Street Kids in Vietnam

Andrew Gray (September 9th, 2008)

I was traveling for 6 months in Indochina, and I decided to start my trip of Vietnam. I was traveling from north to south, and in Hanoi I met the people of Koto, an organization which helps street children get a better life. KOTO teaches them how to become chefs, waitresses and to work in the hospitality industry. They put me on in many situations, so I decided to do a project focusing on this social problem while travelling from Hanoi to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). It was a two month trip and I encountered many different places and sites where the problem is visible. Indeed I wanted to focus on this topic as it is rarely mentioned in media. Most of the media are talking about Cambodia (where they surely have many problems) but they are not saying much about Vietnam.

I visited a prison for youth. I went there with Koto; they helped me to get inside as a volunteer (photographers and media people are not allowed). I saw 800 kids living in bad conditions, in jail because of small crimes. Many of them have AIDS. They don’t even have parents to visit them. I started to do some photos but I left with the idea to shoot more, and I helped KOTO to donate some presents and do some activities for them. I spoke with one of the most violent ones in there. He was not social to others and they had me sit near him during the dinner. It was good to talk to him and in the end I was listening to him. He looked strong but but sensitive inside. That day was a day to remember for me. It was Christmas day (the most useful Christmas day I ever had).

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Photography by Daniele Mattioli