David J Shaw

Photographer Journalist

Robert Camp, a refugee camp set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

A Kachin IDP leaves the Robert Camp in Bahmo, northern Myanmar.

A portrait of Quan Naw, 20, who is a Kachin IDP who has been at the Robert camp for Internally Displaced Persons near Bahmo in Myanmar since 2011. This is due to fighting in her village between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence army as part of the ongoing civil war in Kachin State.

A Kachin IDP washes clothes next to a fresh water container which was put in place by Solidarites International in the Robert Camp, Bahmo, Myanmar.

Htoi Ja, a 36 year old Kahin IDP who has been living in the Phan Khar Kone camp since 2011 when fighting broke out in her village and her family of six plus her mother in law decided to flee. It has been eight years since her family was able to live in their village yet it is only thirty six miles away.

A young Kachin IDP does laundry in a cleaning area of the Phan Khar Kone refugee camp in Bahmo in Kachin state, Myanmar.

Phan Khar Kone, a refugee camp set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

A Kachin mother in the living quarters of the Robert Camp in Bahmo. She became an IDP due to the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army in Kachin State, Myanmar.

A street in Robert Camp, a refugee camp set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

A street in Robert Camp; a refugee camp set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

Young Kachin IDPs play J-Tauk, a local board game in the games room at Robert Camp, Bahmo, Myanmar.

Two young Kachin IDPs hanging out in the Robert Camp, Bahmo, Myanmar.

A Kachin IDP pumps fresh water in the AD2000 IDP Camp in Bahmo, Myanmar. Fresh water infrastructure is put in place by Solidarities International in IDP camps across Kachin State and the rest of Myanmar.

Myu San Aung, 10, a Kachin IDP who lives in the Robert IDP Camp in Bahmo. The camp set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army.

Zau Seng, who is the local leader of the Phan Khar Kone IDP camp for Kachin refugees in Bahmo, Kachin State. Here he is leading a monthly meeting for the IDPs where they discuss the goings on of the camp.

Zau Seng, who is the local leader of the Phan Khar Kone IDP camp for Kachin refugees in Bahmo, Kachin State. Here he is leading a monthly meeting for the IDPs where they discuss the goings on of the camp.

Two young Kachin IDPs in the Robert Camp, Bahmo, Myanmar. The camp was set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

A Kachin mother cooking in the living quarters of the Robert Camp in Bahmo. She became an IDP due to the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army in Kachin State, Myanmar.

Thtu Sent and Nang Roi are Kachin IDPs living in the Robert Camp in Bhamo, Kachin. They arrived in the camp in 2012 after fleeing their village due to fighting between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence army.

A young Kachin IDP in the Robert Camp, Bahmo, Myanmar. The camp was set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

Kazum Bawk Di, 48, is a Kachin IDP currently residing in the AD2000 refugee camp in Bahmo, Kachin State, Myanmar. He has been at the camp since fighting broke out between the Burmese Millitery and the Kachin Independence Army in 2011.

Htoi Ja, a 36 year old Kahin IDP washes her hands at a sanitary station provided across the Myanmar based IDP camps by Solidarities International. Htoi Ja has been living in the Phan Khar Kone camp since 2011 when fighting broke out in her village and her family of six plus her mother in law decided to flee. It has been eight years since her family was able to live in their village yet it is only thirty six miles away.

A young Kachin IDP in his living quarters of the Phan Khar Kone camp, Bahmo, Myanmar.

Solidarities International has been providing WASH relief to the camps across Kachin state in Myanmar. This hand washing station is being used by a Kachin IDP in the AD2000 camp in Bahmo, Myanmar.

A Kachin mother cooking in the living quarters of theAD2000 in Bahmo. She became an IDP due to the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army in Kachin State, Myanmar.

The living quarters of the AD2000 IDP camp, Bahmo, Myanmar. The camp was set up in 2011 to house Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Kachin State who have been displaced by the ongoing civil war between the Burmese Military and the Kachin Independence Army, Bahmo, Myanmar.

Htoi Ja, a 36 year old Kahin IDP looks at photos of her family. Htoi Ja has been living in the Phan Khar Kone camp since 2011 when fighting broke out in her village and her family of six plus her mother in law decided to flee. It has been eight years since her family was able to live in their village yet it is only thirty six miles away.

A young Kachin IDP in living quarters of the Phan Khar Kone camp, Bahmo, Myanmar.

he living quarters of the AD2000 IDP camp, Bahmo, Myanmar.

The streets of Dhangadhi, a city in far western Nepal, the closest busy hub to the Geta Eye Hospital.}}

The entrance to the Geta Eye Hospital compound.

Families living outside in the Geta Eye Hospital compound, the patients families stay for the whole of the treatment as they have often traveled along way. 70% of the patients are from Northern India, they travel to Nepal as the surgery is "cheaper and of a higher standard."

A 12 year old girl is treated at the Geta Eye Hospital Paediatric Eye Department, supported by ORBIS International.

Resting after an operation.

Patients waiting to be seen at Geta Eye Hospital, Dhangadhi.

A pre-op examination.

Doctor Robert Kersten, the international ORBIS volunteer from the U.S.A travelling to Geta Eye Hospital to give hands on training to local doctors.

