677336-4BEPOQ1E3RUY1YS7ES9U/024-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) performs a trick riding the walls of the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344679068-PJSGEIFD8XWHF20I7OK7/026-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) covers her ears while her fellow riders companions perform a session in the “Tong Setan”. The exhaust pipes are removed from the motorbikes to make the engines sound louder to make the audience feel the noise. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344681714-JHAHSQR5A3UEHH8R7FVY/028-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) helds a Facebook live session for her fans at the end of a riding session inside the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344681282-AB6BNSWTE7UP7YEO7TOA/027-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 8, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) performs a trick riding the walls of the “Tong Setan”. She started riding four years ago and she recently gained popularity on social media with thousands of people following her performances. The “Tong Setan” represent one of the few entertainment options in rural areas and for Karmila a good economic opportunity to help her family. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1565344684417-ZQRCW6I1N3FAOK79R61G/030-princess_tong_setan.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - SCMP - The princess of the Tong Setan February 9, 2019 - Parlilitan (Indonesia). Karmila (20) and her follow riders count the money earned during an evening session inside the “Tong Setan”. Riders make money catching bills that the public hang from the top of the structure and can earn up to 4 million rupiah a month (285 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/earthshot-prize-our-planet-bbc-mekong-3b4yj monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1733725133758-LK9HNSZ4H8SSIMINS97U/DSC07421.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - BBC One - The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet - The Mekong - DSC07421.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1733725121248-9XLBBYQZLPYA7S2NA1I4/DSC07162.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - BBC One - The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet - The Mekong - DSC07162.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1733725120693-K6OD1U9ETV5DF7OZ7JSQ/DSC07305.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - BBC One - The Earthshot Prize: Repairing Our Planet - The Mekong - DSC07305.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1733725139996-EJPPDWWMDP2SDO7ABKXN/DSC07433.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - 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Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc10.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765331945647-3YUFQETRKO1BAG1B3UQ8/Debt_Inc08.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc08.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765331958446-KGZEGO4FDP44A6JRXHAP/Debt_Inc06.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc06.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765331965539-898KGSUVUTAGOP5SSBVR/Debt_Inc04.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc04.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765331972806-FAEWSKSD47OJVFUUUG4N/Debt_Inc03.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc03.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765331979367-1XHERS7189GZ3XA22D5V/Debt_Inc02.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc02.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1765331984044-DYN1AVCPEDPIMW0Q3W4O/Debt_Inc01.jpg Documentary Filmmaking - Debt Inc. - The Cambodian Microfinance Machine - Debt_Inc01.jpg https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/documentary-cinematographer-bangkok-cambodia/bloomberg-originals monthly 0.5 2026-02-07 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories daily 0.75 2026-02-11 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/los-percebeiros-de-laxe-1-sth2s monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441295288-G5JQOKAKOK9TBZM2S562/001-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 1st, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small village of Laxe, is located on the Northwest coast of Galicia (called Costa da Morte, The Coast of Death) and bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441298386-GBKPM36OJTKOUS1UDIQA/002-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 02, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small port of Laxe bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441300054-WGM9VAJHSABA46QA4NAW/003-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). 8 am at the bar. It's the moment when the percebeiros discuss about the situation of the sea and how they can work that day. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441304407-49HZXMX0RC2WNMIUH2X6/004-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio, one of the most skilled percebeiros, arrives at the "rivera". Today is the first day of harvesting but the sea seems in very bad conditions. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441305202-VYGSF7R09HXSO4RB7ZBO/005-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio looks at the giant waves crashing on the rocks where he's going to fish. Percebeiros have to watch carefully at the condition of the sea, a false step and they could fall into the ferocious current and die. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441309924-YKI7Y2K8YAJVYVVXFM8I/006-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A percebeiro gets hit by an unexpected wave. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441314381-S7II9W83EE03AUQVRVL4/007-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros try to escape from an unexpected wave. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441316087-BXFNS99GJ11XMZKZX9NW/008-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebes grown in the gaps between rocks and sometimes the only way to harvest them is by hand. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441319210-8AC3KUOM48DJC5VR44R1/009-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). "El Presidente", one of the youngest percebeiros, empties his catch in a bucket. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441320120-PCCNH0YZRUNXPLRS8U82/010-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A percebeiro cleans a perfect sample of percebe. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441323897-LFLA1KFPWENLWXD5XOSU/011-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 05, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The small port of Laxe bases its economy on percebes’ harvesting and other fishing-related activities. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441323969-6T7FQOFP5YBDDY66594E/012-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio and Feuto - a retired percebeiro - inspect the condition of the sea. It's the second day of harvesting, but not even the gale force eight and heavy rains can stop them, Christmas' time is too important. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441329654-DSEV63HARKUBMFJ62DEM/013-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebeiros secure their companions with a rope. It's the second day of harvesting, but not even the gale force eight and heavy rains can stop them, Christmas' time is too important. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441330623-5YW8XF10VRIFNWJA7V5F/014-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 03, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). The Coast of Death is one of the most dangerous places for fishing in the world. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441335643-746JD6SF94GNIY683O4R/015-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A percebeiro inspects a rock to find percebes. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441335960-CE1H9R9LUPWTGNMQ2ANC/016-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 09, 2011 - La Coruña. A buyer inspects the quality of a box of percebes at the fish market of La Coruña. Most of the fish and sea food catch in the region is sold here. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441339217-ZB0WWFQY13OEXPEQZ6H4/017-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 09, 2011 - La Coruña. Buyers discuss the price of a box of percebes at the fish market of La Coruña. Most of the fish and sea food catch in the region is sold here. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441341974-1HGA1RGP9JXBW953TFTO/018-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 09, 2011 - La Coruña. Detail of the wall of Paco Moinelo's office, one the most important buyers in the fish market of La Coruña. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441344539-XUB4T18GJ9K0TNYKUNDE/019-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe November 30, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A cross has been place to remember all the fishermen who died in the ocean, many of them were percebeiros. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441348213-VYS5IW2U8SFQ6SYT3RO0/020-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 16, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros inspects the condition of the sea. Unfortunately is another bad day, foam and big waves don't allow them to harvest in safe conditions. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441349482-RL5AWT51DH5G990M4RK6/021-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Despite the bad condition of the sea, Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros, decide to go out and harvest anyway, Christmas' time is too important. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441352939-SHTHPIUOVY9P7ELJSZMW/022-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A moment of rest for Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441357005-0KQNRS5MDZCSCP43HRRP/023-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 13, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Detail of the torn shoes of a percebeiro. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441359334-ZDNXCT55474H1B8FGYB3/024-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 15, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Juan and Joaquin, two of younger and skilled percebeiros, try to escape from a unexpected wave. Despite the bad condition of the sea, they decided to go out and harvest anyway. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441364653-3L1PCF89PC1XY4Z8KV8R/025-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 16, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). "Feuto" - a retired percebeiros - observes his son finding his way on the cliff. He can't stay home when the sea is in bad conditions and he stays all the time with his son. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441365855-LEEQ5T3C867GFUMJXN6E/026-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 12, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Detail of the torn wetsuit of a percebeiro. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441368323-UVH43FQA172P8YTTT0GK/027-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 17, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebeiros talk outside the bar of the port. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441371822-BJNGTTOWEWZ6H1JA925O/028-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 17, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio reads an article on the local newspaper about the percebeiros dealing with the bad conditions of the sea of the previous days. The title says "Risking the life for 2 kg of percebes". © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441374923-RFHUQ3SXS3AIM6UQXM0V/029-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros talks minutes before starting the harvesting. After a week of rain and huge waves, the sun is shining and the percebeiros are in a very good mood. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441379815-RLGY70YYK8SU6RYWXUU5/030-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Percebeiros try to harvest together to prevent any accident as even when the weather is good, the sea is extremely dangerous in this part of the coast. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441379159-B14KBLMLL22X4YWKWCCX/031-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 19, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio cleans a perfect sample of percebe. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441386144-ESMUIFHZFF8RX5E2Q3IN/032-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A group of percebeiros gets hit by an unexpected wave. Even when the weather is good, the sea is extremely dangerous in this part of the coast. © Thomas Cristofoletti 2011 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441386163-NQKPM101OM62VK8HPYAX/033-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio checks his daily catch. Due to the sea tides, sometimes the percebeiros need to harvest with artificial light. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441389530-G77VSJILZKDYL0U6GYD9/034-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 20, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). Julio is ready to go back home with his daily catch. Due to the sea tides, sometimes the percebeiros need to harvest with artificial light. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523441390760-49TJ57YM615GU8A1HHGL/035-percebeiros_de_laxe.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Los Percebeiros de Laxe December 18, 2011 - Laxe (La Coruña). A view of the sealight of Laxe. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/cambodia-a-look-towards-change-1-e7plk monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493850559-9CSUX67YAIIEYR81SRGL/001-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodian People Party opens its campaign for the 2013 Cambodian Legislative Elections (Copy) Cambodian People Party opens its campaign for the 2013 Cambodian Legislative Elections June 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Young dancers dressed as doves prepare themselves for the opening ceremony on Koh Pich island (Phnom Penh) for the first day of the 2013 Cambodian Legislative Election campaign. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493851170-6232GTXLD57GU86OUJB1/002-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - 07/07/2013 - CNRP's Youth meeting in Phnom Penh (Copy) 07/07/2013 - CNRP's Youth meeting in Phnom Penh July 07, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands members of the CNRP's (Cambodia National Rescue Party) Youth movement, gathered this afternoon at the Freedom Park in Phnom Penh for a rally. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493860577-DE2USVW3L6HXHQ3VDX8M/003-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Opposition leader Sam Ramsy come back to Cambodia after exile. (Copy) Opposition leader Sam Ramsy come back to Cambodia after exile. July 19, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha leave the airport of Phnom Penh surrounded by thousands of supporters of CNRP party. Rainsy has been in exile since 2009 and his return to Cambodia follows a pardon which was granted the previous week by King Norodom Sihamoni after threats to from US lawmakers to cut off aid if upcoming elections were deemed unfair. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493858174-LWJFYLEV4G4SOJUGMO9Y/004-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change July 25, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Youth actors and Apsara dancers prepare for an event organized by the ruling party at Wat Bopum Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493866140-5SJPWJAN9E2W0ART7U9Y/005-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change July 25, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Finishing touches in preparation for an event organized by the ruling party at Wat Bopum Park for the last days of campaign. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493866622-FMB5DYFN8HSJTHSMIZF0/006-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 (Copy) Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A young CPP (Cambodia People's Party) supporter yawns, waiting the beginning of a parade organized by the ruling party for the last day of campaign for the Cambodian Election 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493872591-KWJDR5A4Y5QAF6A38216/007-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Sam Rainsy continues his campaign around Cambodian provinces (Copy) Sam Rainsy continues his campaign around Cambodian provinces July 21, 2013 - Sihanoukville. Opposition Leader, Sam Rainsy, cheers the crowd during a rally at the Independence Park of Sihanoukville. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493874134-OTD85BA0AS24AQY14VJ5/008-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 (Copy) Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh. CPP (Cambodia People's Party) supporters parade in front of the Independence Monument of Phnom Penh for the last day of campaign for the Cambodian Election 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493881166-VNRVSAE9DDE5XKWKI41P/009-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 (Copy) Last day of campaign for the Cambodian General Elections 2013 July 26, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy meets with supporters gathered at Freedom Park in Phnom Penh, on the last day of campaigning for the Cambodian Election 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493881475-6IRW8G6ZB5553PISZPH4/010-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change July 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Two women check their names on a electoral list in a polling station in central Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493887063-N68LZFDE1N5J0Q3WBCJ2/011-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change July 27, 2013 - Phnom Penh. NEC (National Electoral Committee) organises a press conference after the release of a video in which a staffer for election watchdog Comfrel can be seen scrubbing the ink completely from his forefinger in just minutes using a simple solution. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493888836-CRUGNDPDR3PNZ0FBA9AA/012-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen casts his ballot (Copy) Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen casts his ballot July 28, 2013 - Ta Khmau. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen casts his ballot during the general elections at Ta Khmau Town in Kandal province, 15km away from the capital Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493891272-VX82B9N5Z0LLUGCF3QVV/013-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 (Copy) Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Many irregularities are reported all over the country and many people couldn't vote because in posses of a old and, apparentely, not valid ID card. 15% of voters – about 1.2 to 1.3 million – were unable to vote because of list irregularities. 1 million ghost names on the voter list and about 200,000 duplicate names. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493894517-V0ET2DWULV94DHSZPIXD/014-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 (Copy) Cambodia votes for the General Elections 2013 July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A mob errupted in violence after a man punched a monk during an alteration between voters and a National Election Committee employee in Stung Menchey, in the south of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493894859-T3WAZFUO5W6V4WNTPF2L/015-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Violent clashes after the closing of the election in Cambodia (Copy) Violent clashes after the closing of the election in Cambodia July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Disgruntled voters riot and destroy a military police pick-up truck on Sunday evening, following hours of protests over names missing from the vote register at an election voting station in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493898648-1H2O6E8635B1XSLA4PUX/016-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Watching the results (Copy) Watching the results July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodians watch on TV the partial results of the General Elections 2013 in a neighborhood of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493899673-AEEB1JTCLKP2D4JT6THZ/017-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Sam Rainy invite Cambodians to register electoral irregularities (Copy) Sam Rainy invite Cambodians to register electoral irregularities July 31, 2013 - Phnom Penh. CNRP's supporters clean their fingers from the supposedly indelible ink they used to vote during the elections on Sunday 28, 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493905948-KLR4QQK9EUR5C119TNPN/018-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results (Copy) Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of CNRP (Cambodian National Rescue Party) supporters march together with opposition leader Sam Rainsy through the streets of Phnom Penh to protest against the results of the elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493908077-KBSO6JT9F3M1T200Q1T0/019-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results (Copy) Opposition party starts a 3 day protest to contest the election results September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Police prevents the access to Norodom Boulevard to opposition supporters with barricades of barb wires. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493913689-YBCBHYI7YMVPMYB10L5D/020-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - CNRP supporters continue their protest through the streets of Phnom Penh. (Copy) CNRP supporters continue their protest through the streets of Phnom Penh. September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party march towards Wat Phnom to protest against the results of the elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493912956-5VWQ5FKNBTP7M2MFKYGF/021-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police (Copy) Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police September 15. 2013 - Phnom Penh. CNRP supporters tries to carrying away part of barricades and are targeted by water cannons. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493917878-5EWQ3KT8ORGMR5TT8B4W/022-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police (Copy) Clashes erupts between CNRP supporters and police September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition party, talks with CNRP supporters and convince them to pacifically leave the "River Side" of Phnom Penh after a clash between police and protesters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom 2013 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493918564-WIKWAHVYA2M4E6SIS4P6/023-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Clashes erupt in Phnom Penh after commuters were barred from returning home. Angry protestors confronted riot police who responded with tear gas and live rounds. The leading opposition party, the CNRP, are holding three day mass demonstrations to contest the Cambodian general election results. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493921331-DQ7CMO8PBE3XG4QLKUXF/024-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A man carries an injured protester to an ambulance. Clashes erupted in Phnom Penh after commuters were barred from returning home. The protestors confronted riot police who responded with tear gas and live rounds leaving one protester dead and several wounded. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493922078-ZX749UJ0I1ISY7JEOO9R/025-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change September 15, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Clashes erupt in Phnom Penh after commuters were barred from returning home. The angry protestors confronted riot police who responded with tear gas and live rounds leaving one protester dead and several wounded. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493928046-FNDRC1T6TQHFRFVI3J9X/026-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Opening ceremony of the Cambodian National Assembly. (Copy) Opening ceremony of the Cambodian National Assembly. September 23, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Finishing touches before the opening ceremony of the new Parliament. The main opposition party, the CNRP decided not to take their seats due to controversy over alleged electoral fraud during the 2013 national elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493928719-4IVJI55LEDP5HDZ0O90N/027-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change October 21, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Riot police push back about a thousand SL garment factory workers who organised a sit-in in front of Prime Minister Hun Sen's house in central Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493931112-4ECKG71R2YVDUUPJ208K/028-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change October 22, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A worker prepares the main stage for the CNRP demonstration announced for the next 3 days in Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493932190-O2FOVU4209HZHGW5JIEX/029-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change October 23, 2013 - Phnom Penh. CNRP leader, Sam Rainsy addresses supporters during a rally in Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493936351-Q2RH3MUX3H2LGKTK3BGS/030-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change October 23, 2013 – Phnom Penh. Cambodia National Rescue Party supporters defy the heat during the first day of protest at Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493935694-IEKQ1TL8881XRSEY0IZS/031-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change October 24, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Monks cheer CNRP party leaders, Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, during the second day of protest at Freedom Park. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493940578-UTU15DKELFZYTBU8APDL/032-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change December 10, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Hundreds Cambodian anti-riot police are deployed to prevent a protest organised by a dozen people in front of the US Embassy during International Human Rights Day. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493940959-E4F7V1FLYRNSVI3VIPQS/033-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change November 12, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodian anti-riot police arrest protesters during a clash between police and garment workers. One woman was shot dead and several injured in the violent clashes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493944473-R84C7NL13VFL23TQYE1S/034-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change November 12, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodian anti-riot police arrest a protester during a clash between police and garment workers. One woman was shot dead and several injured in the violent clashes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493945175-RE0W8GH5FKZ6FD3B0DUC/035-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Violent clashes (Copy) Violent clashes July 28, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A man named as vietnamese has been targeted by mob violence that happened after the closing of the voting polls in Stung Menchey, in the south of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti /Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493951451-LHICJG7RIHIDVR2RX92C/036-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change 27 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. A couple of thousand garment factory workers block the road in front of the Ministery of Labour asking to raise the minimum wage to 160 USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493953897-VZIHQYH6YL3QZ5YLGVPR/037-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change 29 December, 2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of CNRP supporters take to the streets in Phnom Penh for the 14th day of protest to ask Prime Minister Hun Sen to step down. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493956970-88VFFEIXBYWORWKLOVN9/038-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh (Copy) Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh 03 January, 2014 – Phnom Penh. Protesters set the barricades on fire with old tyres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493958426-F0KA9NT20C7B9RWXWD34/039-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh (Copy) Crackdown On Cambodian Garment Workers Striking In Phnom Penh 03 January, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Protesters carry a wounded worker after a clash with military police during a garment workers protest to demand higher wages in front of a factory in Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493963252-NAYHRTB27R7RLSWVD3MH/040-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change January 04, 2014 – Phnom Penh Cambodia. A group of hired workers dismantle structures at the camp set up by Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders at Freedom Park. The CNRP had been leading demonstrations in Phnom Penh since early December using Freedom Park as their base. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493964055-8BEYJ4O7OQP1Z9PI0571/041-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change January 04, 2014 – Phnom Penh Cambodia. A group of hired workers dismantle structures at the camp set up by Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders at Freedom Park. The CNRP having been leading demonstrations in Phnom Penh since early December using Freedom Park as their base. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493968854-MMLAWW0E4MIIUORYZ9WC/042-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change January 16, 2014 – Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi is filmed during a press conference at the UN OHCHR offices. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493969548-XQ0EKAFHFJDFI0TEOACQ/043-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change 26 January, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A violent altercation between protesters and Municipality guards erupts after security forces prevented a gathering organised by 9 unions and associations in support for the victims of the clashes of 2 and 3 of January. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493980888-HTA1AOM84WZ9IDVICCGO/044-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change July 16, 2014, Phnom Penh. Heavy rains fall over a group of monks gathered to ask for the liberation of the opposition lawmakers arrested the day before during a clash with municipality guards. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493980009-KCIM8ITDXJDUSUGU5YN9/045-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change July 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. CNRP lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua is greeted by opposition supporters after being released on bail from Prey Sar Prison. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493986673-4LWRDI8P7RO9O4NO7AWV/046-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Hun Sen meets garment workers (Copy) Hun Sen meets garment workers October 11, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attends an event organised in support of garment workers. Since last August Hun Sen has met weekly with thousands of garment workers, handing out cash and also rolled out a raft of new benefits from free medical check-ups to bonuses for pregnant women who give birth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493987749-QKAT22HPHP9Y6WNS97LX/047-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Hun Sen meets garment workers (Copy) Hun Sen meets garment workers October 11, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen attends an event organised in support of garment workers. Since last August Hun Sen has met weekly with thousands of garment workers, handing out cash and also rolled out a raft of new benefits from free medical check-ups to bonuses for pregnant women who give birth. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493995178-QWE090Q0SQQT5FKLZDQ4/048-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia (Copy) Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia December 3rd, 2017 - Siem Reap ( Cambodia). A group of traiditional Apsara dancers takes a selfie ahead of their performance for the second day of the ‘Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia’ organized by the ruling party. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493995850-KFWC1PRVNKRBM81D4838/049-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia (Copy) Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia December 3rd, 2017 - Siem Reap ( Cambodia). Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen together with his wife Bun Rany and their grandson are blessed by a group of monks during the ‘Praying Ceremony for Happiness to the Kingdom of Cambodia’ organized by the ruling party in front of Angkor Wat temple. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523493996529-Y0UEE1J1MBVLJG5SQID7/050-cambodia_politic.