Children in the Sabah Island

Children
in the Sabah Island
Malaysia, 2014

This was my first documentary photography
project. It focuses on Indigenous children
living on Sabah Island, Malaysia. The island's
economy is heavily reliant on tourism and has
been significantly affected by gentrification—
a reality made visible through the stilt houses
built over the sea surrounding the island. The
children appear joyful, yet in contrast, the adults
often find themselves at the very end of the local
tourism supply chain, making a living by ferrying
tourists in speedboats, fishing, or working in
hotel services