Suresh Raj Pant, a local doctor at Geta Eye Hospital prepares for the days surgery and training.

Ayan, a six year old boy from India receives an eye test. Ayan travelled to Nepal from India with his two Uncles to receive treatment for a Cataract which would be too expensive in India for their family.

Uttan Kunuugar, 7 years old from a rural Nepalese family of nine awaits surgery dealing with a Ptosis (the drooping of an eyelid). 

Uttan, his Uncle and Father travelled 12 hours to reach Geta Eye hospital after Uttan started struggling to see the board at his school. His father, who is a soldier hopes that this treatment will help lead to a life outside of the military.

Nirmada Bohara, a ten year old girl from a family of farmers receiving surgery for a Ptosis that had grown significantly over the last year. Nirmada nor her brother where nervous about the surgery, saying they trusted Geta Eye Hospital.

Nirmada Bohara in surgery.

Dr Suresh Raj Pant giving surgery to Nirmada Bohara.

Dr Robert Kersten giving hands on training to local doctor Suresh Raj Pant during surgery at Geta Eye Hospital, Dhangadhi.

Local Doctors performing life changing surgery to Nirmada Bohara.

Dr Robert Kersten observing the newly trained surgery.

Dr Robert Kersten.

Dr Robert Kersten and Dr Suresh Raj Pant performing post op observations in the Geta Eye Hospital ward.

Ayan recovering from his successful operation, with his uncle Gran.

Indigenous Akha children attend their local school in a rural village in Shan State, Myanmar.

Children attend their school in a very rural village in the hills of Shan State, Myanmar. The children are part of the Akha tribe minority group.

A teacher avoids the heavy rain next to the local school n the hills of Shan State, Myanmar.

A Thai student at the Baan Rai School, Mae Wang Valley, Thailand during an English language lesson as provided by Rustic Pathways volunteers.

Water is distributed to the residents of Nyuang La, an isolated village near to Bagan, Myanmar. The residents do not have access to clean drinking water so international and local volunteers donate and distribute the water to the villages.

Women of Nyuang La village, Myanmar, wait in line for donated drinking water distribution which they do not have access to in their village. Rustic Pathways volunteers regularly help to deliver the donated water.

An elderly woman awaits the water distribution at the Nyuang La village, Myanmar.

DJ” posses for a photo whilst carry water buckets to one of the Nyuang La villagers home. As part of his Rustic Pathways community service he helps to shift the heavy water containers to the village's more elderly residents. Myanmar.

'DJ' pours the donated drinking water into a large clean container for storage.

Residents of Nyuang La, an isolated village near to Bagan, Myanmar, await drinking water distribution that is delivered to the village. The residents do not have access to clean drinking water so international and local volunteers donate and distribute the water to the villages.

Maddy, a Rustic Pathways volunteer from Hong Kong walks with children from the village of Ngwe Taung; a small island village on the Irrawaddy River near Bagan, Myanmar. The Rustic Pathways foundation has provided the remote village with many new amities for the local school as two of its staff - Soe Than and Htay Lin call the village their home.

Local builders working on the current project at Ngwe Taung's school – a new nursery for the younger children. Bagan, Myanmar.

A local man helps put the initial pillars into ready dug holes that will eventually hold the nursery in place. Ngwe Taung sits in the the middle of the Irrawaddy river and is liable to flooding so many of the buildings are built with this in mind. Bagan, Myanmar.

Both Rustic Pathways international volunteers and local villagers come to help with the most important parts of the project. A large benefit for both communities in the cultural exchange as they gain the opportunity to converse with people from different parts of the world.

For many of the residents in the areas surrounding Udon Thani, Thailand, when they become too old or ill to continue working in their rice paddies there is little to support for them due to the low payment they receive for their life's labour. International volunteers from Rustic Pathways help to plant the next crop of rice to give support to the areas most in need.

A student at Prek Toal primary school welcoming visiting international volunteers. Prek Toal is a floating village on the Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia.

A large group of students at the school of Prek Toal floating village on the Tonle Sap lake of Cambodia. Rustic Pathways provides the students with English lessons.

Pierre, an international Rustic Pathways volunteer works alongside a local teacher to teach english language to Thai students in the Udon Thani area.

Young Thai spectators to a football game between an international team made of Rustic Pathways volunteers and local Thai and Karen students as part of RP's Soccer Beyond Borders program. Mae Sot, Thailand.

A Karen refugee student hides from the rain as he watches a football game between the Rustic Pathways volunteer team and a team from the Minmahaw Education Foundation; a residential school for Burmese migrants and refugees. Many Karen people come to Thailand as they are not allowed access to good education in Myanmar.

A Karen student of the Minmahaw Education Foundation during a friendly football game against international volunteers on Rustic Pathway's Soccer Beyond Borders program. The program aims to bring people of many different local ethnic groups as well as internationals together through the shared experience of playing football.

Aviela Lerner, a Rustic Pathways nurse, prepares to lead a morning of free health checks for community members in the rural areas surrounding Udon Thani.

nternational volunteers administer free health checks as part of RP's Community Health and Wilderness First Aid program in Udon Thani, Thailand.