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodia a look towards change - Construction of the "Win-Win Monument" (Copy) Construction of the "Win-Win Monument" December 07, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Workers inside the construction site of the "Win-Win memorial" in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changva district. The massive monument is designed to pay homage to the achievements of Prime Minister Hun Sen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/champa-3nyf4 monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847099547-JDCRF6CJN2BO25O7UQ27/001-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance August 08, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa is the first openly transgender boxer in Cambodia. Because of the discrimination she endures as a transgender boxer, she was forced to quit her profession and became a sex worker. She now earns her living educating sex workers about their rights and occasionally turning to sex work herself. She was diagnosed with HIV twelve years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847101868-R4T1YTCW7YQ95ZXZY7BH/002-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance August 05, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa holds an old photo of her taken for an ID card. Aside from the general provisions in its Constitution, Cambodia has no laws specifically protecting or recognizing members of the LGBT community against discrimination or violence. The authorities also seem to have gone back on their promises to include lesbians and transgender women within the ambit of an action plan to stop gender-based violence. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847109684-3DRUDABEMONTETSIT5RO/003-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa gets ready to go out to work. She is the first openly transgender boxer in Cambodia. Because of the discrimination she endures as a transgender boxer, she was forced to quit her profession and became a sex worker. She now earns her living educating sex workers about their rights and occasionally turning to sex work herself. She was diagnosed with HIV twelve years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847115344-OOW5RGKE5VLKTZ2W5EPA/004-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance August 05, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa buys fruits in a market stall in front of her house. Champa is the first openly transgender boxer in Cambodia. Because of the discrimination she endures as a transgender boxer, she was forced to quit her profession and became a sex worker. She now earns her living educating sex workers about their rights and occasionally turning to sex work herself. She was diagnosed with HIV twelve years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847121541-KPY6KAT6US8J2KJNQX5T/005-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance July 13, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa talks with a sex worker and a group of clients along the riverside of Phnom Penh, one of the places frequented by tourists and "sexpats" of the capital. At the age of 42 years, Champa works for the Women's Network for Unity, an organization that helps Cambodian sex-workers and transgender people. She spends many of her evenings talking and educating them about safe sex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847127848-FKHOQNUDTMNOOI9J8WSC/006-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa practices a song in preparation of a wedding ceremony. In addition to her work for the NGO, Champa makes a living singing, performing at weddings and birthday parties. An activity that, as she says, brings her a "infinite joy". © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847129853-YFXPWB4BMFWLT82YR308/007-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa practices a song in preparation of a wedding ceremony together with her former boyfriend. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847132438-M3JJIZUUMEJQ39UT1YON/008-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 22, 2014 - Phnom Penh. A transgender sexworker prepares herself for the night. Contrary to what is happening in neighboring Thailand, the vast majority of transgender people in Cambodia do not have sufficient financial means to afford the cost for sex reassignment and spend a little money in hormonal pills of poor quality and of dubious origin. In many cases, the transition takes place with just a touch of mascara, a cheap foundation cream and some lipstick. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847138620-PIVAO477NCA4OPPXZW5A/009-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 16, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa during the 80th birthday party that her lesbian friends organized for their mother in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847139384-TR4R5PAE07BKNKALND61/010-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 16, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa’s friends dry themselves after a swim in the Mekong river. Together with Champa, they were participating in the 80th birthday party that their lesbian friends organized for their mother. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847152645-WJBZK9W350U7HGRKG0LE/011-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance March 16, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa dances during the 80th birthday party that her lesbian friends organized for their mother in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. © Thomas Cristofoletti https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847149878-G7FNVZZ7GN48CGRWCP0Z/012-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance August 08, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa takes pills for HIV treatment in her home. Having been herself a sex-worker full time and being HIV positive for more than 12 years, she is very aware of the dangers related to the profession and spends much of her time working as a sex educator. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523847154404-WUI4UHWCQ049J4XEASP0/013-champa_transgender_cambodia.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Champa - Fighting for acceptance July 13, 2014 - Phnom Penh. Champa talks with a group of sex worker along the riverside of Phnom Penh, one of the places frequented by tourists and "sexpats" of the capital. At the age of 42 years, Champa works for the Women's Network for Unity, an organization that helps Cambodian sex-workers and transgender people. She spends many of her evenings talking and educating them about safe sex. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/pasola-festival-8xm75 monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941182171-IIK7EXUN5UTSXJ96K7SR/001-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A kid rides a horse on the beach in front of Wainyapu. The remote village is situated along the west coast of Sumba island, and is one of the location of the centuries-old harvest festival known as Pasola. The festival involves two teams of men on horseback charging towards each other while trying to hit their rivals with 'pasol' javelins and avoid being hit themselves. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941182175-THZH0NDPFHE3XGE47OIZ/002-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Matthias (center) is the person who's taking care of the Christian rituals for the community. Even if the villagers continue to mantain some of the ancient Marapu traditions, such as the Pasola, they're officially Christians and they tend to mix the two beliefs in a very unique way. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941187431-MQIL116WMM48HK95KH79/003-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter (15) helps his family making banana sweets for Good Friday. Christian occurrences - such as Christmas and Easter -are celebrated in Wainyapu but are mixed with the traditional Marapu elements such as animal sacrifices and ancestral dancing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941187945-5DZU1TB2OF4OVJAOUM36/004-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Kids wait outside the small church of the village for the end of the mass held the night before Good Friday. Even if the villagers continue to mantain some of the ancient Marapu traditions, such as the Pasola, they're officially Christians and they celebrate Easter and Christmas, mixing the two beliefs in a very unique way. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941192172-I4CJMQUBRTKIOKICY0RR/005-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 24, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John (center) performs a traditional dancing during the mass hold the night before Good Friday in the small church of the village. John is a veteran of many Pasola. He started when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941195816-1NKNNCPY89S8XV6VZE72/006-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter cleans the body of a dog that has been sacrificed for the Good Friday. In rotation, each family in the village provide animals such as pigs, chickens and dogs for being sacrificed during religious ceremonies such as Christmas, Easter, funerals or weddings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941200027-4LYL904DNXQATA3US8XR/007-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Villagers cut the bodies of two pigs and a dog that have been sacrificed for the Good Friday. In rotation, each family in the village provide animals such as pigs, chickens and dogs for being sacrificed during religious ceremonies such as Christmas, Easter, funerals or weddings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941202616-2821V2IK423Z6TMKZ6RC/008-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Woman and girls perform a ritual dancing during the mass hold for Good Friday in the small church of the village. Christian occurrences - such as Christmas and Easter -are celebrated in Wainyapu but are mixed with the traditional Marapu elements such as animal sacrifices and ancestral dancing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941207850-KMIEPUEGYQBI55L3NCIC/009-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Food is brought inside the small church of the village to celebrate Good Friday. In rotation, each family in the village provide animals such as pigs, chickens and dogs for being sacrificed during religious ceremonies such as Christmas, Easter, funerals or weddings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941210095-Q9MLCSSJBDSBYWD793SB/010-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John - a veteran of many Pasola - bradles his horse. He started participating in the Pasola when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. Behind John, the tombs where the bodies of the ancestors of the villagers are buried. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941219409-YJRLVSO2S6FNM38LM7D5/011-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter (15) practices with the 'pasol' javelins ahead of the first Pasola that will be hold the day after in the village of Ratenggaro. Peter participated in the Pasola for the first time 3 years ago and rides a horse that belongs to his uncle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941224362-9EBPPD1S0KW8WC2FROME/012-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Villagers gather inside the house of the "Rato" - the traditional priest leader - singing a traditional song to call the "Nyale" - a sea worm that normally appears on the shore on Pasola day. The number of nyale collected is believed to be a sign of the richness of the farmers’ next harvest season. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941225147-ZZ2FUDI8Y313RLQ0L8U4/013-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 25, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). View of the traditional Sumbanese houses of the village. The central part of the construction is used as a chimney. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941228227-D1LCN70TMCB8JBRKMNSG/014-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John helps his nephew Peter to get dress up for the first (of the three) Pasola hold in the nearby village of Ratenggaro. The warriors are not wearing any protection against the spears, just a sarong tightly rolled around the abdomen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941230425-GBQ3ILF5XBQZOE1IPZTL/015-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter prepares his horse for the first (of the three) Pasola hold in the nearby village of Ratenggaro. Peter participated in the Pasola for the first time 3 years ago and rides a horse that belongs to his uncle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941236443-CEC2U4URWGOP7SW6BE42/016-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). Pasola riders throw their spears hoping to strike a member of the opposing clan. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941238512-UUB3ZMCUM65KTCWK2VQA/017-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). Peter looks at the field where his team members are fighting. Peter is 15 years old and he participated in his first Pasola just 3 years ago. He confessed that he loves riding but he's still very scared of being hit by a spear and get injured. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941247687-OGVA7CB107D7CM911ONL/018-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). A rider who just got hit by a spear in the head , is surrounded by members of his clan. The festival can be really dangerous for its participants and fatal injuries still do occurs. Furthermore, Sumbanese believe that blood will fertilize the land and produce a better harvest. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941248467-OSCUFDY3AA88WXGFYBTL/019-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 26, 2016 - Ratenggaro (Indonesia). After a couple of hours of fighting, members of the two teams started throwing stones at each other, resulting in police shooting tear gas to prevent further violence. Many Pasola festivals ended violently in the past, and nowadays police and army are deployed to prevent clashes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941257813-GUOX4158B85MX6UR6SXC/020-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 27, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter watches his uncle John preparing the Pasolas, the wooden spears used for the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941265115-BWQ3CWNWORXV44GZT2NE/021-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 27, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter and his uncle John cut grass and corn to feed their horses in a field outside the village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941266046-HV3S50OTOFVIOIUGZ7P7/022-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 27, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John cleans his horse in the river that divides Wainyapu and Ratenggaro. He started participating in the Pasola when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941271149-RMN9I1BSWC9ZM3TRLY5S/023-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter's family woke up early and prepare breakfast before heading to the nearby beach to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941271155-RU3I8R7L3MSMQ35NOO7S/024-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Peter's family walk to the nearby beach to meet with the other villagers and collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941275772-U8WUJIU2D0UVQW6TO3R2/025-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Villagers look at the shore with the hope of finding some "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. Unfortunately they couldn't find any. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941278894-R4YDVT9NCUCSNE6NP0IX/026-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Waiha (Indonesia). A rider gets hit by a spear thrown by an opponent. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941284915-TNYX5BTGOL9AXOUXAKNW/027-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Waiha (Indonesia). Spectators wait for the beginning of the second Pasola in the village of Waiha a few km outside Wainyapu. Even if considered by manys as a just training ahead of the big Pasola of Wainyapu, Waiha's festival is stills a good opportunity for the fighters to warm it up. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941286825-CTEWXYRMQAY20KC4E7LD/028-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Waiha (Indonesia). A rider throwns a spear towards an opponent. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941295922-7GXJVA994ZYFNA46G6RW/030-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). The evening before the big Pasola of Wainyapu, Peter's mother and sisters participate together with all the female villagers in a blessing ceremony lighting up candles and offering betel nuts to the tombs of their ancestors The tombs are normally built a few meters outside the houses as the villagers believe their ancestors will protect them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941300623-2RGNO6WEQI0KAU4AVA73/031-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 28, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Hundreds of members of the families of the villagers flock into Wainyapu the night before the beginning of the Pasola. The festival is not only a religous tradition, but it also represents a unique social opportunity for the families to stay together. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941300983-O9W720MZKNPDMDYU0400/032-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). The big day of the Pasola is finally arrived and before dusk Peter walks back to the beach together with the other villagers to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941305369-VOKLOHJD23ZWL65TK8EU/033-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Before dusk villagers flock into the near beach in order to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941306952-MTDO3UXJ766QGY2ERGUQ/034-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A villager shows some "Nyale" he was able to collect in his bucket. The Nyale" is a multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941315069-OSCRGTWH5E2RQ3S1FH27/035-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Before dusk villagers flock into the near beach in order to collect the "Nyale", multicolored sea worms, which appear only once each year and that are used for the opening ceremony of the Pasola. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941321087-WV8M2KCG2TUJ0ZKSWWGT/037-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John rides his horse around the village to call out the people for the beginning of the Pasola. John started participating in the Pasola when he was just 15 and he's now riding the "Halato", one of the two horses that are used to open the festival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941324249-HXBQCSDBLQWCOP0CMJK3/038-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Hundreds of people flock into Wainyapu to assist the Pasola. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941327777-LK45MSIMFCUKVYW11V1B/039-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Riders wait to start a new wave of attacks. A skilled rider can duck an incoming spear and the very best of them can catch the spear in mid-air. For the less agile, the spears, though blunted, can spill blood, which the Sumbanese believe will fertilize the land and produce a better harvest. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941332648-6W4NBQ7ZHWI8R3NDBATB/040-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Hundreds of people flock into Wainyapu to assist the Pasola. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941340261-47KSTIV1SHDHS5WKZU70/041-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A rider starts a new wave of attacks. A skilled rider can duck an incoming spear and the very best of them can catch the spear in mid-air. For the less agile, the spears, though blunted, can spill blood, which the Sumbanese believe will fertilize the land and produce a better harvest. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941348347-Z8YBXX2ORGHR9CPV5HFM/043-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). Spectators stare at the local governor of Sumba and his family while he's walking towards the tribune of honor. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941346675-IRS6F2FIROVG0M9AYL7K/044-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). A rider throwns a spear towards an opponent. Riders are grouped into 2 teams, based on their traditional clans. The aim of the Pasola is to throw blunted wooden spears at the opposition riders while trying to avoid their counter attacks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523941351154-UPE8LDA50ZZOBGP7BTUZ/045-pasola_festival_2016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The tradition of the Pasola Festival - Pasola festival 2016 (Copy) Pasola festival 2016 March 29, 2016 - Wainyapu (Indonesia). John poses for a photo together with local authorities marking the end of the battle. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/asking-for-forgiveness-khmer-rouge-ndwgt monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970044739-1NAXKW5FB43S88JZSHXC/001-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Sunday church-goers stroll into Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church for the service. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970045155-OOBZ1UCL8IC7WEOI86WU/002-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Morm Phin (75) gets ready for the Sunday's service. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970049988-R8EMFWX4FSEOLROZ38EM/003-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Nornh Chhay (wearing a blue t-shirt) participates in the Sunday's service at the Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Nornh was a Khmer Rouge soldier for almost 20 years and he converted to Christianity in 1996. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970048933-M9FFBFCMHXJU8UMVVM67/004-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians December 4, 2016 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). Ing Sophat celebrates the Sunday's service at the "Khum O" presbyterian church. Ing was a former commander of a Khmer Rouge platoon and now is a pastor in the small rural church of Phnom Srouch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970051707-3NMQ13ZL8A23BCLCVCED/005-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Morm Phin (75) prepares her church for the Sunday's service. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970053822-5UKFYKHH23QH0F56ENOD/006-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth practice songs ahead of the Sunday's service at Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970056298-VV9C9DMPHMRRQHIE289N/007-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Sok Sem (58) reads his bible together with his smaller daughter Sok Sreypao (4). Sok was a commander of a special military unit of the Khmer Rouge and he converted to christianity in 2011. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970061111-9Y9EH56XLVGAT33GIF22/008-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Photos of the christian wedding ceremony of Touch Sokhan's daughter, Ven Sophon. Touch is a former Khmer Rouge cadre from Kampot and he is now chief of O’ Tapuk Krom's village in Pailin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970062184-Q0KR7BYLW4UCUERAUNUU/009-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Morm Phin (75) leads the Sunday's service. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970066360-8EJMIKXLH17H54HPKSGV/010-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Former chief propaganda for Pol Pot, Kon Duong, in the recording studio of his radio station. Kon Duong has been broadcasting christian program on the radio since 2004. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970068466-59O2HQA0TUK7WIIJVWUJ/011-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 26, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth wait oustide the Marist church of Pailin the beginning of the Saturday's service. Pailin is a small town of just 70.000 habitants but it's home of 22 churches. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970071993-AGMP9LA7BT612JOA9GRK/012-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). An old Christian poster hang on the wall of Sok Sem's house. Sok was a commander of a special military unit of the Khmer Rouge and he converted to christianity in 2011. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970075794-HBZUIZ09BKLKYGZ5V4CV/013-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Tun Vann (on the left corner) sits on a chair, while a buddhist ceremony is held to commemorate the death of her husband Kong Hei. A Christian priest organized a small celebration in the morning, but Tun couldn't afford the full funeral service and her landlord, a practicing Buddhist, offered to organize and fund one. Despite Tun and her husband’s religious affiliation as Christians, he insisted on Buddhist funeral rites. Both her and her late husband joined the Khmer Rouge in 1997. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970079008-7V0S8WUWU3ZVOXHYIH10/014-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A group of Australian christians participates in the Sunday's mass in one of the local church. Pailin was considered the last Khmer Rouge-held territory until the current government agreed in 1996 to provide amnesty to the former leaders, and gifted them administrative control. During this period, Christian missionaries flooded into the border provinces in an effort to proselytize the word of God to this group whose ideology had just been toppled. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970079400-DVTMIRLP2FH21GWZDBH8/015-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians December 4, 2016 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). A man holds a cup of Sacramental wine during the Sunday's service at the "Khum O" presbyterian church. The pastor of the church, Ing Sophat, was a former commander of a Khmer Rouge platoon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970084266-COS665NWDO26HR055I9V/016-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 23, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A small christmas trees is seen inside the house of Moses Samol Seth, a Cambodian pastor who leads AGAPE, a christian organization. He personally converted to christianity hundreds of former Khmer Rouge cadres during the 90s. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970084684-XLQMRG9TH3B73Q2Z3IDQ/017-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Mut Sivon (third from the right) sings during the Sunday's mass at the Pailin KwangMyoung Church - one of the biggest in town. When she was just 18, she was helping to carry weapons and supplies for the Khmer Rouge. She converted to Christianity in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970092012-D9R7SQWOE8925LBY2P20/018-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Touch Sokhan works in the courtyard of his house. Touch is a former Khmer Rouge cadre from Kampot and he is now chief of O’ Tapuk Krom's village in Pailin. He lost a leg stepping on a landmine and converted to Christian thanks to his daughter. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970095710-VI7SFI1E13HKMGISGNWG/019-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). One of Nornh Chhay's nephew plays with his dog. Nornh was a Khmer Rouge soldier for almost 20 years and he converted to Christianity in 1996. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970098587-8J4EF0HOL19Z53WWY62L/020-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Christmas decoration inside the Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970100576-CA3PI2RCUSXCVFECBTUK/021-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians December 4, 2016 - Kampong Speu (Cambodia). A young girl prepare a bag to collect donations during the Sunday's service at the "Khum O" presbyterian church. The pastor of the church, Ing Sophat, was a former commander of a Khmer Rouge platoon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970119833-HFWPXUJ2ZG7P9LIV7RTE/022-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A buddhist nun sweeps the floor of one of the pagoda at Wat Phnom Yat, one of the few religious buildings that survived the Khmer Rouge's regime. Religion during that years was banned, all leading Buddhist monks were killed and almost 95% of the pagodas around Cambodia were destroyed and turned the remaining few into warehouses or allocated them for some other degrading use. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970120322-DG7QNQ3S7X3XAZ68JVTL/023-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Kids play during the Sunday's service leaded by pastor Morm Phin. Morm was working as a supervisor in a garment factory during the Khmer Rouge's regime and she is now a pastor in small church outside Pailin town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970124422-FUCIUEW1Y4H081IS2VHN/024-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 28, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Nornh Chhay reads the bible with a smartphone's app that his nephew downloaded for him. Nornh was a Khmer Rouge soldier for almost 20 years and he converted to Christianity in 1996. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970124435-6GG6PL01AYBR5ROPRYBX/025-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Sok Sem (58) with his smaller daughter Sok Sreypao (4). Sok was a commander of a special military unit of the Khmer Rouge and he converted to christianity in 2011. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970132445-D4W1J7Y2BQE6N6R4FPJS/026-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 26, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth practice songs in the Marist church of Pailin ahead of the Saturday's service. Pailin is a small town of just 70.000 habitants but it's home of 22 churches. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970131959-LDBP0FXI1S71SIU1MBC6/027-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians August 27, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). Youth practice songs ahead of the Sunday's service at Pailin's B. P. Presbyterian Church. Several former Khmer Rouge cadres attend this small church weekly. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1524970134234-W9B7KHAU5QPF3RD5URCH/028-kr-christian.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The Former Khmer Rouge Cadres Who Turned to God for Salvation - Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians (Copy) Former Khmer Rouge cadres turned Christians November 26, 2016 - Pailin (Cambodia). A view of the Marist church of Pailin during the Saturday's service. Pailin, one of the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, is a small town of just 70.000 habitants but it's home of 22 churches. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/il-maggio-di-accettura-572xs monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217506497-IZYEM0D38F8J52OUBVCC/001-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). View of the small town of Accettura where the festival is held every year. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217508740-E5BB6E0M2R0J55X8GFG5/002-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals rest during the transportation of the "maggio". Fifty pairs of oxen transport the old oak cut from Montepiano forest for a 10km ride to Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217538419-3405JFNCX5VZ0KIB6OJC/003-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Fifty pairs of oxen start to transport the "Maggio", an old oak cut in Montepiano forest - a 10 km away from the Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217536999-P0ZY5VY4WPEYQY9DBTSU/004-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals rest during the transportation of the "maggio". Fifty pairs of oxen transport the old oak cut from Montepiano forest for a 10km ride to Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217553678-CTTTQMRLL9TTSYLXWU55/005-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Wine and local specialities such as "zeppole" - a traditional deep-fried dough ballfood - and fried codfish are consumed along the route of the "cima" into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217553720-FIILMT9IMUZNOSV5HOO5/006-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Anna Podetta put the finishing touches to a "centa", a traditional head dress made of candels and flowers, paraded by the local women to pay homage to Saint Julian. Since she moved from the north of Italy to Accettura in 1982, she's been building the "cente" every year for different families of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217572561-UOW0QO9K41XSAFQ1NQO1/007-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers are transported by trucks to the forest of Gallipoli Cognato - 20 km away from Accettura - where they will cut the "Cima" and carry it on shoulders into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217573981-ZDJ8BJC8S3RCXOV4II2N/008-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Wine and local specialities such as "zeppole" - a traditional deep-fried dough ballfood - and fried codfish are consumed along the route of the "cima" into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217608490-H9GW19AQILFURMHK6FVH/009-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers are transported by trucks to the forest of Gallipoli Cognato - 20 km away from Accettura - where they will cut the "Cima" and carry it on shoulders into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217634794-M5ZZKUI2ZQND9PSPKZB3/010-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers start to carry the - recently cut - "cima" on their shoulders for a 20 km walk into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217645668-YJUQBN82INYRUUI0BY94/011-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers start to carry the - recently cut - "cima" on their shoulders for a 20 km walk into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217656818-MJMM5WPDRVCYQ2G9QSFS/012-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Villagers start to carry the - recently cut - "cima" on their shoulders for a 20 km walk into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217716619-HRF059PMJ3JVQGORX1JU/013-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). While the "cima" is transported on shoulders into town, the "maggio" continues his journey driven by oxen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217736642-DDHXIKABT5ZIAWN4HCSA/014-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 23, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Close up of one of the fifty pairs of oxen used to transport the "Maggio", an old oak cut in Montepiano forest - a 10 km away from the Accettura. Considered by manys as an ancient wedding ceremony, the festival represents a popular arboreal cult, where the "Maggio" joins a holly called "Cima". The "Maggio" comes to town pulled by oxen while the "Cima" is carried on shoulders by the youth of the town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217783441-GFIG5MBF9AI7HN5KQG67/015-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Flowers and a picture of Saint Julian adorn the head of one of the oxen used to transport the "Maggio" into town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217783759-MI2JCH07O6GACGL57PBZ/016-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A group of old women wait for the passage of the "cima". © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217867467-N88WAECJCBWGT5UZRMC2/017-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). After being carried on the shoulders by groups of young people for over 20km, the "cima" is finally paraded through the streets of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217856607-39QRB6SFTYNMCKV85BYV/018-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). After being carried on the shoulders by groups of young people for over 20km, the "cima" is finally paraded through the streets of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217932621-ITWW6N6VXF8L08K1GEVH/019-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A young man celebrates the arrival of the "cima" in Accettura hanging from one of its branch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543217956427-UEXENN5Q9XDCOQAHA04P/020-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 24, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). After a 2-day journey, the "maggio" finally arrives into town driven by oxen. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218027841-DMENLIPR040II8FBWA4G/021-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 25, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Don Giuseppe Filardi, the priest of Accettura, leads a procession to carry an ancient painting representing Saint John and Paul. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218018938-7AJPAV0GM24K32KGFR7O/022-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218105488-RGX93HS1Q87UJPF6ZAGC/023-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218101011-33BR3NXWQ97P7JX634JS/024-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A band acccompanies the statue of Saint Julian during a procession through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218167185-SPQ67WN8DYD1UKDI1OQ4/025-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A statue of Saint Julian is pareded through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218795421-DA2VU1TJ2UKZDSW1JGID/026-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A statue of Saint Julian is pareded through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218795676-9W25WP582XV1U6V7S5NU/027-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 25, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Old women wait for the passage of the statue of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218802299-0QNY8HG5DX1IGTXP8GCQ/028-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). A statue of Saint Julian is pareded through the streets of the small town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218801966-Y2NJEH2ETT2W6TO5OBBB/029-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Fireworks are fired after the end of the procession in honor of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218806815-CR9BEXNJPIO0X8NJJA6P/030-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218809328-7TB54S8CRXW7JRFCHIA3/031-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218811050-5TISF6MDU21ZRT4W05AO/032-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218815538-5I6GFFHRRSB0MZPV2FH8/033-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Locals work at the winch to raise part of the mechanism to lift the "Maggio". The festival is very popular and enjoys a living tradition. Every year, hundreds of emigrants return back to Accettura to attend and help with the celebrations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218816979-E4Q9AIU2XSDRRY62MREZ/034-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). The family of Filomena Bartilucci (center) put finishing touches to a "centa", a traditional head dress made of candels and flowers, paraded by the local women to pay homage to Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218822012-VYORLBSJ4NEPYC2ASAFH/035-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Old men wait for the passage of the statue of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218822822-FSFXJNVHBLPRIUMUW82R/036-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Old women wait for the passage of the statue of Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218825499-Z259LHFGQNSOIF5CV9BM/037-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218829095-2C6BC7OCJXP50K7602M1/038-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Filomena Bartilucci transports on her head a "centa", a traditional head dress made of candels and flowers, to pay homage to Saint Julian. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218828530-S3F8SK6LN4DWPCK3MQBZ/039-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218832873-Q6ETRPUXEM6R0EFVZCER/040-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" had been finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura and the villagers continue to the local church for the final mass. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218834286-7U5VILAQ1DJ5HTK6CCYT/041-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1543218836493-V8EC7KR15DJS5RFH9ERJ/042-maggio_accettura.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Il Maggio di Accettura - Il Maggio di Accettura (Copy) Il Maggio di Accettura May 26, 2015 - Accettura, Matera (Italy). Under a torrential rain, the "Maggio" and the "cima" are finally joined together and raised over the main square of Accettura. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/irans-booming-consumer-culture-2kkb5 monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438678117-7OIDPM7B88MK13WT47VJ/001-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 29, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. A woman shops at Hyperstar, Iran’s first international-style hypermarket, built inside the Persian Gulf Complex, a huge mall built a few kilometers outside Shiraz. Hyperstar plans to open 15 branches by 2015 in 5 different cities. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438678078-2ACWF1QJQGNHIQN6JNDF/002-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 12, 2014 - Tehran, Iran. A woman shops at the Grand Bazaar of Tehran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438684897-DQECFW0OP5XAZN1LAG8D/003-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 12, 2014 - Tehran, Iran. Two young girls walk in the streets of Tehran. Iranian women are increasingly reluctant to comply with government-imposed traditional dress codes and many have started to go around the prohibitions, wearing western-style hi jabs, made of fashionable fabrics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438685532-31WJBIWD4I9X3GZDTZDK/004-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. A family of pilgrims take a souvenir picture outside the shrine of Hazrat-e Masumeh in Qom. The shrine is considered one of the most significant Shi'i shrines in Iran and every year, thousands of Shi'i Muslims travel to Qom to honor Fatima Masumeh and ask her for blessings. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438693192-FIWM90RT4E30ZCDVMTVO/005-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A portrait of Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini is displayed on a wall of the Isfahan City Center Mall, one of the biggest in the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438692826-INHX39HTIQ2V0D57JYPC/006-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. Customers at the "Kentucky House" one of the fast food restaurant built inside the Isfahan City Center Mall, one of the biggest in the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438698357-6H9A900G8PPQD895GE30/007-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A woman shops in an appliance center inside the Isfahan City Center Mall, one of the biggest in the country. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438702457-NPOO78SNGDGBEYAGDBGS/008-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 29, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. Children play at Iran Land, an amusement park built inside the Persian Gulf Complex, a large shopping mall located in the outskirts of Shiraz. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438707538-BTJU26V8I2F4O3A48MEI/009-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 08, 2014 - Tabriz, Iran. A view of the local Grand Baazar, the oldest in the Middle East. Despite the increasing number of malls opened around the country, many Iranians still prefer to shop in traditional bazaars. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438712509-GN68C0SJ1UTWMNQYX5AC/010-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 08, 2014 - Tabriz, Iran. Locals take photographs using their smartphones. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438717134-T20MRFDH8IDM9THXO3BJ/011-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 22, 2014 - Yazd, Iran. Local women shop at the local Grand Bazaar. Despite the increasing number of malls opened around the country, many Iranians still prefer to shop in traditional bazaars. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438720021-BNND6T5ITRK8TB1EGTWN/012-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 18, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. Traditional Islamic black chadors are sold at the local Bazaar. Iranian women are increasingly reluctant to comply with government-imposed traditional dress codes and many have started to go around the prohibitions, wearing western-style hi jabs, made of fashionable fabrics. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438722843-1GQR29PSQ4TT92VKWYIG/013-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A local sits in front of a recently opened unofficial Apple reseller. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438726957-T00NAHWPZN48TK30CNI5/014-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 23, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. Cars are seen in a parking lot of Shiraz. Due to the international sanctions, importation of foreign cars is expensive and many Iranians opt to buy locally produced cars. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438726961-ID73D6E3W6D3O3ZZU3DP/015-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE June 08, 2014 - Urmia, Iran. Iranian youths take pictures of the surface of Urmia lake with their smartphones. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438731548-N2HLKVHWQ8BGLC6C5DPZ/016-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. Young pilgrims eat ice cream in a cafe of Qom, the second holiest city in Iran. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438732852-EBQYE42JHJ82WK0AU9NB/017-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 07, 2014 - Tabriz, Iran. Iranian youths play backgammon on a tablet in a traditional cafe. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438739884-FL952CV4UDYOMQNF1QEH/018-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 25, 2014 - Shiraz, Iran. A man plays with a videogame in the arcade section of a mall. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438739465-HCWGC34MKHKADL24YTYP/019-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE June 19, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A young couple walks hand by hand in the streets of Isfahan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438747454-5KUH8WQSKARG97PQ98YO/020-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 18, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. A young boy looks through a shop window. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438746284-YD5XW6VPA6FA14P5O1FO/021-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 11, 2014 - Qom, Iran. Two young pilgrims walk in front of a mosque in Qom, the second holiest city in Iran. The girl on the left is seeing wearing a patch, after having plastic surgery done on her nose. Iran has the world's highest nose surgery rate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523438751238-KR2SUWXSP86S6B1EQAQG/022-iran_consumerism.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IRAN’S BOOMING CONSUMER CULTURE - Consumerism in Iran (Copy) Consumerism in Iran June 18, 2014 - Isfahan, Iran. Two girls check facebook on a smartphone. Despite slow mobile internet connections, Iran has seen a considerable increase of consumers purchasing smartphones. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/the-death-of-a-king-6tame monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440618962-ESM46OVN0YJHO3J5ORX9/001-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440616346-AVAX4XK4WGHN9P8P4FV9/002-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. A man has her head shaved by a monk to mourn the passing of former King Norodom Sihanouk outside the Royal Palace, on the second day of his mouning. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440621321-6F69LLBTI6RHRKME43DA/003-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440626705-9WABYN7R590UYOVRVPVK/004-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440626289-J6BG7YGSQ15PJA3OAWWS/005-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians gather in front of the Royal Palace to pay their respect to the former king Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440630542-WD57RQL59FJ5MVLRXW54/006-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. A young girl cries the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440633217-K9FKPZP98PKJ2BB64Q88/007-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 20/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. About 3,500 monks pray the death of the former king Norodom Sihanouk, in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440635304-WY5I56QWDA2JS6E28ZDG/008-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 19/10/2012 - Phnom Penh. A portrait of the former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk left in front of the Royal Palace. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440639627-EVRQN1D14FPMLX85YBY9/009-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 30/11/2012 - Phnom Penh. Construction workers build the load-bearing structure of the crematorium in which the late king Nordom Sianouk will be cremated. The structure costed $1.2 million and will be dismantled in keeping with Cambodian tradition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440641388-JR5YXKUCR3PKQTNOP08B/010-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The final touches are made ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440648044-WLDYMQM0NFSLXEG3X91R/011-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). A security agent scans a group of Buddhist monks ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440648107-KT1CK6EUSVK9LFD3W60W/012-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). Latest retouches before the celebrations of the funeral of the former Cambodian king Sihanouk start. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440654936-QOQC7YT2VXAPS4MAK35J/013-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The golden coffin carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk, comes out the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh surrounded by the higher echelons of the Cambodian Army. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440655293-6TXE3ZWV10VCMQKQ2GZI/014-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). Officials carrying images of the late king pictured ahead of the start of the funeral of the former Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440662362-FB4OS5O4R6NITD6ROMCL/015-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The golden coffin carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk is paraded around the streets of Phnom Penh filled with thousands of people paying their last respects as the royal funeral rites get underway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440666495-XUXRDA9KK3MRLWOGKKS1/016-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). The golden coffin carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk is paraded around the streets of Phnom Penh filled with thousands of people paying their last respects as the royal funeral rites get underway. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440669322-LIF1L4LLY9I0GEDMG7NZ/017-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, pay their respects to the late former King Sihanouk just outside the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440672769-TB6HGTQVCT8I8U6QKYGE/018-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King Phnom Penh (01/02/2013). An official rests after the ceremony in which the golden coffin, carrying the embalmed body of the former King Sihanouk, is paraded around the streets of Phnom Penh, filled with thousands of people paying the latest respects. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440673472-3XVUE4YQHOI0U1LXCAR9/019-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 02/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Bun Rany, wife of P.M. Hun Sen, enters the crematorium site ahead of the start of a private ceremony in which the king Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk will pay their respects to the late Cambodian King Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440684266-T5CYBRMV4P2X1JNJYVB1/020-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 02/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. King Norodom Sihamoni and Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk pay their respects to the late Cambodian King Sihanouk in a private ceremony held in the afternoon of saturday in the crematorium built nearby the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440680779-JIIROA7W63LKVMATVQFE/021-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 03/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians are lined in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh to enter the Crematorium and pay their last respects to the late king Sihanouk, on the third day of his funeral. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440685660-HQPJ3S5VT2EKH2UBKOQ4/022-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 03/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. A young boy sells lotus flowers in front of the Royal Palace, some hours before the cermony of cremation of the late king Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440691345-CW77JP8ZANVR3JE83KNR/023-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Print shop workers make posters and gadgets with the photos of the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, during the cremation ceremony of his body. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440691670-THHW6X2I3YI49IMT9JRO/024-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 03/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians are lined in front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh to enter the Crematorium and pay their last respects to the late king Sihanouk, on the third day of his funeral. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440699694-BALPJTXV98WDHDVG1UO1/025-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. A woman clears the floor in the front of the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, minutes before the beginning of the ceremony of cremation of the late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440706217-3OYSBG1KDGJD9F8Q231J/026-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians wait for hours in the river side of Phnom Penh, the beginning of the ceremony of cremation of the late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk, as Police secured the area around the Vela Meru - the crematorium site. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440705862-FOJ75E50XAN3K1GY4RXJ/027-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Aerial view of the crematorium built nearby the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, minutes before the cremation of the body of the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440712501-MT54BW8LW7V16IO4088Z/028-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Cambodian women cry after the ending of the ceremony of cremation of the late King Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440713951-TOQ6KOJI1OHPENVAQQYZ/029-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Smoke comes out the chimney of the crematorium minutes after the end of the cremation ceremony of the late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523440715811-T2XWCBJGMLSSM4SL0YG7/030-death_king.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - The death of a king - The death of a King (Copy) The death of a King 05/02/2013 - Phnom Penh. Thousands of Cambodians who waited for hours in the river side of Phnom Penh, climb over the fences, minutes after the end of the ceremony of cremation of the late Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/polygamy-incorporated-r885j monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753250422-15MWGL4U4DBBBVQDT7QN/001-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Two small girls push a stroller in the park inside the "Global Ikhwan village”, a compound of commercial and residential estates owned by the organization in Rawang, a small town in the north of Kuala Lumpur. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753249740-SQQG2OTKM3BQGDIHLIWA/002-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Global Ikhwan CEO's first wife Saiyidah Lokman (center), fourth wife Mardiona Hakim (right) and 3 of their 27 children at the family home. Although polygamy is legal in Malaysia, it is rarely practiced in the open or with the knowledge and approval of all the wives involved in such a relationship. However, one company in the country - Global Ikhwan - only employs women, who view polygamy as the integral element of “the Islamic way of life.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753255355-SZ1NDYNLXGKFZZKZLHOZ/003-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Patients wait for a pediatric consultancy in a private clinic owned by Global Ikhwan. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753260481-0AC3S5DGY0G22BUYS2UV/004-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (right) visits a friend, Nik Raihana (27), who delivered a baby the day before at the Global Ikhwan clinic. Despite been living in Kedah, five hours drive from Rawang, she chose to deliver her first daughter at the company's clinic. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753269674-7HJ8WIVD0IQU2JOJUNAR/005-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Customers at the Global Ikhwan cafe inside the "Global Ikhwan village”, a compound of commercial and residential estates owned by the organization in Rawang, a small town in the north of Kuala Lumpur. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753278121-2VECN7MLFNFVYHKW75BT/006-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Global Ikhwan's CEO Lokman Hakim, poses together with his 4 wives, - from left to right - Mardiona Hakim, Rahmah Lokman, Saiyidah Lokman and Nur Rul Lokman. Some of their 27 children are attending boarding schools in Jordan, Australia and Egypt. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753280726-BJCI5YT44AEERWA286EK/007-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin works as a dentist at the Global Ikhwan Clinic in Rawang and she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753289572-L45LN9561LZSCMVPQSWJ/008-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Aisyah Yob supervise three young students during a cooking lesson at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, in the south of Kuala Lumpur. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical classes to learn how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753289863-7XAMKAUH6USRNSL2E7YI/009-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young students pray at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, in the south of Kuala Lumpur. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical classes to learn how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753295107-SUCT8JXW5P88L7T9FS72/010-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753309557-3VRX14GMC23OU0Y557S9/011-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (left) talks with some friends. She works as a dentist at the Global Ikhwan Clinic in Rawang and she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753310192-P247FWQVDRQXV0QHQJ7E/012-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (wearing a purple dress) during the Maghrib prayer with other Global Ikhwan members. Dentist at the company's Clinic in Rawang, she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753327605-0SUP14PC0KN73LJL1ZGE/013-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Young members of the organisation buys clothes in one of the company's shop. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753327023-ZTHONGVMZ2IMUCCL8DOB/014-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Young members of the organisation produce clothes to sell in the company's shops. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753334009-7IILJVXJJY3H73OIYMH2/015-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 10, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Dr. Azlina Jamaluddin (right) offers a seminary on jealousy in polygamy to a group of Global Ikhwan female members. Dentist at the company's Clinic in Rawang, she was one of the Obedient Wives Club Organiser. Educated in Australia she joined the company in 2001. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753335071-R03UM5IVX24BFRES8YQN/016-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 11, 2015 - Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Members of Global Ikhwan during the shooting of "Niet" (Intention), a short video drama the company intends to submit to a local short-film festival. More than 20 members are employed in video and audio productions, creating musical videos, dramas and educational material for the company's private TV channel. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753342004-M6FMDCU3MLXWTSEF8T48/017-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A young student prays at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, in the south of Kuala Lumpur. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical classes to learn how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753348575-2CKSKHIAO65SWDAB1DQG/018-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Puan Wan Nur Fauziah (center), admin at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong, during the lunch prayer. Young female daughters of Ikhwan members attend the school to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753352901-OSQZSJWX2MU3GAVBAU55/019-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young female daughters of Ikhwan members put back their books after a class of Koran at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong. In the school they also study arabics and follow practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753357273-UJW30VG7H41JHUTYWDWP/020-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A young female student learns how to take care of plants at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school in Puchong. Young members of Global Ikhwan attend this private schools to study arabics, read the Koran and following practical workshops learning how to cook, clean or take care of babies. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753358774-ODFPTBW2JDY1ZU6TJ94M/021-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 13, 2015 - Puchong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Young female daughters of Ikhwan members learn how to take care of babies and small children at the Sekolah Menengah Islam Global Ikhwan school's kindergarden. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753362609-F5LMP31UFUTEIFE4946W/022-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Global Ikhwan's CEO Lokman Hakim shows a picture of a recent family reunion. He's married with 4 wives and he has 27 children. Although polygamy is legal in Malaysia, it is rarely practiced in the open or with the knowledge and approval of all the wives involved in such a relationship. However, Global Ikhwan - only employs women, who view polygamy as the integral element of “the Islamic way of life.” © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753366118-MY3O9FAZHKRIMDD7Z18C/023-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 15, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). Mardiona Hakim, wife no 4 of Global Ikhwan's CEO, Lokman Hakim (driving the car) with two of their children. Mardiona was born in Australia from a Malaysian family and she married Lokman in 2005. She now works at the company's laundry. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523753369303-2N99PHDUNW17FO6AG10X/024-polygamy_incorporated.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Polygamy Incorporated - Polygamy incorporated (Copy) Polygamy incorporated January 9, 2015 - Rawang (Malaysia). An old member of the organisation hosted at the Global Ikhwan retiring home in Rawang. The enterprise, which employs 4,000 people worldwide through its complicated network of subsidiaries, operates restaurants, clothing shops, noodle factories and health clinics - just to name a few. It also runs its own schools, care homes and rehabilitation centres. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/pole-dancing-for-the-gods-8y97w monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595188571-YJBG3D0UTV50S31A524X/001-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 07, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li takes a train to Taichung to participate in a photo session for a local bike seller. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595188529-E5N7QYFLP968JHO7UFZ3/002-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li takes climbs over the roof of a jeep minutes before the beginning of a performance. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595194309-BIFOYKBVI9VGEJY64G1B/003-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li (right) performs during a religious ceremony organized in the streets of Lukang. This common practice of temple marching is attributed to elements of Daoism and Buddhism, the two main religions of Taiwan that are intermixed in their traditions and manner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595197491-6U1C1UIEFFXO26ZRZ41C/004-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - Dancing for the gods (Copy) Dancing for the gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li (left) performs inside the courtyard of Longshan Temple in Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595202415-G3Y2CWAH890CHGWT982I/005-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li (left) and her colleagues walk toward their jeeps after a performance in a small temple in the town of Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595204761-Q514R1XIVGE1HBMTGEO4/006-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li (left) rests in between performances outside the Longshan Temple in Lukang. This common practice of temple marching is attributed to elements of Daoism and Buddhism, the two main religions of Taiwan that are intermixed in their traditions and manner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595211371-QVRKEPO4WOPRL6GVK76K/007-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li is paraded through the streets of the small town of Dounan during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595212185-CYEFFB2YL9EMSL8PNZ1S/008-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li performs inside the courtyard of a temple in Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595214102-ONDDOIG6TMKZ5EQI07HL/009-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 06, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li chats with a friend. Most of her gigs come through messanging apps and Line's groups. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595218395-NC85L708X77BNUWVPV8L/010-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li jokes with her boyfriend Xiaoquan in a bar of the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595220008-ZN33WVF465ZDN48J0SAJ/011-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595221305-XF0FV8R8Q9FF4GTJ6FY7/012-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li gets ready during an early morning train ride on her way to a performance in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595225261-LSLUT04CCAHGWDMQ2WF8/013-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 07, 2016 - Taichung (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li gets ready for a photo session organised for a local bike seller outisde the Taichung train station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595228138-QNYCGEW9SLUYGR638043/014-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li dances with her collagues in front of a group of devotees during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595232047-VB1T064Y33H10FXYEGIX/015-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li dances together with her colleagues in front of a small temple in Dounan during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595234675-991FEPBMRRO3IWU54MTH/016-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Young devotees get ready for a religious procession in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595238210-VCCJA5Z46EHK9B8388FH/017-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Dounan (Taiwan). Yiting Li is paraded through the streets of the small town of Dounan during a religious ceremony organised by a local businessman. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595239912-JIZS7K9R1ELC5E0QI7X1/018-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li performs on the roof of a jeep through the streets of Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595242549-P1AG08GFRRA3M9DHGMG0/019-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li rides a motorbike together with her boyfriend Xiaoquan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595245792-SJTL2D26Q91UFC5TI5B9/020-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li hangouts with her boyfriend Xiaoquan and other friends in a bar of the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595248849-VFAC72K1LW03J1X9GILS/021-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li watches a youtube video clip on her smartphone. Most of her dances and moves for her performances come from K-Pop videos. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595252788-30BYMF7226JD3QNHG3M0/022-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 03, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li talks with her boyfriend Xiaoquan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595255258-OQOL988NJ3O5JLEBNGKT/023-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 06, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li hangs out with some of her friends and colleagues. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595259326-LANFFXHQW8E1984ODL4J/024-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li runs to catch an early morning train to Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595259589-MIUWISI1A1SVA1TOCX85/025-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li catches some sleep on a early morning train on her way to a performance in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595266554-K878LNAAOU9YNYZUMGLC/026-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 07, 2016 - Taichung (Taiwan). 21 year-old Yiting Li poses during a photo session organised for a local bike seller outisde the Taichung train station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595266528-0CE8BIVBZL6BXE25BEOP/027-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Devotees carry a religious relic through the streets of Lukang. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595269966-4MBL0HUWU500DGC78OE4/028-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 04, 2016 - Changhua (Taiwan). Yiting Li during a religious performance in Dounan. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523595270864-WFD8ZU3XC3BOSMJWQW6C/029-pole_dancing_for_the_gods.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - (POLE) Dancing for the gods - (Pole) Dancing for the Gods (Copy) (Pole) Dancing for the Gods June 05, 2016 - Lukang (Taiwan). Yiting Li performs on the roof of a jeep through the streets of Lukang. Yiting Li is 21 years old and started dancing during funeral and other religious processions 3 years ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/rising-ma-batha-elgwz monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496928980-YCY1EQL2LW35YEJPDGM4/001-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha September 1st, 2012 - Yangon (Myanmar). Monks walk around Shwedagon pagoda, the most sacred of Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar. The country has a population of some 54 million people of which 89% are said to be Buddhist predominantly of the Theravada tradition. The government is actively promoting Buddhism, putting pressure on religious minorities and excluding them from positions of power within the government and military. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496928921-64U0OPF3BNES3AWYCSGA/002-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 12, 2013 - Meiktila (Myanmar). One of the areas of the city destroyed during the violent clashes erupted between Buddhist and Muslim ethnic groups that took place on March 20, 2013. At least 40 people lost their lives during the 3 days of conflict. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496938359-UR28T4RH70UHNRO9B5CR/003-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 14, 2013 - Yangon. More than 200 Myanmar Buddhist monks gathered to discuss how to solve inter-religious conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims. The conference, held in a monastery on the outskirts of Yangon, was dubbed by local and international media less as a resolution to conflict but more as an opportunity to discuss the inter-faith marriage law that the 969 movement (now Ma Bha Tha) is hoping to present to the government. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496939395-RUMD4JMRVZA1XSSVMC51/004-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 9, 2013 - Mandalay. Muslim prayers at the Mogul Shia Jamay Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496945384-JNCGC62IN8LO1GFKHM8F/005-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 23, 2013 - Mandalay. Wirathu and his entourage leave after ending an anti-muslim sermon in front of hundreds of supporters, just four blocks away from the Dhamma Tharlar Hall (Mandalay), in which several local organizations and civil society activists organized a peace event to prevent future riots. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496946101-1YVVEYWI647MXDUM7YQ8/006-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 11, 2013 - Meiktila. A woman, who returned to her destroyed home in Meiktila, recovers pieces of a burnt Hindu book explaining the teachings of Islam. The Muslim community had started that week a 7 day clean up program escorted by armed police. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496952539-GDNOV5GEKUPPX7A40MA6/007-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 7, 2013 - Mandalay. Muslim wait for prayer time at the Joon Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496955623-2WI2S1EV1DWCSUS5AXCX/008-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 12, 2013 - Meiktila (Myanmar). Families are escorted by police back to a refugee camp that holds Muslims who have been displaced by the interfaith violence that took place at the end of March 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496959707-PEFHZMJRB295AL9ZG03V/009-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 15, 2013 - Yangon. Buddhists in front of a shop in Downtown Yangon. The owner has chosen to display the 969 sticker (that it is sold and distributed through out Myanmar to label shops and business as being Buddhist own and run). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496963201-R2GUIQCI1XG8EAKJGAWP/010-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 7, 2013 - Mandalay. A young muslim girls enters the Madrasa in front of the Joon Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496968471-B9M8CP8GCJ384BRAV6BB/011-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 15, 2013 - Yangon. Wedding ceremony of a young couple of Muslims in the Cholia Jam-e Mosque's Trust Hall in Downtown Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496971146-7W9NIY45T72LTI5JW3A1/012-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 22, 2013 - Yangon. Members of the National Patriotic Saturday Youth Association, wrap up their flag, minutes after the end of a meeting held by U Thaddhamma, one of the leader of 969 movement, in a monastery 20 km outside Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496976121-FSDU1B4VDVOI7DQ5B280/013-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 20, 2013 - Yangon. Members of the Patriotic Youth Nationalistic Network - one of the 70 different civil organizations that support the 969 movement all over the country - during a meeting with U Thaddhamma in Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496980884-BXK6J81INY02PIXDZS5W/014-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 17, 2013 - Mawlamyine. Monk Wimala, one of the founder of 969 movement, shows a propagandic map in his Monastery in Mawlamyine. They believe that some arabs countries are financing the Burmese Muslims in order to overcome the Buddhist majority. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496985977-5XIPWCRUN7ALZS0NGUGL/015-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha June 22, 2013 - Yangon. Young Buddhist nuns board the ferry crossing the Hlaing river over to downton Yangon. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496989322-JM0YQGLSAUFGI73G3PBE/016-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov 03, 2015 - Meiktila. A family walks through one of the areas of the city destroyed during the violent clashes that erupted between Buddhist and Muslim ethnic groups in March 20, 2013. At least 40 people lost their lives during the 3 days of conflict.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496991174-ROWCX5F28A5BHD4WUCZL/017-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 26, 2015 - Mandalay. Daw Win Mya Mya is the vice-president of NLD in Mandalay. She wasn’t able to be a candidate in the upcoming elections because she is a Muslim. Daw Win Mya Mya was one of scores of NLD members injured in an attack on Aung San Suu Kyi's convoy in 2003.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496994671-72S1ZLFEZSOW3PLXKX1G/018-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 26, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). A young print shop employee cleans a screen used to make t-shirts of the NLD party inside Anoud Udchode, a Muslim compound in Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496995357-QDS26DHQS15A8S64N3J8/019-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 27, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). A young Muslim girls holds her identity card stating that her race is "Burmese Indian". In the last years thousands of Burmese Muslims were forced to being labelled as “Pakistani” "Bangladeshi" or “Indian” in their ID cards. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523496999584-TE0U50WJDBT0VY9BJ36W/020-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 27, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). Monks light candles during the Thadingyu festival in Masoeyain monastery. The monastery is home to Ma Ba Tha monk U Wirathu. The ultra-nationalist Buddhist group of monks has been whipping up anti-Muslim sentiment ahead of the polls, holding huge rallies to celebrate the passage of laws that place restrictions on interfaith marriage. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497000218-3IJA0IN8RVPP72JVG9R6/021-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 31, 2015 - Meiktila. Children in a makeshift Madrasa in one of the areas of the city destroyed during the riots in 2013. After 2 years, only 3 of the cities 16 mosques have been reopened. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497006180-85XI30PG20Q3C510M32N/022-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 03. 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. Refugees from the religious violence that took hold of the city in March 2013, they lost their documents and land titles in the fires. Two years on they are still living in shelters by a football pitch on the outskirts of the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497011482-1QN9STP5H6E8PBS77WA1/023-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha October 25, 2015 - Mandalay (Myanmar). Customers eat in a street restaurant in front of Mogul Shia Jamay Mosque in central Mandalay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497013534-K15A6VGMI17DFA77BKR4/024-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 03, 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. Construction workers rebuild one of the houses destroyed during the 2013 violence in a Muslim neighborhood of Meiktila. After two years, just some of the resident have received the permission to rebuild their houses by the government, most of them are still living in temporary shelters. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497020534-8GL5WE4G0BH19D84CG8L/025-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 03, 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. An National League of Democracy rally takes places in Meiktila. Meiktila in 2013 saw three days of religious riots that killed some 40 people. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497021254-G2MZ4GCR44AX51O5K00K/026-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Oct 31, 2015 - Meiktila. Youth play a board game inside a temporary shelter built in one of the areas of the city destroyed during the violent clashes that erupted between Buddhists and Muslims in March 20, 2013. At least 40 people lost their lives during the 3 days of conflict.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497025776-NKY8EV8BB1D5378O84TU/027-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha Nov. 01, 2015 - Meiktila, Myanmar. A young Muslim boy prays in a makeshift Mosque near one of the areas that was destroyed during religious violence in 2013. Only 3 of the cities 16 mosques have been reopened. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523497027231-8KHI4VDJ5NN8YNLVIUY8/028-rising_ma_ba_tha.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Rising Ma Ba Tha - Rising Ma Ba Tha (Copy) Rising Ma Ba Tha November 9, 2015 - Yangon, Myanmar. Supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League of Democracy (NLD) wait outside the party headquarters as a large TV screen shows the results announced by the Union Election Commission. It is predicted that the NLD will win by Myanmar's national elections. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/blood-sugar-1-4yrjn monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439841216-GVNGIE5PX8HN7FM05WZ2/001-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar (Copy) Blood Sugar January 8, 2013 - Omlaing. A family prepares breakfast before start working in the sugar cane plantations the company built outside the village. Many families forced off their land who have lost their only source of income, have little choice but to work for the very companies who have claimed their land, either at the factory level, or cutting and bundling sugar canes for rates as low as US$2.50 per day. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439844633-RBUKGR7NGW7YNOJALXK1/002-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar August 20, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Ms. Pheun Ra (40) in front of her house. In 2010 she was evicted and forced to move with her family in the resettlement village and was given a small plot of land (40x50m) to farm. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439846852-OIFDL5B3LNF15LUV5YD7/003-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 17, 2013 - Srei Ambel. Labourers head to work in the plantations of Srei Ambel. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439851739-0KMT419F49T1DU0YHHQW/004-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 8, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Life in the "camp site" - built for the sugar plantation workers by the Cambodian Corporate "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd". The camp is just a simple shelter with a metallic roof and without any kind of sanitary service, fresh water or electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439854016-5EWGMTEYLEWXKQOGCHCR/005-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia). View of the Phnom Penh Sugar Co Ltd plantation, that covers more than 19.000 hectares and it's owned by Cambodian Senator and tycoon Ly Yong Phat . © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439862794-8Q2C0SRJS28UQMN6EEEA/006-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 8, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Children line up in the courtyard of the small primary school of Omlaing. According to the teachers, there's a very high rate of children who left the school (mainly of students above 15/16 years old) to work in the plantations of sugar cane. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1546499553885-LB9FN4XQ1Y0YN69PHD2F/007-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations B. S. (11) carries a bunch of sugar cane. To help his family (evicted from their land in 2006 to make way for the sugar plantation), S. works normally 2 days a week trying to not loose too many days of school. Sugar plantation of Srei Ambel, Koh Kong - Cambodia. 16 Jan. 2013 © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439874924-0GU8Z6LO2RPEJ8EMI155/008-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). A woman cuts sugar cane inside the plantations belonging to Koh Kong Plan­tation Co. Ltd (KKPC) and the Koh Kong Sugar Co. Ltd. The concessions cover 9,400 ha and 9,700 ha respectively for a duration of 90 years. While the concessions were technically issued to two separate Cambodian legal entities, KKPC and KKSI, the concessions are located side-by-side and have been developed into a single sugarcane plantation with a total area of 19,100 ha. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439870022-BFS1C8BYFBLIXMSMR9NU/009-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). C.S (14yr. old) works a couple days a week in the plantion to help his family. In order to facilitate the cutting,sugar cane fields are burnt before harvesting. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439878812-U2XHBWQW8WR44YNYP9T9/010-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). Labourers rest in the Sugar cane plantation of Srei Ambel. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439884296-HW974P1BEEQ4XYKRWK3W/011-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). In order to facilitate the cutting, sugar cane workers burn part of the fields. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1546499555001-8LU03EPPTTRA4QMLN83M/012-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Chhoyk village, Srei Ambel district, Koh Kong (Cambodia). N. T. at just 9 years old, helps his parents counting and making bunches with the sugar canes. He's from Bang Village - about 2 hours drive away from the plantations, where he lives with his other 2 brothers. His family decided to start working in the plantations as they suffered a very strong drought and they are not able to cultivate their lands. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439893458-OF60YMFG5OANVO10UON0/013-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). B. S. (11) takes a break from working on the sugar cane plantation. Seth works normally 2 days a week trying to not loose too many days of school. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439894634-VAF8SGO5L0TIOFT1XCKN/014-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Villagers from Pis Village at work in the plantation. During raining season, workers are paid less than 3 USD a day to clean and fertilize the sugar canes. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439899619-5YWX2V1UJRNKVYUSL23F/015-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar August 19, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Ms. Yan Sophea (37) together one of her sons - Heng Iyhour (7). In 2010 she was evicted and forced to relocate with her family in Pis village. Nowadays she shares a plot of land with her mother and runs a small shop. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439900220-ACQSWQJJXB14683WGRHW/016-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations March 29, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia). Truck drivers rest inside the "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd" factory's ground. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439908106-1Z3XXE7IFBGONYMWET3O/017-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar August 20, 2015 - Pis Village - Omlaing (Cambodia). Mr. Vaen Mak (57) overlooks Pis village. His family lost 3.5 hectares of land when the company evicted them to build the plantation. The family now owns a small plot a land (40x50m) close to the mountain. The land was full of rocks and It took Mr. Vaen Mak almost 4 years to make it farmable. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for OXFAM Australia https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439905953-3RUS55FUVSH5YWL5HRY8/018-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations March 29, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia).Trucks wait to enter the factory to unload the sugar cane. Phnom Penh Sugar factory. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439914417-IALZYQ29YFR340FLZ8W3/019-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations May 29, 2013 - Omlaing (Cambodia). The main production line of the "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd" factory. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439913482-WR71YOC8CAL10BEPMRXK/020-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar October 1, 2014 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Villagers evicted by Phnom Penh Sugar in Kampong Speu protest in front of the headquarters of ANZ Royal in Phnom Penh. Using fake blood and forcing the bank to close, villagers are seeking the group to take responsibility for their action and request compensation for the eviction. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439918993-D3IM9DQPJPVN2UH2DR2J/021-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar September 30, 2014 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Demonstrators in front of the headquarters of the ANZ Royal bank protest the funding by ANZ Royal to Phnom Penh Sugar who are involved in an ongoing land dispute in Kampong Speu. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439922130-MACHQLRZ2BETMQUB3TBL/022-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). Sugar cane collectors wait to be payed after a hard day of working. They earn around 2.5 USD per day, and their employment normally lasts only three months for year. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439922921-VKFUE6YQLS00DEQVJJMO/023-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 16, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). Sugar cane collectors come back home after a day of work. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439928216-0R4YMN9FKDUHGLOZX5NV/024-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 8, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). T. N. (61) walks back home after a day working in the plantations. She was evicted from her 7 hectares land in 2011, and was forced to accepted a compensation of 300USD (the estimate value of 1 hectare is around 5.000 USD). Now she and her family, don't own any land and they're not self-sufficient anymore (2.5 of the 7 hectares were rice fields) and they had to ask the bank for loans. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439927867-VVDEPNOSZEAPJVB9NQBV/025-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar January 15, 2013 - Srei Ambel (Cambodia). K. K. (13) hugs his litle sister after a day working in the sugar cane plantations. Chhoyk village, Srei Ambel district, Koh Kong, Cambodia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439934769-0C5UQYWS4I8IO6HGQTOK/026-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Life in the "camp site" - built for the sugar plantation workers by the Cambodian Corporate "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd". The camp is just a simple shelter with a metallic roof and without any kind of sanitary service or electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439934177-IUDST441ETJ41FS8LLNV/027-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Labours bath near the manual labourers camp after a day working on the plantation, Phnom Penh Sugar plantation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523439936740-M50HMGTJCJ4RT9DHV07U/028-blood_sugar.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Sugar - Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations (Copy) Blood Sugar: The life in the Cambodian sugar cane plantations January 9, 2013 - Omlaing (Camboda). Life in the "camp site" - built for the sugar plantation workers by the Cambodian Corporate "Phnom Penh Sugar Ltd". The camp is just a simple shelter with a metallic roof and without any kind of sanitary service or electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/vientiane-resce-mjrt9 monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352018384-3ZSO9BO0EV6K2XQ02SXP/vientiane_rescue-1.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A pop group performs during a concert in a club in the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352012397-QZGYELZX8QRHGXX87JW0/vientiane_rescue-2.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A drunk young man rests on a sofa outside a club in the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352025181-I7X1MJBLB3KBIMJX5AJ0/vientiane_rescue-3.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a young driver victim of a traffic accident. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352030601-FNMX4CBLUU8VIXRHLOG1/vientiane_rescue-4.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret together with other volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a young driver who lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352035377-ULLUJRH1MOUBHBGEY1LF/vientiane_rescue-5.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of bystanders is seen reflected through a mirror of a motorbike whose owner was victim of a traffic accident happened nearby. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352036826-EMNX6VZN9YV6FWKLQNYD/vientiane_rescue-6.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young motorbike driver victim of a traffic accident. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352053995-XTUVNP27G04WCDBEC407/vientiane_rescue-7.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of bystanders checks the wreckage of a car that crashed into a palm tree after the driver, a young woman, tried to run away after a hit-and-run with a motorbike. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352054558-YY200QF39IFNTQTPFUOX/vientiane_rescue-8.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young motorbike driver victim of a traffic accident. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352063151-Z49BF0AUM66E98GR6Q1C/vientiane_rescue-9.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Two volunteers of Vientiane Rescue cleans the ambulance after they successfully assisted and transported a victim of a traffic accident to the local hospital. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352067706-22MWQ81D78WGU3WXIJG3/vientiane_rescue-10.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret chats with a group of volunteers of Vientiane Rescue after they successfully assisted and transported a victim of a traffic accident to the local hospital. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352070633-1J0MSOKFP00BUZK88VE9/vientiane_rescue-11.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Mimi (25) blows out candles for her birthday surrounded by a group of volunteers at Dong Duk station. She’s the call Centre manager and she’s been volunteering with Vientiane Rescue for 5 years. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352074933-T0BEUCH207KWHQO3L4GR/vientiane_rescue-12.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Johnson (25), receives updates from the call center of Vientiane Rescue via radio during a rescue mission. He’s a commercial pilot for Lao Skyway and he received a series of rescue training in Thailand such as EMT and rescue diving. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352077336-0YKNHHWIV2YH5K7T8SMB/vientiane_rescue-13.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young driver after he fell with his motorbike outside a popular bar joint in the outskirts of Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352086437-QRTOPFH4HVCBTKYBOTHA/vientiane_rescue-14.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young driver after he fell with his motorbike outside a popular bar joint in the outskirts of Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352096761-ZBRO4WTEFZNE1NFUEIQS/vientiane_rescue-15.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret together with other volunteers of Vientiane Rescue enjoy a cup of noodle after an evening of work through the streets of Vientiane. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352098624-BE07RVKKOJ4AF29BV75W/vientiane_rescue-16.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Vientiane Rescue volunteers relax and watch Youtube videos between calls at Dong Kuk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352108136-0IE9IYTDABLT49XXU68U/vientiane_rescue-17.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352108501-Z4CRC3HQIY5U8FJ40A0Q/vientiane_rescue-18.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Kik (24) works as cashier at a local bank. She’s an emergency medical technician (EMT) trained in Thailand. She’s the one taking care of the newcomers and leads the team during emergency response. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352122203-648AV13MLB6W1JJWO99F/vientiane_rescue-19.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). AI’s son Ton and his wife Phone, help him with a presentation on fire security. AI, works as engineer at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Vientiane and he’s in charge of fire related safety and fire and gas system. He’s been part of Vientiane Rescue for over 2.5 years. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352122451-5ST2JOAW1J6BI6S6SQ8A/vientiane_rescue-20.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Johnson (25) in his office at Vientiane airport. He’s a commercial pilot for Lao Skyway and he received a series of rescue training in Thailand such as EMT and rescue diving. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352129067-FKOU9GKSW0E19DN3I0YH/vientiane_rescue-21.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). AI’s son Ton helps him with a presentation on fire security. AI, works as engineer at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Vientiane and he’s in charge of fire related safety and fire and gas system. They are both volunteers at Vientiane Rescue. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352127431-UKI1APMYMEL7YD8EA24X/vientiane_rescue-22.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Ton (15) gets ready for an evening of work at Dong Duk station. His father Ai, introduced him to Vientiane Rescue a couple of years ago and he’s now one of the youngest volunteer. Despite his really young age, he already received EMT training in Thailand and he’s serious committed to the cause. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352130983-2JLFVPH42MN7VGE6SNFX/vientiane_rescue-23.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Ai and his son Ton leave their house for an evening of work at Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352149772-J6VI8D3DZLHQU1V6TY6Y/vientiane_rescue-24.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Vientiane Rescue volunteers relax themselves inside the calling center of Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352166570-GQKLUFRCUUTYYJAK2XFB/vientiane_rescue-25.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 20, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Ai and his son Ton check the level of oxygen in some tanks at Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352166846-DKD5F3U5SVKJV6RP1OGM/vientiane_rescue-26.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Sébastien Perret greets the family of Anoukhong Keoounheuane - the chief of NongHai station - during a video call. Anoukhong has been with Vientiane Rescue for over 7 years and among the first ones to join the team of volunteers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352175551-MQYRIGS4FUVPEGNQVFWD/vientiane_rescue-27.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of volunteers of Vientiane Rescue have fun in between calls at Dong Duk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352173380-F5IHSMQBNVCOVPBG92VH/vientiane_rescue-28.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Young people consume alcohol in a restaurant located in the outskirts of the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352189257-9XTK3ZEA14I6M94D6HK6/vientiane_rescue-29.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Young people consume alcohol in a restaurant located in the outskirts of the Lao capital Vientiane. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352188481-RFOX8SLH123XQZE8VK4I/vientiane_rescue-30.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a victim of a traffic accident. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352201658-CF93ZLJJBJTMLUVDEU9Y/vientiane_rescue-31.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a victim of a traffic accident. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352214349-IP5SNHFZM8W2U4Y6ETQ9/vientiane_rescue-32.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 22, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A group of 3 friends on a motorbike the parking lot of a restaurant on a motorbike. Laos is an emerging country where just 1/5 of the drivers have a proper driving license and it is the second biggest consumer of alcohol in Southeast Asia. