Accompanying the people in border areas

The weather has been much more favorable this year than in previous years. Although it was late October, sunny and warm days were still lingering. Taking advantage of calm seas, fishermen in coastal communes such as the former Phu Dien, Vinh Thanh, and Vinh Xuan communes, now part of Phu Vinh Commune, have been heading out to sea to catch seafood and earn extra income. Although the catch is not as abundant as during the main fishing season, the ‘bounty of the sea’ is still enough to provide them with hearty meals.

As the first scattered rains usher in cooler weather, fishermen in Tam Giang - Cau Hai Lagoon begin their most eagerly awaited fishing season of the year. Following small fishing boats across the vast lagoon, Quang Tam and Dinh Hoang, the photographers, captured moments when local fishermen hauled in the ‘lagoon's bounty’, including delicacies such as freshwater prawns, spotted scat, and various local fish.

For many women, life has been a long struggle to make ends meet, never having had a chance to experience a proper education. Yet, even as their hair turns grey and their hands grow rough from years of hard work, they remain eager to open their notebooks, carefully practice writing each letter, and shape their lips as they learn to read aloud, one letter at a time.

Among Hue’s traditional craft villages, the bronze-casting craft in the formerly Phuong Duc Ward (now Thuan Hoa Ward) is renowned for the skill, patience, and dedication of artisans.

The rhythmic clang of hammers rings out from blacksmiths’ forges, the scent of fresh wood fills carpentry workshops, and artisans work with bamboo strips, conical hat frames, needles and thread. Each craft has its own tasks, and each artisan has a personal way of keeping the tradition alive. The resulting products bear the distinctive marks of their craft villages and reflect the diligence and skill of the craftsmen.