Photo and caption by ling cheong

One women sits alone in a driftwood stilt house. Fraught with tooth ache, the gift of pain killers comes as a welcome relief. The Sea Gypsy, Bajau have limited access to medical supplies, as stateless people they are isolated both legally and geographically from the mainland. Relying instead on local benefactors and discreet island doctors who treat the seriously ill.

Location: Semporna, Sabah