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352227929-TOP66Z3DCZ1IVP57OU9K/vientiane_rescue-33.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assists a young woman victim domestic violence. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352227796-73BHASNQCGWNEAC7J5II/vientiane_rescue-34.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). A volunteer of Vientiane Rescue reports the vital signs of a victim of a traffic accident her team recently brought to the local hospital. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352241866-VO7PVLQFRYK3EXZDV7UW/vientiane_rescue-35.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 18, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Kik (24) together with other volunteers of Vientiane Rescue assist a young driver who lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. She’s an emergency medical technician (EMT) trained in Thailand. She’s the one taking care of the newcomers and leads the team during emergency response. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352239534-269V8UPJ8X07TWMV48YO/vientiane_rescue-36.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Kik (24) and her team of Vientiane Rescue volunteers assist a victim of a traffic accident. The young victim, visibly drunk, lost control of his motorbike and crash into a ditch. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352243719-QGO5ET7FBWKGEOJ6HBGP/vientiane_rescue-37.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1587352246081-DKSSEA8A0BLXK72RILBU/vientiane_rescue-38.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Vientiane Rescue - Vientiane Rescue (Copy) Vientiane Rescue December 21, 2018 - Vientiane (Laos). Vientiane Rescue volunteers rest between calls at Dong Kuk station. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/banda-aceh-youth-under-sharia-j7m6a monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594310506-ZU1098EVH0AFK3TM8L3K/001-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 25, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Devotees pray inside the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. The mosque is one of the few buildings that survived the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of Acehnese lost their lives. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594308306-JM6LDITJ5W0EIKYA2S7O/002-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 02, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). J. is a young university student who's struggling to find her sexual identity in such a conservative society. “I’m not sure if I can be defined as lesbian of bi-sexual - I am attracted to women by their beauty, intelligence but, I feel more secure to be protected by a man.” Hostility towards LGBT people is increasing in Indonesia. Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Saaduddin Djamal, recently instructed youths in villages to help identifying members of the LGBT community so that they can be helped and re-educated. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594315153-PRN4P41ACIJCICEJIH3J/003-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 02, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Nanda (17), Puja (17) and Chichi (18), three female members of the rap group Gram Audio Family, pose at the "Thanks to World Park". Nanda started to rap 3 years ago, she is studying at one of the local high schools, and she would like to become a fashion designer. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594315779-NE6NHALIJEIX3VY7TFJF/004-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 26, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dicky (26) shows one of his tattoos. Dicky is a young semi-pro skater who loves to practice with his friends in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. He lost all his family during the 2004 tsunami and sports a tattoo on his left arm with the date of the tragic event. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594324793-XB2IQWO50I6QKCRS4BUD/005-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young man, caught spending time alone with his girlfriend, is publicly caned in front of a large crowd in the court yard of a school. Alcohol, gambling, not dressing according to Islamic code, premarital romance, and adultery are outlawed and made punishable by public flogging. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594325082-H29CMHM3HZI2F6844VNH/006-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dekdi (21), one of the most talented b-boys in Banda Aceh, performs during a break dancing contest held at a skart park in Oleelheue. He recently won the Break Invasion 7 in Medan, one of the most important contests in Indonesia. Dekdi started dancing 7 years ago and he recently began teaching young break dancers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594331881-MCMOXOPBCMN1HNETJYVI/007-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Some of the members of Nanggroe Break Cypherz crew relax in a coffee bar. Young people in Banda Aceh don't have many places where they can hang out, and they normally meet in numerous cafes around the city. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594332626-4X7JUWDNF4IFDL8B9HSV/008-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 26, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Yudy (26) performs a rail trick in a skate park in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. Around 30 young people skate in Banda Aceh, among them there are 3 girls. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594336054-WB1MRSH1C1QUDUYS32GY/009-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 03, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Ferry (23) and Syifa (20) paint a wall together with other members of their crew. Ferry likes visual arts and founded the crew 3 years ago. Islam has a complicated relationship with drawing, as for some people, to “illustrate creatures with souls” is considered forbidden. He thinks that most of the young people oppose the Sharia law. and is thinking of leaving Aceh in the near future as it’s not a good place for him. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594341311-MNI4EK8LBMQEL2X48RS2/010-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 23, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Two young girls play with their smartphones before the beginning of prayer at the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. The mosque was one of the few buildings that survived the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of Acehnese lost their lives. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594341955-8YCV97YH276K90EI67V6/011-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 27, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Diva (17) practices break dancing under the supervision of Dekdi, one of the best b-boys in Banda Aceh. Diva is a high school student and started practicising break dancing 3-months ago. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594344765-PZPY2P5BDH2IJDMYLALG/012-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Tya (26) learns how to paddle on a surf board in the water of Lho-nga beach in Lampuuk, a few km' outisde of Banda Aceh. She works at a car dealership and tries to come to the beach every day after work. She consideres Lho-nga the only place in Banda Aceh where she can be herself. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594417847-YJD5GPZPJ3XLWRZLJ7LF/013-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). People watch a public caning ceremony in which 18 people are convicted and punished for "immoral acts" - including a young unmarried couple who were caught spending time alone together. Alcohol, gambling, not dressing according to Islamic code, premarital romance and adultery are outlawed and made punishable by public flogging. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594418419-WSL1OJGYVSOQ1UX2G7H1/014-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Felicya (20) practices board tricks with her friends in a skate park in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. She started skating just 2-years ago and she would like to see more girls doing it. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594424815-P2LKIQ0F6T7V8YYKU0WE/015-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). The interior of one of the rooms used by a member of the Kommunitas Kanoot Pu- a collective of artists that live in an abandoned building that was damaged during the tsunami. The collective is composed of 15 members (4 women), among them are painters, illustrators, comic designers, writers, journalists and poets. Their aim is to give knowledge to people, teaching critical thinking. Much of their art has a strong social message. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594423900-X64DTGWJTEDC4XEVYY4J/016-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 27, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Friends of Jakie (right) like to gather inside his bike shop to talk in central Banda Aceh. He's considered one of the best skater and surfer in town. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594432146-7P6KYVBSXJO11DHXAQJP/017-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Kiki (center), one of the few b-girls in town, assists a break dancing contest organized at a skate park in Oleelheue. She works as a receptionist, but she’s studying to be a graphic designer and animator. She loves dancing and would like to participate in contests abroad. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594433216-RMGZU0L7MBCIZZ41EY9I/018-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Ryan (22) and Aulia (32), two of the local surfers, check the conditions of the waves at Lho-Nga, a beach located a few Km outside Banda Aceh. Ryan is studying economics and has been surfing for 14 years. He was living in Bali but decided to come back to finish his studies in Banda Aceh. He misses the waves and lifestyle of Bali, and is planning to leave again, as soon as he's finished with school. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594441644-2LYS04ZMMGVT9SG3BX5Q/019-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 03, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young bride wearing a traditional Acehnese dress, gets married in the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594441302-6PHKPTRG1M954IYHH936/020-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Some of the members of the Nanggroe Break Cypherz crew chat after a break dancing contest organized at a skate park in Oleelheue.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594449342-IFXQOHBROV3GW5727X1L/021-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Local surfers get ready to enter the waters of Lho-Nga, a beach located a few Km outside of Banda Aceh, and one of the best surf spots in north Sumatra. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594451422-QSZX56N3UMO4WC0JIWKI/022-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young woman visits the Tsunami museum. Aceh was the hardest-hit area by the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of its habitants lost their lives in the tragic event. Many Acehnese viewed the disaster as punishment for their lack of devotion to God. Though the Sharia law was officially introduced in 2011, the cataclysmic event helped religious authorities bring a further radicalisation within the society. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594461906-C6DFQFT5NQ548QUWM3MK/023-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 1st, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). One of the members of the Kommunitas Kanoot Pu, a collective of artists that live in an abandoned building that was damaged during the tsunami, collects water from a pit built in the courtyard. The collective is composed of 15 members (4 women), among them are painters, illustrators, comic designers, writers, journalists and poets. Their aim is to give knowledge to people, teaching critical thinking. Much of their art has a strong social message. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594460192-8XTHV4515HPZ9LBR4GL9/024-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dekdi (front) and his brother Nay (blue t-shirt) pray at the back of a cafe. Praying 5 times a day, is mandatory for muslims in Banda Aceh, and many cafes are equipped with prayer areas for the clients. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594465764-S5DODIQSO6MBQA3839DN/025-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 02, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Kiki, one of the few b-girls in town, talks with Nay after a session of break dancing. Many young people consider Nay as a big brother. He's the owner of a barber shop, a restaurant, and is the founder of the biggest hip hop crew in Banda Aceh. He also designs t-shirts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594468758-SJNRWDOLG33SDCRSHE08/026-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Young girls visit the Tsunami museum. Aceh was the hardest-hit area by the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of its habitants lost their lives in the tragic event. Many Acehnese viewed the disaster as punishment for their lack of devotion to God. Though the Sharia law was officially introduced in 2011, the cataclysmic event helped religious authorities bring a further radicalisation within the society. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594473062-TYCW2ZPR2MJW5RD0FEGN/027-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 28, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Dekdi (21), one of the most talented b-boys in Banda Aceh, smokes from a vaporizer. He recently won the Break Invasion 7 in Medan, one of the most important contests in Indonesia. Dekdi started dancing 7-years ago and he recently began teaching young break dancers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594476233-G420JHV1LGZM8MCXUCVF/028-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 29, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). - Felicya (center) hangs with her friends at a skate park in front of the Meshud Agung Al Makmur mosque. She started skating just 2-years ago, and would like to see more girls doing it. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594480449-G0IBQIBSDTFCW62NGZ46/029-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law March 03, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). Sofia and her friends enjoy their time together time at Lho-nga beach in Lampuuk, a few km outisde of Banda Aceh. It is considered as the “tsunami ground zero”. Sofia loves to go to the beach, as it’s the only place where she feels free from all the restraints of society. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523594482136-KXQCNKHDJ7S0LD3EVRRK/030-youth_banda_aceh.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - IN BETWEEN – YOUTH LIVING UNDER THE SHARIA LAW - In between - living under the Sharia Law (Copy) In between - living under the Sharia Law February 25, 2016 - Banda Aceh (Indonesia). A young woman sits outside the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in central Banda Aceh. The mosque was one of the few buildings that survived the 2004 tsunami where +170,000 of Acehnese lost their lives. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/mekong-a-river-in-chains2-bzxxk monthly 0.5 2026-01-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706848406-IVC8IK4OSDLT7H1RQOJZ/001-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls, the location designated for the construction of the Don Sahong Dam. Experts say that the construction of the dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the construction site and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706845243-XXJEFA63N3RLLOWRCQH7/002-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). An army helicopter brings food supplies to the remote village of Bane Pindong, flying over one of the affected areas by the fury of the floods caused by the failure of an auxiliary dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project. 10 days after the accident, most of the villages were still cut off and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles or tractors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706853522-5X1XI5FSZQTNVCXPMWF0/003-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 4, 2014 - Preah Rumkel, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Dorn Bann (47), deputy head of Anlung Cheauteal River Guard Post, poses for a picture inside his house. The particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by the workers building the Don Sahong dam, has forced the dolphins into unprotected waters threatening their survival. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706857772-6QVNTT507H8CN6QHS8HK/004-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 08, 2012 - Ben Tre (Vietnam). A woman rows her boat through the intricate canals outside Ben Tre in the Mekong’s delta region. As the world's 3rd largest delta and one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, the Mekong Delta provides both ecological and food security for its million of inhabitants. According to International Rivers, “dams could significantly reduce fishing, restrict the flow of sediments and elements for agriculture, impact food security and jeopardize the Mekong Delta, in addition to forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to relocate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706858539-P5RTW8PS9JC9GO0A9KRW/005-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains February 14, 2013 - Sihanoukville (Cambodia). A group of divers exercises on the shore of Independent beach. They are part of Cambodia’s first batch of salvage divers trained to recover the thousands of tons of unexploded artillery shells and bullets that lie at the bottom of the country’s lakes and rivers. A potential of 300 ships were sunk in Cambodia’s in the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers in the 1960’s and 70’s, when the former regime received U.S. supply from South Vietnam before being toppled by the Khmer Rouge. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706869425-7MW93EHK7RCR0QON3099/006-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains October 16, 2014 - Tram Chim (Vietnam). Villagers clean and pick fishes to sell to the local market. Along the Mekong’s long path, over sixty million people rely on its waters for rice crops and as a resource for the fishing industry. But in the last decades, the construction of over 39 mega dams along its pathway is putting at risk the delicate ecosystem and the livelihood of million of people. According to International Rivers, “dams could significantly reduce fishing, restrict the flow of sediments and elements for agriculture, impact food security and jeopardize the Mekong Delta, in addition to forcing tens of thousands of inhabitants to relocate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706866847-N6N4O8HURXF7E2BTV1U5/007-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 24, 2018 - Kratie (Cambodia). A team of WWF personal performs an autopsy on the carcass of an Irrawaddy dolphin found dead on June 29th. The mammal was found by local fishermen in the protected area of Kampi and the cause of death was determined as bruising caused by an illegal fishing net. Experts say that the construction of dams will further jeopardize the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish and other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — like the Irrawaddy dolphin. @ Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706873608-ER8PCHK9J38NETRFRBOR/008-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a check point inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706876180-DZ9IGS1G4HD6SEP38E20/009-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vaste area that will be soon flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—is set to displace more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and in turn the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706877050-R247224FP94M8L04B3PS/010-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 26, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A fisherman checks his net in the water in front of the controversial $800 million, 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The project, a joint venture between powerful Cambodian businessman Kith Meng’s Royal Group and Chinese state-owned Hydrolancang International Energy Co Ltd., has been controversial from the start, with experts raising concern about the environmental impact on fish stock and sediment flow, but also because of the thousand of indigenous people whose lives have forever changed when dam’s 50-megawatt turbines went into operation. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706882319-SWIHV7LUB7ZKR2AGS649/011-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of Kbal Romeas’ school, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. Thousands of indigenous Phnong families have been forced to relocate in the process. A 2009 report, released by the NGO Rivers Coalition in Cambodia (3 years before the project was formally app­roved by the Cambodian government), stated that more than 38,000 inhabitants of 86 villages “would lose access to the vast majority of their fisheries resources” were the dam to be built, while 78,000 people would lose some access to fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706886219-7PC00OEWOSIETRLVS6EM/012-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the relocation village built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.— displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and put at risk the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706901273-BS7Y7PMY7J9GRXD8P0VP/013-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains Dec 16, 2016 - Srekou II Village, Cambodia. Thom Ne's husband sits with one of his children. He recently suffered a stroke and he's slowly recovering. The family was relocated from her village in Srekou to make way for the Lower Sesan II dam. They currently have no income in her new location and they already spent all the 6000 USD they received as compensation to move and renovate their house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706915163-QLB860H98P0HE3FJN7UQ/014-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 1st, 2017 - Nakasang (Laos). A group of phi bob take off running through the pond, where they must cover themselves in mud, before continuing to the banks of the Mekong, where they will swim and bathe. The phi bob is a demonic spirit that invades an individual and it is believed to proceed to cause untimely death in humans and livestock. Someone accused by their village of being a phi bob is at best socially ostracised by the community although they may also be threatened with violence or even killed – unless they can get to Nakasang. Since at least the French colonial era, the village has accepted phi bob and rehabilitated them with a special ceremony run by the local spirit mediums. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706921334-YTK96FIMH8UQATH55M3H/015-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 04, 2013 - Champasak (Laos). A fisherman mends his Ly trap at the Khone Phapheng falls, the location designated for the construction of the Don Sahong Dam. Experts say that the construction of the dam will put at risk the ecological integrity of the Lower Mekong as a whole. In particular, it will have a severe impact on the endangered giant catfish, other fish species — some of them unique to the Mekong — and the Irrawaddy dolphin, which has found a natural habitat just two kilometers from the construction site and is already critically endangered. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706929956-GOXBL09WXD9NF4KJ5Y3C/016-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A mother and her daughter catch small fishes in front of the wall built to block the water of the Don Sahong in order to prepare the 308 acres reservoir for the massive hydroelectric dam. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls), less than 2 kilometers upstream of the Laos-Cambodia border. According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706929042-3HSLEERORMAIRHUHPT22/017-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains May 30, 2017 - Don Sahong (Laos). A truck carries rocks inside the construction site of the Don Sahong dam on the Laos - Cambodia border. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls). According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706944153-4BDOPRPQV5WCYT521TIT/018-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Laos Dam Collapse (Copy) Laos Dam Collapse August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). A group of young villagers walks through the main street of the small village of Kokkong, on the edge of area affected by the floods caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam. The village has been partially submerged but most of the houses are covered in mud but still in good condition. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people were confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others were displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706949374-VC1H0XF3OT5DZ9F9A3XW/019-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Aerial view of Mai village, one of the affected villages by the fury of the floods caused by the failure of an auxiliary dam of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower project. According to the measurements made with an European Union’s satellite, the tide of floodwater reached 10m in the village and uprooted trees, power lines and collapsed most of the houses. 8 people lost their lives in the floods just in this village and many are still missing. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706951872-VMYJ1B6ZK75DU28UGO6N/020-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 06, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). Food supplies and medicines are transported with an army helicopter and distributed to the people of the remote Bane Pindong village. 10 days after the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, most of the villages were still cut off and only reachable by air or after a dangerous drive by 4x4 vehicles or tractors. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people are confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others have been displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706961453-VFU78S5R6YCSIH1H81YF/021-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains August 05, 2018 - Attapeu (Laos). 6 bodies of people that lost their lives during the floods caused by the collapse of the Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy dam, and that were recovered in the previous couple of days, are cremated during a Buddhist ceremony. As of 25 September 2018, 40 people are confirmed dead, at least 98 missing and almost 7000 others have been displaced and relocated in temporary camps. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706963765-X0ASTFY97FXC7KJX2K6J/022-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 27, 2015 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). People queue for a Christmas draw at Aeon Mall, one of the biggest and more modern mall in the capital. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706965114-57AUIA1GY9J3LVK001RG/023-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains December 13, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A worker has a cigarette break while cleaning a kiln from broken bricks and ashes. Cambodia is in the midst of a construction boom. The building of high-rise office blocks and housing is pushing the capital city upwards but the country’s vertical drive into the skies and status as one of Asia’s fastest growing economies hides a darker side to Phnom Penh’s ascent. Building projects demand bricks in large quantities and there is a profitable domestic brick production industry using multigenerational workforces of debt-bonded adults and children to supply them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706971913-AFCPYGPFCSKUUWPMCBIS/024-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Fish vendors at the local market of Stung Treng, located where the Mekong and Sesan rivers join together. Fish experts have long warned about damage to fishing stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706971067-HDGWDNARD9H8GKI2CYOL/025-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 22, 2018 - Phnom Penh. A Chinese man look through the windows of the gym built on the 39th floor of the Bridge, a massive mixed-developments costed around $300 million and built by the Chinese company Sino Great Wall. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706983175-EMN0ZK3SIQI1KTLCW6WM/026-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A solar powered light illuminates Sreui Lang (19) and her small baby in the house they rebuilt a couple of km from their ancestral village Kbal Romeas, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in October 2017. Sreui Lang belongs to one of the 58 Phnong indigenous families who decided not to leave their village and continue fighting to preserve their way of life and identity. Struggling to find clean water and surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations the families resettled to an elevated area, a couple of km away from their ancestral village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706982310-IF5UAA2M0L0HIWIKLR2O/027-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains Dec 15, 2016 - Preah Rumkel (Cambodia). Floodlights across the Mekong river, the particular stretch of area near the Laos-Cambodia border was once the protected home of the Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. The cacophony of noise from daily explosives used by workers building the Don Sahong dam has forced the 3 dolphins left into unprotected waters. The 260 megawatts project is set to be completed in 2019 and is located in the Siphandone (Khone Falls). According to many experts, the dam will block the main channel passable year-round by fish migrating upstream, threatening vital subsistence and commercial fisheries in the Lower Mekong Basin. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706990295-XMWUX80DSYCF3TIMXZX0/028-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains July 19, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A single window has seen lit in newly built condominium in central Phnom Penh. In the last years, Cambodia’s real estate sector has seen a boom in high-end investment especially by Chinese buyers and has stoked concerns that they are pumping up a market in a country where the median household income is only around $11,000 per year. Half of the buyers are Chinese and most of the purchases are made for investment purposes by people who neither live in Cambodia nor rent the units. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706992371-X6AGIOYAQICVKTHQOHTR/029-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains November 15, 2016 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Thousands of people gather on the river banks to enjoy a firework show for the closing ceremony of the water festival. “Bon Om Touk” or the Water Festival, is a Cambodian festival celebrated in November and marks the unique reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap River (one of the Mekong’s tributaries) Visitors from every Cambodian province travel to Phnom Penh to watch boat races and attend free concerts and fireworks shows. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1547706996075-GQWC7W7WOA3L0F9E49Z7/030-mekong_river_in_chains.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Mekong: a river in chains (on going) - Mekong: a river in chains (Copy) Mekong: a river in chains January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Locals enjoy an evening stroll at "Hun Sen Park" in central Phnom Penh. Behind them, the building of "Naga World 2" - the only casino licensed to operated in the Cambodian capital. Owned by the Malaysian multi-billioner Chen Lip Keong, the casino specifically targets Chinese clients. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/blood-bricks--yx3ly monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477577356-ZTO2WIF4W0UEQL2SMXSK/001-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A truck full of wood is unloaded at night in a brick kiln located in the periphery of Phnom Penh. The government has imposed sever restriction on logging due to high levels of deforestation in recent decades. Nonetheless, some kiln owners continue to use logs for fuel in brick kilns, with the unloading of logs taking place at night to avoid detection. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477583937-30QT82Z8DCHL0UP8PWMG/002-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Drying bricks are framed by hanging washing, a reminder that the kiln site is a space of work and home for debt-bonded brick workers and their families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477594107-3IUTYDIE4O4YYRD1O723/003-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Yorm digs out clay from a huge pile of earth in a small brick factory located in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. 4 years ago, his son lost an arm while working in the brick factory. The family had to borrow an additional 1500 USD from the owner (they owned 4000 USD already) to pay for the medical expenses. The kid now lives with an NGO who’s providing him with education. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477597547-XB64ENBXIA7CGH23X2RE/004-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Leakena removes bricks that have been fired from inside the kiln, and moves them onto a cart to stack them outside for cooling. Leakena is paid on a piece-rate basis for this work, like all workers on the kiln site, so she is incentivised to work faster. Due to the heat of the kiln after firing, workers like Leakena report issues like migraines, nosebleeds, and more serious conditions. