Megha Jain, The Soy Keepers (TRAVEL 2026)

In Ban Yen Nhan village, 25 kilometers southeast of Hanoi, women dry soybeans to produce soy sauce legendary for its quality. This series documents their skill and resilience. What appears simple reveals layers of expertise: knowing when beans are ready, timing each stage, managing the fermentation process. These women manage complex workflows with the confidence of those who have done this work for decades. This is not a portrait of a disappearing tradition. These are contemporary workers and entrepreneurs who choose this practice because the quality, autonomy, and cultural knowledge embedded in their skill remain irreplaceable. What draws me to photograph them is recognition—of skill, economic resilience, and the quiet power of hands that know. Their work sustains both livelihoods and cultural continuity.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.