The people I met along the way.

Over the past week I've been visiting two projects that my host organization - the Center for Sustainable Rural Development - run in the remote northern mountains of Vietnam. The projects provide basic training to ethnic minority communities, focusing on agricultural diversification for improved livelihoods.

With the help of a driver and translator, I've taken in incredible sights and stories that highlight the beauty - and the heartbreak - of life in rural Vietnam.

Stories from the trip to come, but I thought I'd share my favourite snaps of the awesome people I met along the way.

(If you click on one of the photos you'll be able to easily scroll through them all as a high res album.)

Lièu, Dao ethnic minority people, Chì Lụng village.

Tien & Dien,  Thái ethnic minority people, Nake village.

Minh and Nội, Thái ethnic minority people, Gia Hội commune.

Doa woman, Cẩm Ân village

Tụng, Taỳ ethnic minority people, Cẩm Ân village.

Tụng and wife The, Taỳ ethnic minority people, Cẩm Ân village.

Chi, Thanh & Lai, Taỳ ethnic minority people, Cẩm Ân village.

And of course it was impossible not to be completely captivated by the children ...