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477598111-8H7KCQIUT4AGS8GM6H4H/005-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Leap loads garment off-cuts into the brick kiln fire late into the night. Brick firing takes around 10 days, and several workers are forced to labour into the night and on early mornings to complete tasks and collect piece rate wages. Despite this, they are still forced to borrow increased amounts from kiln owners during the rainy season, when work stops due to the risk of damaging bricks, and kiln owners generally prevent workers from leaving the kiln to find other work. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477604936-SP0L9SOM91JSZUP09Z02/006-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Reaksmey loads rice husks into a basket to fuel the brick kiln. He was working as construction worker and he was earning more money than here, but he had to quit to help his family repaying a 4000 USD debts they own to the factory’s owner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477611181-LAV8ZF5YMF1DSL1YUV09/007-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Raeksmey cleans one of the brick kiln from the ash produced during the cooking process, a work that normally takes him around 6 days to complete. He works together with his wife and 3 children (all minor) earning around 50 USD. He has been working in the factory since 2015, when the family’s debt - around 2000 USD - was bought by the owner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477615439-EAPM8A21H91XHXY6T12F/008-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sochea (5) has a sleep after lunch in the family’s house located inside a brick factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Her family, originally from Kampong Cham, has a debt of 800 USD when her brother had an accident and, unable to repay for the expenses, they were forced to sell their house and moved to work into a brick factory. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477622996-97QRZRG7DJ4W5NMT67CG/009-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A man throws his fishing net in a pond in front of a group of houses used by the workers of a brick factory. Many factory owners provides basic house accommodation for the workers who live there with their families, but often the few dollars they earn per day are not enough to sustain themselves and many have to go out fishing after work. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477622348-W2DWD88V4E5M43JH4NEG/010-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Veasna, a smallholder farmer in a village with high migration to brick kilns, sprays pesticide over his field. Many smallholder farmers report an increase in pests due to increasingly erratic rains. Over the past two decades, the cost of chemical inputs like pesticide has risen, and the government continues to provide scant support to farmers. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477630080-CXQ6SLB7BJK3LAK3IGOY/011-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Munny provides medical and spiritual services to residents of this brick sending village. This type of traditional medicine is particularly popular with brick workers and sending village families who in many cases cannot afford to access formal medical services. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477630779-8L5JIAOUVLCJDOMKO3U5/012-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Treating a broken arm, Tevy, a 73-year old woman, applies a mixture of rice wine and wild roots to her grandson’s broken arm in order to help reduce the swelling. A few days earlier he fell from a tree whilst collecting tamarind. Our research in sender villages found that many families are only one illness away from having to follow departed neighbours who have entered brick work due to unsustainable debt. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477638741-BI4PPF9NXLU7QTDZSUIG/013-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sopheap disassembles copper wires from an old interrupter. A few years ago one of her son asked a loan of 1 million Riel (around 260 USD) while he was working in a brick factory and then run away. Sopheap was asked to repay her son’s debt. She worked for some time in the same factory and now she’s earning money selling scrap metals. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477639604-7KOIPZXBS0V3DMADVIE6/014-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Darany, a smallholder farmer in a village with high migration to brick kilns, ploughs a rice field. Most smallholder farmers continue to cultivate rice as their mainstay, both for subsistence and for commercial purposes. The research finds that the combination of poor state support for agriculture and the impacts of climate change render this a precarious form of farming. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477648270-9RUEP5UT4U0EYG7LYRB4/015-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Nakry stacks fired bricks outside the kiln to dry. Once dried, bricks are sold to construction sites across Phnom Penh and elsewhere. Dried bricks are transported to trucks by kiln workers, ready for transport to construction projects. This transportation work is also paid piece rate. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477647359-L6WJDBS0NEMCB1MFAFNG/016-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Boran feeds clay into a brick-moulding machine. Machines like this present a serious danger of limb loss, but workers have little choice but to use them. Boran’s family are debt-bonded, they owe £2,000 to the kiln owner, far more than a brick-working family could ever earn in a year. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477658924-VBS4GWII4UAYXYT544IU/017-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sothea pulls a cart with recently made bricks inside a factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. A few years ago her brother suddenly died of exhaustion at the age of 40. This kind of sudden exhaustion – leading in some cases to death – is referred to as “Kjal Goh” and it is relatively common amongst brick workers. Also one of her son, P. (12) was paralysed and left unable to walk after being pushed from a pile of bricks by other children at the kiln. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477658951-YPZYAE6IKGG1QWCAYN4T/018-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Aerial view of a group of brick factories in the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Most of the surrounding fields, once owned by local villagers, have now been sold to the owners of the factories and used to dig clay to produce bricks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477668842-0Q3IYC141ESANC9CBTEF/019-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Sann stands among labels from garment off-cuts that are used to fire the brick kiln. The research identified well-known British and global fashion brands whose off-cuts are used in these brick kilns. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477670600-11CNG2EDKJ18A22ICWLG/020-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Piseth loads a brick kiln with a bag full of garment off-cuts. These off-cuts are purchased by kiln owners as they are transported from Phnom Penh’s garment factories to the dump located on the outskirts of the city. Piseth came to work on the brick kilns after previous generations of his family did the same. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477674364-ZXIZGPPQZILGBYS1R4I0/021-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A man pushes a cart full of bricks that have been fired inside the kiln of a factory located in the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Workers are paid on a piece-rate basis for this work, so they are incentivised to work faster. Due to the heat of the kiln after firing, workers report issues like migraines, nosebleeds, and more serious conditions.© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477676233-3GBUYKJ1L3OLOEBM21OY/022-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A worker transporting logs surveys a kiln site at night using the light of his head lamp. Despite restrictions, some kilns continue to use logs as fuel, though due to a crackdown on logging by the government in recent years, logs are delivered to kilns at night to avoid scrutiny. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477681157-J6N0HJGBVAYIPR5TX4CH/023-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Srei-Mom, a 10-year old girl, helps her parents by carrying fired bricks out of the kiln. As well as helping their parents, children that grow up on the kilns can also end up taking on their parents’ debt when they reach adulthood. In this way, debt bondage on the kilns becomes intergenerational. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477685687-VZQAUCIBQL2DMFHHUHYW/024-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A burning brick kiln stands surrounded by heaps of garment off-cuts, waiting to go into the kiln fire. Garment off-cuts are found to be from major global brands, and are used because they offer a cheap and readily available source of fuel for brick kilns, therefore lowering costs for kiln owners. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477691939-QK2J6YTDN445MN3NT0X2/025-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Piseth (54) works at one of the machine to mold bricks together with his wife Chenda (45), son Kosal (14) and daughter Phalla (15). The family has a 2500 USD debt with the owner of the factory after they sold their rice field. The family is payed around 200.000 riel (50 USD) to produce 20.000 bricks, a work that takes them around a week to complete. They also need to take care of the gasoline to run the machine, spending an additional 4 USD per week. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477695492-XPO5VEGL3KYAHTO0QMR8/026-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Children of kiln workers play together on site. Children of kiln workers play together on site. Some children work in kilns after school (if they attend) or at the weekends to help their parents pay off debts faster. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477704939-CSSJ4VT4DWLLMHV8Q82B/027-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Kosal empties ash from the kiln into a nearby pond. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477706246-W2AX2DST8CRYK3F559Z6/028-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Phala, a debt-bonded brick worker, excavates clay. He normally works together with his wife and their children trying to repay a US$1,000 debt. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477712285-NOSS5SBD5MSI6QRSSME9/029-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Chariya loads fired bricks on a cart to be transported out of the kiln. Her 10-year old daughter also helps the family, children that grow up on the kilns can also end up taking on their parents’ debt when they reach adulthood. In this way, debt bondage on the kilns becomes intergenerational. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477717501-BYUDVRH8OPM6CRD2WF9A/030-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Workers at the construction site of the Parisian-style "Élysée" development project currently on Koh Pich (Diamond Island). The island is home to Phnom Penh’s most expensive and ostentatious building projects© Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477719598-A4EJ4V9YV49E21ZX09IW/031-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan September 08, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). View of the temporary shacks used by workers employed in the construction of the $150 million commercial and residential project "The Élysée" on Koh Pich island. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477726026-PRX3GA7C6VONJ9EJHXZ7/032-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan September 08, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). View of the construction site of the $150 million commercial and residential project "The Élysée" on Koh Pich island. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477733248-1RL2TIRKSSMU7NUA0UMU/033-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan December 28, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A replica Arc de Triomphe is built at The Elysee development using blood bricks, located on Phnom Penh’s ‘Diamond Island’ (Koh Pich). The island is home to Phnom Penh’s most expensive and ostentatious building projects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477736416-N33PYVRMAO35KDW90DYN/034-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan An image of Buddha drawn on the walls of the kiln. Many brick workers are deeply religious and make sense of their current hardships through promise of a better life. Brick kiln owners encourage workers to pursue a “good character” as diligent workers and the subsequent merit it brings. In some cases this moral commitment is one of the key factors preventing workers from simply fleeing the kiln and abandoning their debts. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477755969-O5WK1IWI0M1C4UUB94BL/035-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Meng(45) cuts pieces of clay to make bricks together with his wife Sophea and his sister. They have been working in the factory for over 20 years and they own the owner around 1000USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477757530-A1IEGSTZM7ZTP6NYHNGX/036-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Srey (21) and her mother Vicheta (48) unload a cart full of bricks to dry. Her father was a farmer but when his mother got sick he had to borrow money and, unable to repay the loan he was forced to sell the land. The family borrowed more money for buying a motorcycle and to pay for their sons’ wedding and they now own 5000 USD to the factory’s owner. The family is payed around 200.000 riel (50 USD) to produce 20.000 bricks, a work that takes them around a week to complete. They also need to take care of the gasoline to run the machine spending an additional 4 USD per week. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477772233-IBZEYD0LNHOOCZAJAR9C/037-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Garment waste dump site, located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The dump is also used by the city’s garment industry to dispose of garment off-cuts. Some of these are intercepted by kiln owners and used as fuels for kiln fires. Garment off-cuts used on brick kilns come from garments made for a number of global brands including M&S, Walmart and J Crew. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477779679-CIO3N24E6IYUM49LZMLF/038-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Aerial view of the dump used by the city’s garment industry to dispose of garment off-cuts in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Some of these are intercepted by kiln owners and used as fuels for kiln fires. Garment off-cuts used on brick kilns come from garments made for a number of global brands including M&S, Walmart and J Crew. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477791566-LMTXUN6N8A76W92M1G5S/039-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Garment waste dump site, located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The dump is also used by the city’s garment industry to dispose of garment off-cuts. Some of these are intercepted by kiln owners and used as fuels for kiln fires. Garment off-cuts used on brick kilns come from garments made for a number of global brands including M&S, Walmart and J Crew. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477802442-HBO0C4XM5TWJZ20P0LF9/040-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A kid plays on a pile of bags full of garment off-cuts from the garment production. Factories in this area use it as fuel creating huge columns of black smoke contaminating the houses of the people who live in the neighborhood. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477820236-TF58EPLZ9P4BH2QXW5OV/041-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Children play around moulded bricks that are drying, waiting to be fired. Children often come with indebted parents to live on brick kilns. Kiln owners prefer that debt-bonded labourers bring their whole family, as it reduces the risk that they will runaway. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477832452-8O57GNOHVDT8SI8UJZ9G/042-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Reaksmey and his wife Phalla use an hydraulic log-splitter to cut pieces of wood to be burn in the kilns of one of the brick factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Originally from Svay Rieng province, they have been working in the factory for 2 years and they own around 1000 USD when they asked for a loan to buy a motorbike. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477831846-RF5LLQSOXXEDL0105KG3/043-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A thick column of blackened smoke emerges from one of the kilns where garment off-cuts are used as fuel. Kilns are located next to houses, and kiln workers and their families live on the kiln site itself, so many people are exposed to these fumes. Protective equipment for workers is minimal, and many report numerous adverse health effects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477843974-0W3O5HF5BLWSGQIJGE87/044-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Children of kiln workers play together on site. Children of kiln workers play together on site. Some children work in kilns after school (if they attend) or at the weekends to help their parents pay off debts faster. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477841355-3IO0V36WB7KG9PMASZV0/045-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Blood from a duck that recently killed is put in a plate for a late consumption. Many workers subsist raising chickens and other domestic animals, collecting vegetables and fishing in ponds close to the factories. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477851329-9QVFJL1N7YKQ0DRM3YJO/046-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A young girl has a shower in front of one of the houses built by the owner of a brick factory in the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. The owners of the factories normally provides basic house accommodation for the workers who live there with their families. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477852618-UX308A9ZUS0YN1NJ2G58/047-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan The houses of debt-bonded brick workers and their families stand nestled into kiln site. Most families live in single-room corrugated iron constructions, located next to kilns. Despite the poor conditions, these are also social spaces where workers meet to eat, drink and socialise, and where many children spend their childhood. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477861166-OJBKEED5Q07H3R5JFDQB/048-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan Kunea (23) with her newborn baby inside one of the house built for the workers of a brick factory in the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Originally from Prey Veng, she struggled to find a job at home and she decided to move to the factory together with her husband Piseth (25). They have now collected around 200 USD of debt with the owner. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477863926-9NBQZTSPOAYOXPZNMT80/049-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan A thick column of blackened smoke emerges from one of the kilns where garment off-cuts are used as fuel. Kilns are located next to houses, and kiln workers and their families live on the kiln site itself, so many people are exposed to these fumes. Protective equipment for workers is minimal, and many report numerous adverse health effects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for Royal Holloway, University of London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1541477867016-1OQI1RZIAVSUKXER8GK6/050-blood_bricks.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Change from Cambodia - Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan (Copy) Blood Bricks - Untold Stories of Modern Slavery and Climate Chan January 18, 2017 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Panoramic aerial view of Koh Pich (Diamond Island). The island is home to Phnom Penh’s most expensive and ostentatious building projects. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/lower-sesan-2-d3rwr monthly 0.5 2026-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810604363-MAGZE1QKK801QTDEJ5BX/lower_sesan2_dam-001.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 August 18, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A view of the vast area that will soon be flooded when the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam is finished. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam is seriously affecting fisheries and the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810606820-XFRM7WS4BKLK220P9MAC/lower_sesan2_dam-002.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 August 25, 2015 - Sre Kor village, Stung Treng (Cambodia). An old sign used to educate villagers to protect the environment is seen outside Sre Kor village. The village and the sorrounding areas have now been flooded with the closure of the gates of the Lower Sesan II dam. The 400-MW plant —a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.—displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam is seriously affecting fisheries and the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810608956-H7KKUKW4P2Z8F32P7QDW/lower_sesan2_dam-003.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 December 17, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A truck carrying logs passes through a checkpoint inside the construction site of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. A powerful conglomerate, headed by tycoon Kith Meng, chairman of Royal Group, received carte blanche by the goverment to fell and sell timber inside the 36,000-hectare reservoir reserved for the dam. But forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810613285-IQB7YM6YOS5EFK5HIWQN/lower_sesan2_dam-004.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 Dec 17, 2016 - Pluk Village, Cambodia. A group of fishermen and loggers in a temporary settlement along the Lower Sesan River. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810616751-2AEHMAS7RWZ4ZNWP351M/lower_sesan2_dam-005.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 — Kbal Romeas, Cambodia. Je Srey Neang (wearing a pink T-shirt) shares a meal with her extended family in her small home in Kbal Romeas. For several years, she and her family fought against a proposed relocation plan. Born in the village, she feared losing her indigenous identity if forced to leave her ancestral land and forest. She now lives in a settlement built by villagers who refused the relocation plan offered by the company and the government. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810619826-039ZF5SWOJXTPPE7C9EL/lower_sesan2_dam-006.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). A spray sign 'No LS2 Dam' is seen on one of the houses of Kbal Romeas. This is one of the villages that has been submerged by the water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate, losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810632373-B71AFMZC3CO4SBK34R5P/lower_sesan2_dam-007.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 August 25, 2015 — Sre Kor village, Stung Treng, Cambodia. Local residents transport pieces of timber using a tractor. A powerful conglomerate led by tycoon Kith Meng, chairman of Royal Group, was granted permission by the government to fell and sell timber within the 36,000-hectare reservoir designated for the Lower Sesan 2 dam. However, forest monitors allege that the dam’s construction triggered large-scale deforestation of protected forests in surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810637066-3BNRWWBKFUK27WZ6IAD3/lower_sesan2_dam-008.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 — Kbal Romeas, Cambodia. Monks have lunch at the pagoda of Kbal Romeas. The village was later submerged after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families—most of them indigenous—living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate, losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural resources that the forest and river had provided for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810642256-HTOXLJY22V1O12XPRGJY/lower_sesan2_dam-009.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Aug. 17, 2016 - Kbal Romeas (Cambodia). A wedding photo of Je Srey Neang and her husband in her small house in Kbal Romeas. The relocation cost the couple their marriage. Srey Neang fought hard against the relocation plan while her husband wanted to accept, leading them to divorce. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810644738-O1KGJYFVBH04KMIUW70B/lower_sesan2_dam-010.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 16, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Ouch Vibol, an activist at CEBA (Cultural and Environment Preservation Association of Cambodia) shows a map with the areas - indicated in green - that will be flooded once the construction of the Lower Sesan II dam will be completed. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810647612-ZKY8JF53GEUEWS6KG0KI/lower_sesan2_dam-011.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view at sunrise of the controversial 400-megawatt Lower Sesan II Dam built in northern Cambodia. The dam produces most of the energy during the day affecting the level of the water of the Sesan river downstream during the night when the gates are closed. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810653921-NO2DN7H0EAJASH9863KQ/lower_sesan2_dam-012.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of what remain of the forest that once surrounded the Lower Sesan 2’s reservoir. Forest monitors allege that the construction of the dam led to large-scale deforestation of protected timber in the surrounding areas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810657536-3MOPNRV8E1GQ9DRH89GN/lower_sesan2_dam-013.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 August 19, 2016 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the one of relocation sites built by authorities for people that were living in the Lower Sesan 2 Dam reservoir area. The 400-MW dam—a joint venture between Cambodian businessman Kith Meng and China’s Hydrolancang International Energy Co. Ltd.— displaced more than 5,000 villagers in Sesan district. Studies claim that the dam could seriously affect fisheries, and put at risk the livelihoods of more than 100,000 residents living upstream and downstream of the dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810660939-TS2D70XFGQU06JWO5KQY/lower_sesan2_dam-014.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 10, 2020 - Kbal Romeas II (Cambodia). Bai Yoeun washes his hands with the water from a well built in the relocation site for the people who were living in Kbal Romeas. Villagers complain that the quality of the water is not good enough for drinking and they use it just for washing and watering plants. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810663275-99ENJUF6TPGNLSGCD9UB/lower_sesan2_dam-015.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 December 16, 2016 - Sre Kor II Village, Cambodia. Thom Ne's husband sits with one of his children. He recently suffered a stroke and he's slowly recovering. The family was relocated from her village in Sre Kor to make way for the Lower Sesan II dam. They currently have no income in her new location and they already spent all the 6000 USD they received as compensation to move and renovate their house. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810665132-HDZVRUROWH39ER6SIOKO/lower_sesan2_dam-016.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 05, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Sothea fishes in front of the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Since the dam has blocked the river, he noticed less and less fish and it’s difficult for him and the other fishermen to catch anything. On a good day, he can catch around 10kg of fish and sell to a middle man for around 17 USD. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810667071-FLM1HSYM76W64GE9JKQX/lower_sesan2_dam-017.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A solar powered light illuminates Sreui Lang (19) and her small baby in the house they rebuilt a couple of km from their ancestral village Kbal Romeas, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in October 2017. Sreui Lang belongs to one of the 58 Phnong indigenous families who decided not to leave their village and continue fighting to preserve their way of life and identity. Struggling to find clean water and surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations the families resettled to an elevated area, a couple of km away from their ancestral village. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810669056-GXV6030DW2B7PEV11S1J/lower_sesan2_dam-018.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 July 19, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A single window has seen lit in newly built condominium in central Phnom Penh. In the last years, Cambodia’s real estate sector has seen a boom in high-end investment especially by Chinese buyers and has stoked concerns that they are pumping up a market in a country where the median household income is only around $11,000 per year. Half of the buyers are Chinese and most of the purchases are made for investment purposes by people who neither live in Cambodia nor rent the units. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810670964-0IWEY9NWW4DWPI4UWEV9/lower_sesan2_dam-019.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 Dec 18, 2016 - Kratie, Cambodia. Workers connect lines for new electrify towers in Cambodia. Cambodia’s power grid has been largely dependent on electricity imports from neighbouring countries since 1993, with the country having to import 1,691 megawatts from Vietnam, 579 megawatts from Thailand and 10.73 megawatts from Laos in 2013. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810674765-7LR29KP1BHGPZ32UVF65/lower_sesan2_dam-020.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 10, 2019 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). A supermarket in Phnom Penh during a power cut. Due to the insufficient level of water to supply hydroelectric dams, Cambodia experienced an energy deficiency of 400MW and authorities were forced to repeatedly cut the energy supply to vast parts of the capital, drastically affecting small business owners and people who didn’t have access to generators or solar power. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810677013-K7MGZMC889MMB59EB39H/lower_sesan2_dam-021.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). View of one of the classroom of Kbal Romeas’ school, now flooded after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were finally closed in October 2017. Thousands of indigenous Phnong families have been forced to relocate in the process. A 2009 report, released by the NGO Rivers Coalition in Cambodia (3 years before the project was formally app­roved by the Cambodian government), stated that more than 38,000 inhabitants of 86 villages “would lose access to the vast majority of their fisheries resources” were the dam to be built, while 78,000 people would lose some access to fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810678873-KIYIIYXKSTEYJK7NWEJU/lower_sesan2_dam-022.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Activist and former Sre Kor’s inhabitant Sokhourn and his little son watch TV in their new house. His village was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Sokhourn, together with other families, decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and he settled in a new village built at the edge of the reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810680178-4LAWP5JY5KGHKQNG0SC7/lower_sesan2_dam-023.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A ferry's service now help connecting the 2 shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam's reservoir transporting goods and people. With the closing of the dam’s gates, the villages of Kbal Romeas and nearby Sre Kor were flooded and a massive lake now covers what once were hectares of ancestral forests and rice fields and dozen of families of fishermen have moved from other Cambodian provinces to take advantage of the abundance of fish. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810682816-BIQ1HWLUCJ85RO0XECKV/lower_sesan2_dam-024.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Phnong villagers from the - now flooded - Kbal Romeas meet to discuss how to rebuild their new settlement. Kbal Romeas was submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Some families decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and they settled in a new village built at the edge of the dam’s reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810684940-23NSRAGOXEM2G7D4JQI5/lower_sesan2_dam-025.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A group of villagers build a new house in Sre Kor Thmei, a new settlement created by a 73 families of former residents of the old Sre Kor who decided to not accept the relocation deal from the government. 73 families - mostly ethnic Lao - living in Sre Kor were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810690731-SJOFODNX4V3446LITYH7/lower_sesan2_dam-026.