My dad was a photographer; I gained curiosity by observing him and playing with his camera when I was 8. He passes away when I was ten years, and left this fire of photography burning inside me. I inherited his camera, then at the age of 21, I went to work at World renew a non-profit organization in Laos, and met Ari Vitikainen a Finish photographer working as a Program Advisor for World Renew. We travelled together, and I started to learn about photography from him.

 

As my job included travelling to visit remote communities in northern Laos, I saw various ethnic people and their livelihoods, mountains and nature. I believe that it is good to remember our journey to observe a change in the future. Visualizing and imagining are keys to making great photos, and these memories and photographs will always be a part of me.

 

I am a community development worker, Phakhinda Khanthavilay, and I was born in the capital of Laos, Vientiane. One of my responsibilities with World Renew is as a photographer- many of my photos from communities are used for reporting to donors, creating transformation stories and documenting community change. What’s more, I was a photographer consultant for Save the Children International and a summer camp photographer for Pestalozzi Children Foundation (PCF), Switzerland, and these experiences further opened my eyes and imagination.