Creating a microcosm of media

The Sakse Story

20 year mission…

Kachin Media Development

Highlights

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2007

First media workshop for ethnic activists from Burma.

at Earth Rights International’s Burma School.  The sucess of this workshop inspired the development of broad reaching media development programs

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2008

Established a media a workshop series in Laiza

First workshop in Laiza was 7 days long with 15 participants. We have since held over 100 workshops with 1000’s of alumni. 

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2011 - Oct
 W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund – Chapnick Grantee

Received a grant from the W. Eugene Smith Fund in NYC at the Asia Society for creating a social enterprise documentary photo gallery / library / workshop space.

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2011 - May
1st TEDx Talk

Sakse founder, Ryan Libre, talks at the first TEDx in Chiang Mai about the vision of creating a army of world-class independent media makers in Kachin & beyond. 

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2011 - Sept
Naw Ming shot filming the Kachin conflict
Laphai Naw Ming  was a film maker who was ‘awarded ‘ 2 years in jail for his cinematography for the Kachin film ‘when will it be’. In 2011 he was shot in the spine while documenting the conflict. He became paralyzed and died in bed a few years after.  He was a strong collaborator with Sakse’s projects untill 2011.
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2011
Training of Trainers begins
If this mission was to be successful in creating a vast intergenerational network of indepent media makers, locally led workshops in local language was needed ASAP.  Learn and do, get TOT training, assist in workshops, then lead your own.  Simple but effective way to build local capacity.
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2012 - Dec
TEDxBKK Talk 
‘ Grassroots photojournalism & visual literacy’ in Bangkok’s finicial district
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2012
the Foundry Workshop hosted at our center
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2013
Opening the Laiza center
the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop which brings 16 of the world’s top documentary photographers to Chiang Mai to teach.  We are the local hosts / organizers & provide Hkun li with a scholarship to study with Ron Haviv, founder of the agency VII.

Opening of a photo gallery / photobook library / workshop space  in Laiza on the 2nd floor of the national library. 

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2013
the Chiang Mai Documentary Arts Festival established 
Establishing a photo festival gave our mission and network far greater regional and international reach.  The festival included top artists from all over the world, but also highlighted photography from Kachin & Burma. The festival held 5 editions and was the first photo festival in Thailand.
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2013
Hkun Li wins 2nd place at the Yangon Photo Festival
The Yangon Photo Festival hosts the premier photo contest for the most compeling photo essay nationally.   Hkun Li wins 2nd place professional for his series,  ‘Life on the Frontline’
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2015
Hkun Lat wins 2nd place at the Yangon Photo Festival
For his series titled, 
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2015 - Dec
the Naw Ming Memorial Media Award established

When Naw Ming passed, we established the Naw Ming Memorial Media Award / grants, to give 1 million Kyat to a selected next generation Kachin media trail blazer with local nominators & an international jury.   Naw Ming won ‘citizen of the year’ for Burma, before he passed. 

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2016
Everyday Kachin Launched 

Everyday Kachin social platform launched and becomes an official member of the Everyday Projects.  Soon after founding, we began offline exhibitons of Everyday Kachin in galleries, univeristies and photo festivals. 

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2017
Hkun Lat wins 1st place at the Yangon Photo Festival
For his series titled,  ‘the Fog of War’  Seng Mai wins 1st place amature for ‘the Trap’   Yawng Htang wins 6th place for his project ‘Again’
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2018
Seng Mai wins 1st place at the Yangon Photo Festival
1st place professional for her series titled,  ‘I Feel Safe’
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2019

‘The Burmese Photographers’ published

This book, which il­lustrates the history of photo­graphy in Myanmar, includes a section on Kachin photographers & our work there.   Published by the Goethe Institute & edited by Lukas Birk.

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2019

Sakse curates / produces “Rebels & Reform’ a Burma Photography Showcase

7 exhibitions from the top photo artists in Burma for the Month of Photography – Denver.  From photojournalism to fine art photography.
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2019
Hkun Lat wins 1st place at the Yangon Photo Festival
For his series titled,  ‘the Peace Hut’  
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2020
Hkun Li wins 1st place at the Yangon Photo Festival
1st place professional at the Yangon Photo Festival for his project titled ‘ Beauty Queen’
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2020
Sakse ( almost ) produces it’s first feature fiction film
the film ‘Maran’ was 75% shot when the pandemic hit, halting production.
By the time shooting became possible again,  the 6 year old star of the film aged too much to continue shooting. However, the seeds of feature film making were planted & skills developed.
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2021
Hkun Li & Tu Ja are in the 3 finalists for the Rory Peck Award
UK based international award for freelance video journalim for their documentary ‘an unstable Peace’ produced for Al Jazeera. 
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2021
Hkun Lat gets a 2nd place win in World Press Photo
His images of jade mining…
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2022-2028
Going forward  – Working ourselves out of a job
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2021
Hkun Lat gets a 2nd place win in World Press Photo
His images of jade mining…
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