I was invited to a Shan wedding up on the border with China when I was in Myanmar recently. I wasn’t sure foreigners were allowed in this part of newly opened country and indeed there were some issues with immigration officials both ways. But it was worth it, even 24 hours on a bus, to spend two days in the home of Shan people and attend this interesting event.

It was a Christian wedding so there were a lot of points of reference and crossover but some differences too. For example the bride and groom get ready in the same house and arrive in the same vehicle.

Arrival together in the family’s white van decked out with flowers.

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During the recent Cameras for Asia workshops in Yangon, the city’s annual photography festival was being held and I was able to take the children to the awards night where Aung San Suu Kyi was one of the judges.

It was a really wonderful opportunity for the children to see some world class photographic work, by both local and international photographers, and see the Lady, who is such an icon in Myanmar and indeed around the world.

Here are some images of the night.

Me in the back seat with the kids heading out for the photo night. Photo by Andrew Rogers.

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Today is World Health Day and a reminder that not all the world enjoys the same level of health care, standard of living, access to clean water and sanitation that we do in the developed world.

Here are some projects I’ve come across during my travels that are making a difference to people’s health, and by doing so their well being, economic and social standing.

This poor baby was HIV positive, along with the mother, and staff at the clinic in Hyderabad, India were not sure how long it would live. They asked me to take a photograph of her. The HIV clinic distributed free antiretroviral drugs and also provided free medical checkups and counselling. In India HIV carries quite a stigma and many patients are afraid to tell family, friends or colleagues for fear of being ostracised. What emerged from our discussions with a lot of the patients was their ignorance about how HIV is contracted. Many of the women had got it from their husbands.

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Cameras for Asia hosted a three week exhibition of the children’s images this year in Yangon at the Witness Yangon Documentary Arts Space run by Myanmar Deitta from February 16 until about March 7 (the flyer says Feb 28 but it was extended another week). This wonderful space allows international and local photographers the opportunity to exhibit FOR FREE, which is a tremendous provision for a budget such as the one Cameras for Asia runs on.

The exhibition flyer. How good is your Myanmar? Well it doesn’t matter as it’s translated in both languages!

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