The Oi Hamlet is located in Savannakhet Province’s Muong Nong District in Laos.  Meanwhile, the Ra Man Hamlet is located in Quang Tri Province’s Huong Hoa District in Viet Nam.  The hamlets are located on opposite banks of the Se Bon River, and they have established a long-lasting twinning relationship.  People in the two hamlets are very willing to help each other out when necessary.

Due to the difficulties of road transportation, local residents in the Oi Hamlet often have their goods carried across the Se Bon River to the Ra Man Hamlet for trade and exchange.

Here are some photos, selected from the album “The Special Relationship between Residents Living on the Opposite Banks of the Se Bon River”, which reflect the daily lives of the local residents in the two localities. 

They were taken by Phan Vinh Yen, a freelance photographer for Danang Today.

Residents of the Oi Hamlet carrying baskets of cassava on their backs

A young lady taking a short break from carrying cassava

Children washing blankets on the riverbank

Helping a local family to build a house