Children of the Se Dang ethnic minority in Dak To highland district, Kon Tum, eat potatoes instead of rice and start working in rice fields when they are as young as 8.
Y Thia at 8 and Y Tin at 9 working in a rice field to help their parents
Children here wear torn clothing and don't receive toys to play with or candy to chew on like other young children their age due to their extreme poverty.
An ordinary toy would be a luxury item for these children; instead they often play with sand, nylon bags or bricks which are left on the roads.
Many families here are very poor and have numerous children. They work in the rice fields to make a living. Y Thia at 8 and Y Tin at 9 are living in Te Pheo Village, Dak Tram Commune, and are forced to work at the rice fields in order to help their parents so that the family can earn an income.
Y Dieu, their mother, has to go to work, leaving nine children behind at home. They have to take care of each other. In the past, storms have destroyed her rice field. When she does not have money to buy rice, her whole family will eat wheat instead.
Other Se Dang families face similar circumstances.
Below are some photos of daily life around the highland area:
Adults go to work…
as well as children
With no money for extras, children play with bricks
Helping their parents
Cutting reed and looking after her younger sister at only 7 years old
Nylon bags are exciting toys for the children here
Play time
Y Dieu’s children
Se Dang children at Dak To
Doing the washing
