PHOTO EXHIBITION ⎸ Books or Bricks: when childhood is torn between school and labour
The tug-of-war facing child workers
Every day, millions of children around the world have to work while also going to school.
Their names are Lounni, Zessan, Kaith Adrian, and Yen Vi. They are between 6 and 15 years old and live in Laos, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. They work hard in the fields, the workshops, and the rubbish dumps, then put on their uniforms to join a classroom. So much effort for a few euros, on which, sadly, their families depend to eat. But the moment they cross the threshold of the school, these children light up again: school is their refuge, their joy, their hope.
The Children of the Mekong photo exhibition captures this tug-of-war: on one side, the labour forced upon them by poverty; on the other, school, the promise of a future.
Twenty-two children in Southeast Asia speak out
The 22 diptychs and audio stories in the Children of the Mekong photo exhibition reveal these children in two contrasting worlds: at work, in difficult conditions, and then at school, radiant with hope.
Photo: In Vietnam, Nhu Y lives and works with her family on a fish-farming pond. She dreams of becoming a seamstress to help her family escape poverty.
EXHIBITION DATES AND LOCATIONS
Lyon ⎸ until 31 October 2026
Venue: Inside the MARCO VASCO travel agency, 144 rue Vendôme, 69006 Lyon
Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm
Free entry
Amsterdam ⎸ 26 to 28 June 2026
Dates: 26 to 28 June
Venue: Hannie Dankbaarpassage 24, 1053 RT, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Free entry
Would you like to organise an exhibition near you? Get in touch!
AN IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION
- Each diptych comes with a podcast recorded by a professional actor, who lends their voice to the child so that they can tell you their story.
- Alongside these, a series of panels to help you learn more about child labour around the world.
- A child-friendly booklet will be available, along with educational workshops for schools in selected cities.
- Members of the Children of the Mekong team and Asia enthusiasts will be on hand to guide you and answer your questions.
THE CREATORS OF THE EXHIBITION
Last March, Christophe Keip and Antoine Besson travelled to Southeast Asia to meet the child workers whom Children of the Mekong supports on their journey to school.
This exhibition was born from the encounters they had there. It seeks to shine a light — in the street, in the fields, and in the schools — on the setting of an all-too-ordinary struggle: child labour. Built around genuine encounters, their approach is direct and told at a child’s eye level, allowing the viewer to feel more deeply the emotions and the stakes faced by the people they met in Southeast Asia. More than a testimony, what they offer you is an encounter.
SPONSOR A CHILD
Sponsorship does not entirely erase the poverty or the hardships these families face, but it transforms these children’s daily lives. Even if they must still contribute to the family’s collective effort, sponsorship allows them to go to school, to have regular meals, and to be supported and encouraged in their endeavours.
Sponsorship is a monthly gift that allows a disadvantaged child in Southeast Asia to go to school. Depending on the area, it can fund school transport, uniforms, materials, food, extra classes, or accommodation close to the school.
