Giving young people a voice in Myanmar

‘Let My Voice Be Heard’ is a Trócaire Myanmar photography project involving young people who were forced to flee their homes due to conflict in Kachin State, and are now living in displacement camps.

The project gave the participants cameras to document their daily lives, giving them the opportunity to share their experiences, testimonies and perspectives on peace and conflict in Kachin State, Myanmar.

The project has empowered youth displaced by the conflict in Kachin to share their experiences and perspectives through photography and digital storytelling. The photographs capture a variety of themes, offering unique perspectives into the lives of people living in conflict-affected Kachin state.

See more photographs on our ‘Let My Voice Be Heard’ flickr set

Along with the photographs, a series of multimedia photo-stories have been produced with the support of Yangon Photo Festival, two of which were shown as part of the 2017 festival, with one winning an award.

The photo-stories offer a unique insight into life in Laiza and within some of the camps. They cover a range of diverse areas from individual life stories to every day topics such as traditional cooking, livelihood activities, religious life and local fashion, as well as portraying the recent displacement of civilians to camps due to an escalation in fighting.

The ‘Let My Voice Be Heard’ photography exhibition and multi-media screenings were held in Myanmar Deitta in Yangoon from June 9-18th, and showcased a selection of photographs produced through the project.

This project is part of the larger ‘Durable Peace Programme’ funded by the European Union.