Bhutan

In December my mom and I went to Bhutan. Don't feel stupid if you aren't sure where Bhutan is - its a pretty small country. Here it is on a map.

Bhutan is the only country in the world with a Gross National Happiness (GNH) index - an attempt to define quality of life in more holistic and psychological terms than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicator. The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.

Below is one of my favorite photos from Bhutan, of a Layap woman. Layap are an indigenous people inhabiting the high mountains of northwest Bhutan, with a population of around 800 people.

Bateyes

A few years ago, I spent time in the Dominican Republic working to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment for poor Haitians living on former sugar caning plantations, called Bateyes. The poverty there rivaled poverty I have seen in much less touristed-countries. But thats really true of much of the Caribbean.

You can learn more about the batyes and HIV/AIDS here in Jon Cohen's article in Science magazine, or here in a Human Rights Watch photo essay. Below, some of the women I met.