Travel & Volunteer Work
PERSONAL PROJECT

Southeast Asia’s diversity and rapid transformation has informed my videography and photography  work for non-profit and NGOs .

I captured the reforestation efforts in Borneo’s eastern Sabah, the stamina of female rowers navigating Vietnam’s waterways, the resilience of children in Mumbai’s challenging urban environments, and the efforts of volunteers and young learners grasping English fundamentals in the schools around Nong Khai, Thailand.

From urban centres to rural enclaves, I want to tell a story of a region in flux, where progress and capitalism collide with tradition and heritage, often creating a challenging interplay between modernity and cultural identity. I found stark evidence of this in the Sa Pa area in north Vietnam, where centuries-old crafts of the distinct local ethnic groups are commercialised for tourist consumption.

The allure of progress often comes at the cost of eroding local traditions, languages, and social structures.
Southeast Asia grapples with the commodification of its rich cultural heritage, as sacred practices like Thailand’s serene Buddhist rituals and time-honoured customs across the region risk being reduced to commercialised spectacles for visitors.

As Southeast Asia navigates the delicate balance between tradition and progress, it grapples with pressing environmental challenges, often struggling to implement effective solutions. Simultaneously, the region’s diverse countries are nurturing their youth’s potential at varying paces, resulting in different educational and developmental outcomes.