Mui and Pha live on the streets of Hanoi. Even though their life is difficult, they are happy for what they have and their love for eachother.
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Category: Vietnam NGO Photography Story
Client: Personal
Mui sits on the Long Bien Bridge and meditates.
Mui and her son Pha walk across the Long Bien Bridge on a daily basis. The live near by so they come to the bridge to pick up rubbish. Most of thier life is spent around the Long Bien Bridge.
Mui and Pha having lunch on the side of Long Bien Bridge.
Mui, bends down to pick up heroin needles, as her son Pha, stands next to her. They live in an area known throughout the city for its high rate of crime and heroin use. The day after the celebration of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, there was a large amount of heroin needles around where they walk every day under the Long Bien Bridge. Mui spent an hour picking upwards of a hundred needles barefoot and placing them in one pile out of harm's way. Everywhere Mui walks, she habitually picks up the garbage around her and thinks by doing so she is making the world around her a better place.
Every night, Mui, and her son, Pha, sleep in the street close to the Long Bien Train Station. While her son sleeps, Mui stays up late to clean up the newspaper she uses as a place setting for their dinner. Mui always carries her son to their sleeping area and covers him in a blanket before she finishes with her chorus.
Every night, Mui, and her son, Pha, sleep in the street close to the Long Bien Train Station. While her son sleeps, Mui stays up late to clean up the newspaper she uses as a place setting for their dinner. Mui always carries her son to their sleeping area and covers him in a blanket before she finishes with her chores.
Mui carries all the valuable possessions she owns in the two garbage bags as she walks ahead of her son while he runs to catch up with her. Every day they walk the same route to their spot on the Red River where they spend hours playing on the beach.
Pha playing with a string as the wind blows by him on the banks of the Red River.
Playing in the water of the Red River, Pha laughs with delight as his mother, Mui, splashes him back. Mui recognizes how difficult Pha’s life is without a home and says that she likes to play with him as often as possible to keep his spirits high.
During a mud was pha runs down the beach on the Red River as Mui stares off into the distance as she cleans herself.
Mui cleans out her bags that she picks off the street in order to sell them. This is their main source of income.
Pha, hugs his mother, Mui, as they sit in the grass enjoying their day.
Mui meditates during her mud bath as Pha runs up to her to play some more.
Pha calls out for his mom to come and get him after he did not see her and got scared. Pha, who is very dependant on his mother sometimes breaks down into tears if he can not see her.
After a long day Mui and Pha head back to the Long Bien train station for another night of sleep.