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Phnong villagers from the - now flooded - Kbal Romeas meet to discuss how to rebuild their new settlement. Kbal Romeas was submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Some families decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and they settled in a new village built at the edge of the dam’s reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810693993-LTUH4YCUEB8ML0V2KO7C/lower_sesan2_dam-027.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Elders held a ceremony for the spirits to celebrate the foundation of the new village of Kbal Romeas with a small shrine made of bamboo and offers of rice and drinks. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810696933-WOOD56PW3K2DGUL6VY5V/lower_sesan2_dam-028.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Banners used during the protests against the relocation are seen used as a garden fence by activist and former Sre Kor’s inhabitant Pheng Khey. Her village was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Pheng Khey, together with other families, decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and he settled in a new village built at the edge of the reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810699987-3HEESI8V3R8C8YDR48ZF/lower_sesan2_dam-029.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Kharn and her son Vatha collect cashew nuts in their 2 hectares farms in a new settlement created by villagers from the old Sre Kor and who decided to not accept the relocation deal from the government. 73 families - mostly ethnic Lao - living in Sre Kor were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810702754-O8352LQ5U267PZ5T6O4G/lower_sesan2_dam-030.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 November 13, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the old Kabal Romeas, one of the villages that has been submerged by the water after the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Kbal Romeas and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810704898-MWOGNS68ILZ6PZ4MUYEH/lower_sesan2_dam-031.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Activist and former Sre Kor’s inhabitant Sokhourn, shows the remaining of his house. The village was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. Sokhourn, together with other families, decided to not accept the terms of the relocation from the government and he settled in a new village built at the edge of the reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810707553-3JO4F6UTT9FSQV854JTT/lower_sesan2_dam-032.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A man is seen loading water from the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir into a tank to sell it to the villagers of Sre Kor Thmei. During the dry season. villagers don’t have access to clean water and they’re forced to buy it from these sellers. Sre Kor Thmei is one of the new settlements for the villagers who were forced to relocated to make space for the Lower Sesan 2 dam. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810711273-DWVZBL3OL8J1XLU3BOAH/lower_sesan2_dam-033.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 07, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Villagers are seen crossing the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir on a ferry trying to reach Sre Kor Mouy - a new village built by the former residents of Sre Kor and who didn’t accept the terms of the relocation from the government. Sre Kor was completely submerged when the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810713705-PDDUW50Y7GIHAQ3MUXQL/lower_sesan2_dam-034.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 9, 2020 - Ksach Thmey, Stung Treng (Cambodia). A family prepares dinner in their house in Ksach Thmey. Located upstream from the dam, Lao and Khmer families from Ksach Thmey village lost 30 per cent of their farmlands to the reservoir, and their remaining land is now prone to flooding. No compensation was provided to them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810717125-CFSBSHOHR3ZN0ESQ0VX6/lower_sesan2_dam-035.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Workers repair a section of the fish ladder built close to the Lower Sesan 2 dam. The system costed $1.5 million and was engineered to facilitate fish migration overcoming the barriers caused by the dam. However no independent study has been conducted gauging the LS2 dam’s impact on fisheries since 2012 and it’s not clear how effective the ladders are. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810726968-EL8WI69IP0MXCDZFZDQC/lower_sesan2_dam-036.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 9, 2020 - Ksach Thmey, Stung Treng (Cambodia). Cattle roam across land that is now uncultivable due to periodic water infiltration and flooding. Located upstream from the dam, Lao and Khmer families from Ksach Thmey village lost 30 per cent of their farmlands to the reservoir, and their remaining land is now prone to flooding. No compensation was provided to them. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810727913-KXF29VC477FTBWXTY6UZ/lower_sesan2_dam-037.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 November 13, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the forest that surrounds the new settlement of Kbal Romeas and now partially flooded by the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810731786-DU9XTVAVTRZCKETDL3UX/lower_sesan2_dam-038.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 06, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). A middleman buys fish from local fishermen in the stretch of the river in front of the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam. Fishing in area around the dam site is forbidden and fishermen can be fined up to 1.000.000 riel (250 USD). © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810734139-K7X9TWO6PF4NGIM0F7SR/lower_sesan2_dam-039.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 08, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Aerial view of the old Sre Kor, one of the villages that has been submerged by the water once the gates of the Lower Sesan 2 dam were closed in 2017. Thousands of families - mostly indigenous - living in Sre Kor and nearby villages were forced to relocate losing access to their ancestral lands and to the natural products that the forest and the river had provided them for generations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810737166-92UR9SHC9OT6PCYQTLA1/lower_sesan2_dam-040.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 25, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Rithy (23) holds a snake that his cousin just caught in the forest. They will sell the meat in the local market for around 25 USD. The villagers were relying heavenly on the natural products they could find in the forest and the Sesan river. Forced to move their houses, they’re now struggling to find clean water and animals to hunt as the new village is surrounded by large-scale industrial plantations. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810741560-KNYIBIW5DJEO4Q33UPWX/lower_sesan2_dam-041.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 10, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Snails are collected in one of the Cham settlements built on the shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir. When the dam gates closed, a fish boom occurred in the reservoir. Invasive species of fish and shellfish also began to appear. Ethnic Cham settlers from Kampong Cham Province, many of whom were landless or land-poor, moved in to take advantage of the fishery (depicted here), causing conflict with Bunong families from Kbal Romeas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810744684-XASRNJX25FX65QREV7MK/lower_sesan2_dam-042.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 24, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Je Srey Neang in her new house with one of her daughter. The villagers were recently able to organize an impromptu school and a volunteer teacher is now giving classes to their children. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810748415-RJGL7BSVULYEAYYICVOX/lower_sesan2_dam-043.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 March 10, 2020 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Small fishes are collected to produce “Prahok” - a traditional Cambodian fermented fish paste - in one of the Cham settlements built on the shores of the Lower Sesan 2 dam’s reservoir. When the dam gates closed, a fish boom occurred in the reservoir. Invasive species of fish and shellfish also began to appear. Ethnic Cham settlers from Kampong Cham Province, many of whom were landless or land-poor, moved in to take advantage of the fishery (depicted here), causing conflict with Bunong families from Kbal Romeas. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810751575-I611V85V0AG5KX5QBGI9/lower_sesan2_dam-044.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 April 27, 2018 - Stung Treng (Cambodia). Fish vendors at the local market of Stung Treng, located where the Mekong and Sesan rivers join together. Fish experts have long warned about damage to fishing stock due of the construction of dams like the Don Sahong and Lower Sesan 2 on the Mekong river and its tributaries. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1644810761305-16A059P8A5E2YM1XCHVT/lower_sesan2_dam-047.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Dammed - Stories from the Lower Sesan 2 - Lower Sesan 2 (Copy) Lower Sesan 2 January 05, 2018 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Locals enjoy an evening stroll at "Hun Sen Park" in central Phnom Penh. Behind them, the building of "Naga World 2" - the only casino licensed to operated in the Cambodian capital. Owned by the Malaysian multi-billioner Chen Lip Keong, the casino specifically targets Chinese clients. Cambodia has undergone rapid economic development in recent decades. However, the country still lacks the infrastructure required for the energy sector to match the pace of development, especially for the capital Phnom Penh, that alone consumes 90% of Cambodia’s electricity. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/stories/cambodian-stolen-artefacts-fd4dx monthly 0.5 2026-01-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145136277-1YFQSE65AXFTG5ZXPW99/koh_ker_temple-002.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - More discoveries at Koh Ker November 17, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Aerial view of Prasat Thom, the main temple of Koh Ker located in northern Cambodia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144369150-M3O3PJH9CFOPZWJNWVW6/lion_the_former_looter-002.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lion" October 28, 2021 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Former looter "Lion" with the statue of Shiva and Skanda that he looted in the 90' within the Koh Ker complex. The piece has recently been returned by Douglas Latchford's daughter to the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144382431-67I37A2UQDW7DH2IV5Z2/Lion_visits_koh_ker-014.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). “Lion” at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple where years ago he looted two females statues, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144373862-80T7P2NEDEIQ1TNF45Y0/Lion_visits_koh_ker-004.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). "Lion" imitates the lion statue that he looted years ago inside Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144379347-E30JLLQN7KPU14RRC4WN/Lion_visits_koh_ker-012.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). "Lion" touches the pedestal of a missing statue that he looted years ago inside Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. This may be the base of the Standing Female Deity from Nancy Wiener at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144379349-HXXFYCP0XY1UB68T08NB/Lion_visits_koh_ker-007.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 2nd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter Lion" walks towards Prasat Thom, the main temple of Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144392103-UV9QTIKZ4H7BY550YP4D/Lion_visits_koh_ker-033.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 3rd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). “Lion” overlooks a team of archeologists from the Cambodian Ministry of Culture during an excavation at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple to locate the pedestal bases of statues he looted years previously. Lion looted two females statues from this site, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144388977-8FNHX661LT78M0CF6OYB/Lion_visits_koh_ker-028.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples (Copy) Former looter "Lions" visit Koh Ker temples November 3rd, 2021 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). A team of archeologists from the Cambodian Ministry of Culture during an excavation at Tmor Bay Kream’s temple to locate the pedestal bases of statues “Lion” looted years previously. Lion looted two females statues from this site, one of them is believed to be at the MET. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144333132-CWX6WUHHDBG5ION679Y4/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-031.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Phoeurng Sackona - Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts - poses for a portrait inside The National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144340326-RTSSAPS1SW3G7DNJ9WQD/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-044.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Workers at an excavation site at Prasat Krachap’s temple (Koh Ker). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144338463-01N3SLZW6FJ1H0Y6YC3Y/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-040.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Brad J. Gordon talks with Thach Phanit, one of the archeologist working at the excavation site at Prasat Krachap’s temple (Koh Ker). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144357951-8GXP13X0CAXMP9Q8CW34/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-085.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter “Blue Tiger” walks through the remnants of Prasat Khnar temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144352410-6TL6ATHM6Y2M6AV7A5YK/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-074.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter “Blue Tiger” poses for a portrait at Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144351771-TCULXD7XIVQASFJCRFTA/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-072.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 6, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Former looter “Blue Tiger” poses for a portrait at Prasat Thom, Koh Ker. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144364773-BEXNXQK9YKHKJZMT5PLJ/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-104.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Brad J. Gordon’s assistants chat about a bas-relief of Prasat Khnar temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144366808-0XNYP9KR5Y9OA5ELHFQ8/cambodia_stolen_artifacts-111.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Cambodian stolen artifacts (Copy) Cambodian stolen artifacts April 7, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). Brad J. Gordon’s assistants chat with a villager regarding the looting of statues and artifacts from Prasat Khnar temple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145172050-80DV9CSH1Q3W4E24YYV2/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-043.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Koh Ker Temples (Copy) Koh Ker Temples August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the stunning Prasat Pram in Koh Ker. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145178277-59KE6XSAAJTSEN683FIV/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-053.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Prasat Tadong (Copy) Prasat Tadong August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the jungle and rice fields that surround the remote Prasat Tadong temple built in the 9th century at the feet of Kulen mountains. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145172042-OM0J04S8PCSXRITR7T5N/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-049.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Prasat Tadong (Copy) Prasat Tadong August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the broken pedestal of a statue at remote Prasat Tadong temple built in the 9th century at the feet of Kulen mountains. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681145175952-1L51C1UHBVWTQ4MPJJFZ/cambodia_looted_antiquities+-051.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Prasat Tadong (Copy) Prasat Tadong August 10, 2022 - Preah Vihear (Cambodia). View of the remote Prasat Tadong temple built in the 9th century at the feet of Kulen mountains. Photo by Thomas Cristofoletti / Special to The Denver Post https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144324875-PRI43JX7GJCMUA4H6H8M/Antiquites_Handover_Museum_PP-005.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum (Copy) Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum July 13, 2022 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Assistant Secretary Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy and H.E Minister Phoeurng Sackona preside a handover ceremony of a batch of antiquities stolen from Cambodia and recently returned to the National Museum of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1681144327232-I1JMLYU3CAEWH7A8OMNW/Antiquites_Handover_Museum_PP-007.jpg PHOTOJOURNALISM - Cambodian Stolen Artefacts - Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum (Copy) Antiquites Handover Event at the Natioanl Museum July 13, 2022 - Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Assistant Secretary Daniel J. Kritenbrink, Ambassador W. Patrick Murphy and H.E Minister Phoeurng Sackona preside a handover ceremony of a batch of antiquities stolen from Cambodia and recently returned to the National Museum of Phnom Penh. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/bca0e109-0582-486a-bb9c-6081fe29d2da/NYT_Lion_FrontPage.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/33a1cfc8-a870-4730-8674-3114ef43bb6f/NYT_Lion_INT.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1740993331354-3U9TS5LEUXOT9C63BHQG/NYT-national-Feb22.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/c156e284-aede-4722-b079-3a1910b6640e/DenverPost_FrontPage.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/e92b1840-c430-45cb-9534-d06d1b2f45c7/Denver_Post01.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/79036b3d-8b30-4848-ab71-266ea3d20b32/Denver_Post02.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/5635ac6c-15f3-4989-aaaf-10911476acf6/Denver_Post03.jpg https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development daily 0.75 2026-01-23 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-dominican-republic-fighting-zika-kwc8y monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523878219323-H1A92KELL1P565FCGGBU/007-USAID_DR_Arianny_Teanny.jpg Development - USAID DR - Combating Zika: Hope for Teanny’s Future - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 26, 2017 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco waits for her turn at Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital in Santo Domingo. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523878218554-O7TQ8RHY90QBI0P7283X/018-USAID_DR_Arianny_Teanny.jpg Development - USAID DR - Combating Zika: Hope for Teanny’s Future - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 26, 2017 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). A physician during a therapy session on the little Teanny at the Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital in Santo Domingo. Her mother, Arianny Polanco, was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant, and Teanny was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523878222751-9AQQC1GBPHAKUQ6QMB4P/021-USAID_DR_Arianny_Teanny.jpg Development - USAID DR - Combating Zika: Hope for Teanny’s Future - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 26, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco dries clothes with the help of her mother. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523878224563-PDWI9XPJ07OBDJ9SUTE6/034-USAID_DR_Arianny_Teanny.jpg Development - USAID DR - Combating Zika: Hope for Teanny’s Future - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 27, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco feeds her daughter Teanny in their house in San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523878230910-Z7TD2C9V3K50J05J7HAH/049-USAID_DR_Arianny_Teanny.jpg Development - USAID DR - Combating Zika: Hope for Teanny’s Future - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 27, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco enjoys some time with her family in one of the parks of San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523878230149-ISDYI79O1JVZVZZ1557O/072-USAID_DR_Arianny_Teanny.jpg Development - USAID DR - Combating Zika: Hope for Teanny’s Future - USAID DR - Arianny and Teanny June 28, 2017 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Arianny Polanco during therapy session for her daughter Teanny in the local hospital of San Cristóbal. Arianny was diagnosed with Zika while pregnant with her daughter, Teanny, who was born with Microcephaly, a birth defect linked with the virus. USAID is strengthening health services to prevent Zika and provide care and support to affected families. By working in Latin America and the Caribbean to control the spread of Zika, USAID is helping reduce travel-related infections and keeping citizens in the United States safe and healthy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / RUOM for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-dr-yamara-fighting-for-conservation-phna7 monthly 0.5 2026-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686831696-4ZY3AX94T1P75IO9X40J/001-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcano, a fisherman from Sanchez, a coastal town in the Dominican Republic, rises before the sun to prepare for a day of fishing on the Sanchez Bay. With USAID, he is pioneering a new way of fishing that is helping to protect the bay's endangered coral reefs and restore a once thriving fish population. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686831704-3R5AP7Q0VSGA4Z8HOUVQ/005-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686834971-HID3Y36TTK8PHWRG3NZB/008-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686852299-VRQFLH5ZQV432QKJR2CJ/033-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686835275-RXN4LRZW0XE0MKEF8XUP/011-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686845126-7A80U90UF292N28VBEYW/017-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fishermen Juan Calcone and Jose Alberto often work together to haul in their catch. They are on the front lines against overfishing in their community and use a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage to the bay. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686845778-6BEATJDP37NXKXQ8HW3M/026-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 25, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fisherman Juan Calcone is a passionate advocate for restoring the Sanchez Bay's fish life and sharing its natural wonders with tourists. That is why he is working with USAID and using a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage than other methods. "If I use any other nets that are harmful I'm hurting myself," he says. "Because I won't be able to survive, my kids won't be able to survive." © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686848219-IE9ZJNQLKCHHL4798K4I/028-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 25, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez fisherman Juan Calcone is a passionate advocate for restoring the Sanchez Bay's fish life and sharing its natural wonders with tourists. That is why he is working with USAID and using a special kind of fishing net that causes less damage than other methods. "If I use any other nets that are harmful I'm hurting myself," he says. "Because I won't be able to survive, my kids won't be able to survive." © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686841973-EWNZNT9YD0S8JERQ2NNS/013-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686856900-659GTQD6GK0TS9GOMBCC/037-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686869214-F3XWD3L6LOVC9U103TOV/044-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Sanchez Bay in the Dominican Republic is a work place for the local fishermen and a natural paradise for vacationers. USAID is helping a cooperative of fishermen reap the benefits from both, protecting the bay and sharing the natural wonders of their home with visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686878242-YGSMJ1719YA8JC0O9O7C/045-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686881415-DGGZUKAJ73YN0S5KA77J/051-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). Juan Calcone is both fishermen and nature guide in his hometown of Sanchez, Dominican Republic. A USAID project is helping fishermen like him with a deep knowledge of the Sanchez Bay boost their livelihoods through both improved fishing techniques and tourism. Bird watching, kayaking and being wowed by mangroves are just some of the options for visitors. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686882428-3O6X4RV09554A27L9NAI/055-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). A special kind of fishing net call the “suripera” must be unfurled and set up the evening before fishermen go out on the hunt for their catch. But the extra time is worth it. The net causes less damage to coral reefs, and is helping restore the bay's once thriving fish population. Juan Calcone, a fishermen from Sanchez, Dominican Republic, is one of the many fishermen in his community using the nets through a USAID project. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1542686889412-SFHV3SWC5EOZZZ439LIB/060-USAID_DR_Yamara.jpg Development - USAID DR - Yamara, fighting for conservation - USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara (Copy) USAID Domincan Republic - Yamara May 24, 2018 - Sanchez (Dominican Republic). A special kind of fishing net call the “suripera” must be unfurled and set up the evening before fishermen go out on the hunt for their catch. But the extra time is worth it. The net causes less damage to coral reefs, and is helping restore the bay's once thriving fish population. Juan Calcone, a fishermen from Sanchez, Dominican Republic, is one of the many fishermen in his community using the nets through a USAID project. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-el-salvador-one-community-finds-peace-8dagc monthly 0.5 2026-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877241016-7QZXLBQIIOBGD0TYQ0WY/001-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015: Kevin, a Salvadoran teen, trains a group of kids in the small soccer field of the outreach center. Like many young people in El Salvador’s most violent communities, his life has been fraught with difficulty. He has not seen his mother since she migrated to the United States when he was 6 years old. His older brother is in jail, charged with the murder of a rival gang member. Despite the challenges, Kevin has recently found purpose and meaning teaching soccer to other at-risk youth at a USAID-supported outreach center in Ilobasco, El Salvador. “Soccer here, it’s very effective,” he says. “If kids were more involved in this maybe they would not be thinking about gangs and bad stuff.” At outreach centers throughout the region, USAID provides youth from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala’s most violent communities with a peaceful place to do homework, use the computer, study English or play sports. “They think that because they’re poor, there is no one to support them,” says Kevin. “I teach them about worth and respect, that they respect themselves, respect their friends, and that they make friendships.” USAID supports over 100 similar outreach centers throughout El Salvador - one of the most violent countries in the Western Hemisphere. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877240002-D09T8IXUV3BJBO1G289H/002-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015 Kevin is a 17-year-old beneficiary of a USAID-supported outreach center in Ilobasco, El Salvador. Kevin was one of the first people in his neighborhood to show up at the center, which offers young people in the violent, gang-prone Ilobasco a safe space to learn and play; and keeps them off the streets. But before long, Kevin also began teaching soccer to the centers’ girls and boys. “They think that because they’re poor, there’s no one to support them, and gangs will bring them happiness,” he says. Around 200 young people come to this center, where they can learn how to use a computer or take English classes, play instruments and games and socialize with other children in a safe, supervised environment. USAID supports over 100 such centers across El Salvador - a country with one of the highest murder rates in the world. “They do their homework there and we help them the best way we can. They feel like they have support at the outreach center. We try to make it easier for them,” Kevin says. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877243408-BFB50IF4G8GY2CFMZ94I/003-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015: Children in Ilobasco, El Salvador practice soccer, one of several activities available to them at the USAID-supported Miranda Outreach Center where they can learn, play and socialize in a safe environment, away from the gang violence that plagues the community. “Soccer here, it’s very effective,” says Kevin, the center’s 17-year old volunteer soccer coach. “If kids were more involved in this maybe they would not be thinking about gangs and bad stuff.” Across El Salvador and Central America, USAID supports outreach centers as one way to address the insecurity and lack of options that can cause migrations to the United States, including a recent wave of around 50,000 minors who left in the summer of 2014. These centers give youth from Central America’s most violent communities a peaceful place to do homework, use the computer, study English or play sports. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877243762-SU856X8SYS9PAFTUD0KT/004-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015: Children during a computer class at the Miranda Outreach Center in Ilobasco, El Salvador. Around 200 at-risk young people come to this center, where they can learn how to use a computer or take English classes, play instruments and games and socialize with other children in a safe, supervised environment. USAID supports over 100 such centers across El Salvador - one of the most violent countries in the West Hemisphere. Throughout Central America, outreach centers are one way that USAID seeks to address the factors causing young people to attempt a costly and dangerous migration to the United States - including insecurity, crime, and a lack of economic and educational options. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877248344-UJ3UO9YT6S7TN2NONIQF/005-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 19, 2015: Kevin plays table football with some kids at the Miranda Outreach Center in Ilobasco, El Salvador. Around 200 at-risk young people come to this center, where they can learn how to use a computer or take English classes, play instruments and games and socialize with other children in a safe, supervised environment. USAID supports over 100 such centers across El Salvador - one of the most violent countries in the West Hemisphere. Throughout Central America, outreach centers are one way that USAID seeks to address the factors causing young people to attempt a costly and dangerous migration to the United States - including insecurity, crime, and a lack of economic and educational options. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877248658-67EORM94T036WC1D6YXO/006-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa gives 7th grade students at El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador, a lesson in ethics and values. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877252845-H9XFR7O1O0UF2WFNREXH/007-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa plays with students at El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877253908-3E7D9GQIL5DW1CBETCGK/008-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa poses together with her collagues from the Violence Prevention Division in the courtyard of El Barreal school in Ilobasco, El Salvador. As a community police officer, Sandra works extensively with young people, making regular visits to the community’s schools, and even teaching summer school as part of a USAID-supported pilot program. “In the street, they will only find bad company. They are vulnerable,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons they join gangs.” Because Latin American and Caribbean youth are the main perpetrators of crime, USAID supports community policing programs that help to build trust between at-risk communities and law enforcement. “Kids are the future of our country,” says Hernández Reynosa. “If we start with them, I’m sure we will have a country free of of violence and without so much prejudice.