The Hope of the Lumad (an ongoing project)
In Oct 2019, I visited UCCP Haran Davao City (the Philippines), a sanctuary for the indigenous Lumad evacuees to photograph and learnt about the struggles that the Lumad have been facing. The Lumad has been entitled to the control of their ancestral lands in the area of Mindanao, which is rich in resources, until the intrusion of the mining companies. Being exploited, having no means of livelihood as well as escaping from militarisation, many fled their ancestral land and seek temporary shelters all over the country.
The Lumad are the poorest among the minority groups in the Philippines, having limited access to social services like education and medical care. They have been suffering from human rights abuses for decades and sanctuaries like the UCCP Haran has been a safe place for them, providing peace and hope. Schooling (Bakwit School) is also provided for the young ones, however, it has constantly been falsely accused of teaching “subversion” and even of child abuse.
Instead of being raised in the natural land, many of the young Lumad have been growing up and even were born inside the sanctuary. This series is a documentation of the life of the young ones inside the camp.
