HÀ NỘI — A photo voice exhibition entitled Where Can I Call Home at Tràng Tiền Exhibition House has been organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Through 13 sets of photos taken by photographer Nguyễn Minh Đức, the exhibition tells inspiring stories about the lives of migrants and their families across Việt Nam.

“With the support of UNFPA, I have visited nine provinces and cities throughout Việt Nam to shoot these photos,” said Đức. “What stirred my emotions and touched my heart were the smiles and optimism of the women and men I met, talked with and took pictures of – who are known as migrants.”

The country has experienced significant internal migration during different historical periods, including recent decades. According to GSO statistics, about 12.4 million of the country’s 91 million people, about fourteen per cent of the population, have internally migrated over the past five years.

"Migrants are a key driving force behind Việt Nam’s socio-economic development, and their contributions need to be fully recognised. We also know that as a result of economic development over the past decades, Việt Nam has experienced a substantial reduction in poverty,” said Astrid Bant, UNFPA representative in Việt Nam.

“Migration is clearly one of the cornerstones of Việt Nam’s success in poverty reduction, which has been occurring since the early 1990s. Migrants are helping fuel Việt Nam’s rapid economic growth of nearly seven per cent per year," she continued.

Addressing the event, GSO Director General Nguyễn Bích Lâm said that the exhibition’s photos helped viewers better understand the lives of migrants who have decided to migrate for better jobs, better education for their children and better lives.

“However, many migrants are vulnerable and face many challenges and difficulties in their lives,” he added.

The voices of the migrants in this photo project will be brought to the national workshop on Friday, an event that will share key findings from the 2015 Internal Migration Survey.

"Let me share my hope that this photo voice exhibition will enhance our understanding of this issue, and make a real contribution to improving the lives of migrants in Việt Nam. I suppose that virtually every day we interact with and benefit from the works of migrants here in Hà Nội, whether we know it or not. They deserve our recognition and support," concluded Bant at the event.

Where Can I Call Home exhibition will remain open until Sunday at Tràng Tiền Exhibition House, 45 Tràng Tiền Street. —VNS