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877260174-CKLPBN80KJRXUWRFF0D8/009-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officer Sandra Elizabeth Hernández Reynosa walks the streets of Ilobasco with her colleagues from the Violence Prevention Division. On these foot patrols, the officers will visit around 15 houses in an eight-hour shift, getting to know residents, explaining their efforts and attempting to earn their trust. USAID supports community policing in El Salvador as part of its efforts to reduce crime in one of the most violence-prone countries in the Western Hemisphere. “When we do the street patrols, we have a lot of contact with citizens. People tell us their problems. And we help them in whatever way we can,” says Hernández Reynosa. Community policing is a new tactic for El Salvador, where tensions run high between law enforcement and residents caught in the crosshairs of gang activity. In the areas where community policing has been implemented in pilot programs, murder and robbery rates decreased by around a third, while confidence in the police has risen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523877262043-C1P2GJ99ZJQ7MKJ9ZDN6/010-usaid_el_salvador_kevin.jpg Development - USAID El Salvador - One Community Finds Peace - Kevin’s Story: Finding Peace in Ilobasco ILOBASCO, EL SALVADOR - FEBRUARY 20, 2015: Police officers from the Violence Prevention Division during a patrol through the streets of Ilobasco. On these foot patrols, the officers will visit around 15 houses in an eight-hour shift, getting to know residents, explaining their efforts and attempting to earn their trust. USAID supports community policing in El Salvador as part of its efforts to reduce crime in one of the most violence-prone countries in the Western Hemisphere. “When we do the street patrols, we have a lot of contact with citizens. People tell us their problems. And we help them in whatever way we can,” says Hernández Reynosa. Community policing is a new tactic for El Salvador, where tensions run high between law enforcement and residents caught in the crosshairs of gang activity. In the areas where community policing has been implemented in pilot programs, murder and robbery rates decreased by around a third, while confidence in the police has risen. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-colombia-my-name-is-tania-4dd2a monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591918833-DXEUYHLCPVBUA0R3C8L0/015-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Tania Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist for the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, gets dressed at her home in Cartagena, Colombia. Tania is the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and fights so that those who commit crimes against LGBT persons are brought to justice. “The impact of Caribe Afirmativo is that before, here in Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, no one was talking about sexual diversity. No one was talking about gender identity. No one was talking about human rights reports. There were no data, there was no follow up. We were invisible people who, if we existed, only existed on TV,” says Duarte. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591919426-ZVTP6W547A06M3Z9P768/023-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Tania Duarte is a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist for the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo. She is also the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and advocates against impunity for those who commit crimes against this population. “I wish that there were more [trans persons] who could pursue a higher education like I am, and who could study medicine or law, or become an engineer,” says Duarte. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591922589-AW1EMGBMNT2VRKVVFXXC/033-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Tania Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist for the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, during a class at the university. She is also the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and advocates against impunity for those who commit crimes against this population. “I wish that there were more [trans persons] who could pursue a higher education like I am, and who could study medicine or law, or become an engineer,” says Duarte. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592011042-8ISLM8UDI5M98R7S8HVN/032-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Tania Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy student and trans activist, talks with members of LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo. She is also the first trans person to study at Cartagena University. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” When she is not studying, Duarte works for Caribe Afirmativo, which was founded in 2007 after the violent murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and advocates against impunity for those who commit crimes against this population. “I wish that there were more [trans persons] who could pursue a higher education like I am, and who could study medicine or law, or become an engineer,” says Duarte. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591929653-PE3H8MVUPWHIYH6HJVQT/059-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 25, 2015: Tania Duarte,  a student and trans activist for the group Caribe Afirmativo, talks with police officers in Cartagena on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. With support from USAID, Caribe Afirmativo works with many sectors of society to try to improve the safety and well-being of members of the LGBT community, including improving their relationship with police. “Before, being gay was a crime, a sin and a sickness,” Duarte tells the police in a presentation where she explains the difference between sexual and gender identity. The trans community in Cartagena faces the most violence and persecution of any segment of the LGBT community. Of the 119 LGBT murders that Caribe Afirmativo has documented over the past seven years in Colombia’s Caribbean region, more than two-thirds were of trans individuals. “This is a racist and machista city,” she explains. “We are still seen as sick, socially maladjusted, and with psychological problems. And this goes hand in hand with the stereotype that we can only be prostitutes or hairdressers.” Caribe Afirmativo was founded in 2007 after the murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and fights so that those who commit crimes against this population are brought to justice. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591923365-4P7RKY4XN0RSC11LKXSG/045-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 25, 2015: Wilson Castañeda, the director of the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, trains police officers in the city of Cartagena, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. With support from USAID, Caribe Afirmativo works with many sectors of society to try to improve the well-being of members of the LGBT community, including improving their relationship with police. “In our first human rights report in 2007, we discovered something very troubling,” says Castañeda. “And that was that the people who committed the most violence against the LGBT population in Colombia’s Caribbean region were the police.” In Cartagena, where prostitution is legal and sexual tourism is common, altercations between police and sex workers would often turn violent, with the trans population the most affected by the violence. As part of its advocacy efforts, Caribe Afirmativo works with the local police, giving trainings on sexual and gender diversity and the rights of the LGBT community. Caribe Afirmativo was founded in 2007 after the murder of the college professor and LGBT rights activist Rolando Peréz. The group documents cases of abuse against the LGBT population, trains law enforcement and policy officials on human rights, and advocates against impunity for those who commit crimes against this population. From 2007 to 2014, the group documented 119 murders of LGBT members. Only 25 cases were brought to trial, and there were only five convictions. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591930353-6393P2YVFA3GGHD0WS8J/066-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 25, 2015: Wilson Castañeda, director of the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, and the trans activist Tania Duarte participate in a weekly radio program hosted by the police in Cartageña, Colombia. Each Friday, members of Caribe Afirmativo discuss on air the issues faced by the LGBT community in Colombia’s Caribbean region on a program heard by around 80,000 listeners. “We talk about marriage equality, we talk about same-sex adoption, we talk about the sexual transmission of disease. We touch upon many topics, but not only those that affect us, but also affect the community in general,” says Duarte, a 23-year-old philosophy major. Throughout Colombia’s Caribbean region, Caribe Afirmativo works to transform the way the society views and treats LGBT individuals. “The impact of Caribe Afirmativo is that before, here in Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, no one was talking about sexual diversity. No one was talking about gender identity. No one was talking about human rights reports. There were no data, there was no follow up. We were invisible people who, if we existed, only existed on TV,” says Duarte, who is the only trans person studying at Cartagena University. Castañeda explains that the trans population in the Colombian Caribbean faces the most danger of any segment of the LGBT community: “Of the 119 murders [of LGBT members] in the past seven years, 70 percent were of trans persons.” Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523591933225-MT7IRIC3XA8WVEZ6IRMH/097-lgbt_rights_Colombia.jpg Development - USAID COLOMBIA - My name is Tania CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - FEBRUARY 26, 2015: Wilson Castañeda, director of the LGBT rights group Caribe Afirmativo, and the trans activist Tania Duarte meet with members of the trans community in a poor suburb of Cartagena, Colombia, where many of them live. “Sometimes they are pelted with rocks, they are chased, they are stopped from using public transport,” says Duarte, herself a 23-year-old transgendered person. “There is drug trafficking, there are gangs. And because there is such a closed-mindedness and a patriarchal culture in this city, it’s very hard for them to be in certain spaces where they want to be.” As part of her work with Caribe Afirmativo, Duarte helps educate other trans individuals about their rights, and provides support and services. The group also participates in public theater and acts to help sensitize the Cartagena community to issues of sexual diversity. As part of its work to improve the safety and well-being of LGBT members in Colombia’s Caribbean region, Caribe Afirmativo also works hand-in-hand with local policymakers and officials, documenting violence, training law enforcement and other officials on human rights, and fighting so those who commit crimes against the LGBT population are brought to justice. Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and around the world, USAID works side by side with groups like Caribe Afirmativo to support human rights and dignity. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-jamaica-ruben-the-violence-interrupter-9mh5b monthly 0.5 2026-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592973224-1O40N7WOV7QYBXRBAVQ1/001_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson poses for a portrait. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592969037-NG5GMSPQ48V3H2AWN45L/019_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 10, 2016 - Ruben Robinson writes lirics on a notebook. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592974729-U8U2YFPYRDPQ332Q2LHO/023_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 10, 2016 - Ruben Robinson together with some of his friends. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592981388-7XRFF8R0GXRFI9IDOD1G/026_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 10, 2016 - Ruben Robinson talks with members of his community. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592981345-E4891AV9OQP7VJ7U2ZU7/033_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 10, 2016 - Ruben Robinson help his daugther with her school work. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592985101-JE99X6HTQXEGKTSLUQPK/038_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 10, 2016 - Ruben Robinson talks with members of his community. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592985569-GT0APGL1FZ01R4NL13MC/042_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson talks with Howard Lewis. Lewis is a Jamaican social worker in the Canterbury neighborhood, in Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. In Canterbury, he works as part of a Jamaican Government program to reduce crime and violence. He supports at-risk youth and mentors violence interrupters like Ruben Robinson, a reformed gangster who is now working to bring calm to his community. “As a violence interrupter, it is your responsibility to know everything that is going on, be current,” says Lewis. “You have to be very credible. We don’t allow you to do this kind of work if the community does not trust you.” USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592994375-PZBO978OQH3M381JJJGW/046_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson reaches out a group of youth attending a governamental school. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523592994700-5UUI3T1VR4HF293ED9W0/051_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson reaches out a group of youth attending a governamental school. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523593001955-CATTZ4EN1FVDWP25K1OD/080_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523593003749-WZX6VUESMG6K02XORQ6O/089_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1523593001957-SXM4VZG8V6A3KRSKMZ99/076_USAID_Jamaica_Ruben.jpg Development - USAID JAMAICA - Ruben, the violence interrupter - USAID Jamaica - Ruben, Violence Interrupter MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, MAY 11, 2016 - Ruben Robinson plays soccer with some of the kids of his neighborhood. Robinson is a 36-year-old community activist from the Canterbury neighborhood of Montego Bay, Jamaica - one of the most violent communities in the Western Hemisphere. Ruben got into gang life from an early age, pushed, he says, by poverty and a difficult home life. “When I was 9 I started smoking weed. When I was 13 I started using guns,” he says. “Things got so wild, we started killing just to earn our money.” As he grew older, Robinson became a notorious Canterbury criminal and spent time in jail. Though Robinson long wanted to leave gang life, his turning point came in 2013 when he was approached to participate in a program supported by the Government of Jamaica to engages at-risk youth with positive and productive activities rather than illicit ones. He soon after became a violence interrupter, working with members of his community to prevent criminal activity. Violence interrupters are often the first line of defense in high-crime neighbors. They are chosen because they have the credibility needed to affect change. USAID helped develop the community-based policing program in Jamaica and has worked with Jamaican authorities to pilot it as part of its Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. It is based on a successful Chicago model that is used in several American cities to combat crime. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-dr-erison-love-for-baseball-and-literature-hd89h monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307877758-2JZ3ROALTPEXF126A4RT/001-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). From his home, it takes Erison Frias about 20 minutes to walk a dirt and mud path that leads to his school, Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba. Friends, a mobile phone and a mini portable speaker help the time fly by. Erison is one of the students who participate in Baseball Cares, a partnership between USAID and Major League Baseball. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307892239-2TW0GD3IF8M5HGDP4Y3N/010-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Students at Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba attend physical education class. Some of the students are also part of Baseball Cares, an initiative with USAID and Major League Baseball that that uses the principles and values of baseball to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307904415-JIMIHYUKAS6W27UR35RT/021-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison attends a studying class at the Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba. Boys and girls from the Dominican Republic are part of the USAID-sponsored Baseball Cares project, an initiative that taps into the country’s love of baseball to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307905264-H6S8L3DS4CBPYFK3NUAS/024-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison attends a class at the Centro Educativo Del Nivel Medio Mariano de Jesus Saba. Boys and girls from the Dominican Republic are part of the USAID-sponsored Baseball Cares project, an initiative that taps into the country’s love of baseball to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307912664-A17R4ORSP2158HB58V8X/032-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Baseball Cares’ Ester Frias leads a lively classroom discussion about incorporating the positive values of baseball into the classroom -- and into life outside the classroom -- for a group of teens. USAID and Major League Baseball began the initiative to instill the values of baseball while also promoting literacy for young people in the Dominican Republic. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307911764-YHI40K0OP7Y4IOEB6UA6/038-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Baseball Cares’ Ester Frias leads a lively classroom discussion about incorporating the positive values of baseball into the classroom -- and into life outside the classroom -- for a group of teens. USAID and Major League Baseball began the initiative to instill the values of baseball while also promoting literacy for young people in the Dominican Republic. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307919954-72SKXS8F429VX309U6TD/042-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307927000-8B7MBEZE2K36YZ0D9EA7/046-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, joins friends for a game of baseball after school in a neighbor’s yard in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. The ball is made of old socks and the bat is a stick. The country is passionate about baseball. That is why USAID partnered with Major League Baseball here to marry the values of baseball with lessons in literacy in the country's school system. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307932001-S9MIY3MCQAZJHIDJJ10F/050-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, joins friends for a game of baseball after school in a neighbor’s yard in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. The ball is made of old socks and the bat is a stick. The country is passionate about baseball. That is why USAID partnered with Major League Baseball here to marry the values of baseball with lessons in literacy in the country's school system. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307931999-ITKEFMRGAVAY8L6F55WX/056-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 21, 2018 - San Cristóbal (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias, 15, does his homework in the courtyard of his home. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners, and has had his story illustrated and published. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307938855-W9551L5W04BNAYN9KE08/063-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 22, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison and his father Nelson Frias visit the Quisqueya stadium. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic, including through a writing contest. Erison Frias, 15, was one of the winners. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307940415-BYV8Y5A6G48UWIU02923/074-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias and his classmates warmed up at the Angels Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307946948-AW6YQ6BLTM4PBLEMWBIH/083-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison Frias and his classmates warmed up at the Angels Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307955087-XJNP82PYGYISUZAGEWN0/092-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero meets with Erison and other kids at the Angels Baseball Academy in the outskirts of Santo Domingo. He recently greeted participants in Baseball Cares, a partnership between USAID and Major League Baseball to use the principles of the game to promote literacy. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1539307960834-TAQ6990QBM28YB8I4N7L/098-USAID_DR_Erison_baseball_care.jpg Development - USAID DR - Erison's love for baseball and literature - USAID DR - Erison (Copy) USAID DR - Erison May 23, 2018 - Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic). Erison shows a ball signed by MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero. USAID and Major League Baseball work through Baseball Cares to promote literacy and life skills to children in the Dominican Republic. Baseball players from the Dominican Republic, including recent MLB Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, are helping inspire the students to stay in school and succeed in life. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/when-people-have-the-power-dkwmm monthly 0.5 2026-01-12 https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/usaid-ethiopia-aberu-ddrgc monthly 0.5 2026-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055646752-0280MTNT9C3109VIJPOP/018-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Aerial view of Aberu’s village. Aberu Mamo, 33, and her husband, Samuel Shumuye, 38, had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055475284-6VGANNZOQLJM7PKJN1J0/002-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait outside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055480826-6NLA8I5GHJWBVPCRGBGF/003-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) prepares breakfast in her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055480810-K3GDX4UX7QFNG5F3AZ1J/004-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) prepares breakfast in her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055496015-N97VL9I2AQMJAOZT3WA7/005-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait inside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055502026-SEFYMV6RFWUL6NZF4WNF/006-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Samuel Shumuye, 38, leads his cattle out for grazing in South Tigray, Ethiopia. Samuel and his wife had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055511262-RZ3JYMRSZS8MGCOM3WJK/007-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- In South Tigray, Ethiopia, farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, chats with her neighbor Yasin Hagos Mohammed, 51. Aberu’s family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055511269-RAU0WPD7AEZ05G46HSBT/008-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 5, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo (33) poses for a portrait outside her house. Her family had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055530512-DE3TEWRX1M7LK2LRRBSX/009-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 3, 2018 -- Farmer Samuel Shumuye, 38, works with laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. His family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055524859-M736817NM0U6LM4P1NXV/010-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055533598-AXXDSXS6RR8N4XR23KU2/011-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055535947-3XEZL0IAAUPU1RB1G6XC/012-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055559181-RYI0SBKP5XN2L9IDMTLD/013-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055559446-61Y09LXE0578C4IL7GVN/014-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055611924-IZPZ3WT1ZVY14RO1CJ8C/015-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055590177-L2X8BK15ZEHP4QYAFYL2/016-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055624392-B4G0XR2KYGYQEZCPIWAX/017-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 4, 2018 -- Farmer Aberu Mamo, 33, works with her husband and laborers to harvest wheat from a field they rent in South Tigray, Ethiopia. The family of five had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1555055470115-12DR28K3O7KLFA7BFXVA/001-USAID_Ethiopia_Aberu.jpg Development - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu's savings plan - USAID Ethiopia - Aberu (Copy) USAID Ethiopia - Aberu December 6, 2018 -- Aerial view of Aberu’s village. Aberu Mamo, 33, and her husband, Samuel Shumuye, 38, had been reliant on the Ethiopian Government’s social safety net program to provide food for their family of five, but they wanted to be independent. With help from USAID, they learned how to save money, diversify their income sources, and take out loans to invest in business. Within a year, they self-graduated from the government program, confident they could weather setbacks caused by drought and crop loss on their own. © Thomas Cristofoletti / Ruom for USAID https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/obama-foundation-we-keep-pedaling-forward-8k8dc monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930900164-ZGP75IJTTDWV8ZZHH99E/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_001.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 18, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Brand new bikes provided by the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund are unloaded before a ceremony where they will be handed over to a new class of rural students. The fund works with Vietnamese children and their families to ensure access to high-quality education throughout the country. Amongst other programs, they partner with organizations like the Red Cross to identify children who are likely to end their education early due to the time it takes to travel to school. That's where the bikes come in. They make it far easier for children, especially girls, to get to school safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The Fund is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930903487-D9TYLEL6W69TDETYGPA1/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_003.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: A crowd of children, including Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — wait to receive their new bikes from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare. Amongst other programs, Rock Paper Scissors partners with organizations like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the ones that Uyen and her classmates received will make it easier for them to get to school safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The funds is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930915354-G2M837BNJIQU6F6KCK66/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_004.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: A crowd of students, including Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — after receiving their new bikes from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare. Amongst other programs, Rock Paper Scissors partners with organizations like the Red Cross to identify low-income children who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Students in places like Cam Duc often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads. Bikes like the ones that Uyen and her classmates received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The fund is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930915326-M3ZCV00G5BC5L26ADLOF/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_006.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with a new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads. To address this issue, the Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. Uyen’s mother, for instance, hopes that the new bike will help her attend school more frequently, while still helping out around the house. “Education and happiness” is what she wants for her children. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930918609-YQEOELS0V056I14XWXQ5/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_010.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with her new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by human traffickers and crime. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families. Young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To address these issues, the Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. Uyen’s mother, for instance, hopes that the new bike will help her attend school more frequently, while still assisting with chores around the house. “Education and happiness” is what she wants for her children. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930923535-0HHHW5FOT7NJ8P3IZETZ/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_012.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — riding her new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by human traffickers and crime. To address this issue, the Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who frequently rely on their children for additional economic support. Uyen’s mother, for instance, hopes that the new bike will help her attend school more frequently, while still assisting with chores around the house. “Education and happiness” is what she wants for her children. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930925422-DH4CVDA06855KLUVK931/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_015.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: A group of students, including Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — after receiving their new bikes from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare. Amongst other programs, Rock Paper Scissors partners with organizations like the Red Cross to identify low-income children who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Students in places like Cam Duc often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads. Bikes like the ones that Uyen and her classmates received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families. The fund is also an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930929903-5N6DFK58KJHZ4CVR35JJ/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_016.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old student from Cam Duc, a rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — with the new bike she received from the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund. Many students like Uyen often have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families: young children from communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To make matters even worse, Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the more economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. Bikes like the one that she received will make it easier for them to get to class safely, while also providing a much-needed source of mobility for their families, who use them to commute, or make trips to the market. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1570930931498-MTASPZHK1PO43UBS68M0/obama_foundation_vietnam_bike_girls_027.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - We Keep Pedaling Forward - Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam (Copy) Obama Foundation - Bike for girls Vietnam May 17, 2019: Cam Duc, Vietnam: Uyen — a 10-year-old from Cam Duc, a remote rural village in Vietnam’s Central Highlands — sits in class alongside her fellow students. While she works hard in class, her chances of finishing school are far from guaranteed. Uyen’s family belongs to the Raglai ethnic minority, one of the most economically disadvantaged groups in Vietnam, with high rates of poverty, and poor access to education and healthcare that disproportionately affect young girls. Vietnam’s ethnic minorities already account for nearly 50 percent of the country’s poor, and educational segregation often means that students have to walk an hour each way to get to school, along potentially dangerous roads plagued by crime and human traffickers. Others have to balance classes with hard labor to financially support their families. Young children from Raglai communities like Uyen’s are frequently pulled out of school for up to two months in order to pick cashews alongside their parents. To address these issues, the Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund has partnered with groups like the Red Cross to identify low-income children like Uyen who are at risk of dropping out of school if not for additional support for transportation and education materials. The Rock Paper Scissors Children's Fund is an Obama Foundation grantee. The Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance works to empower adolescent girls by inspiring, empowering, and connecting grassroots organizations and leaders working to educate girls around the world. https://www.thomascristofoletti.com/ngo-development/obama-foundation-the-secret-valley-peru monthly 0.5 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768301149120-74ZVY3EOPSNXU6VEIGX2/obama_foundation_Peru_002.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - The Secret Valley Project - obama_foundation_Peru_002.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768301174169-YIO2QTEEA87TZE5YC9LG/obama_foundation_Peru_011.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - The Secret Valley Project - obama_foundation_Peru_011.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768301147229-BX8G78DIS8GGLLFIVTWC/obama_foundation_Peru_003.jpg Development - Obama Foundation - The Secret Valley Project - obama_foundation_Peru_003.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5acd7788b10598fae2d585ef/1768301196787-8DC7RUVD01ZL81FNZUI5/obama_foundation_Peru_016.jpg Development - 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