Lam Le
Independent Journalist — Writer — Editor
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Email: lam.le52@googlemail.com

BIO
I am an investigative journalist based in Hanoi, Vietnam. I go beyond the headlines to examine long-lasting and overlooked impacts of unjust policies on marginalised groups. Some of my notable writings covered Vietnamese workers living in factories to keep the tech supply chain going during the pandemic, the illicit Vietnam-China surrogacy trade, and commentary on the narrative surrounding 39 Vietnamese migrants found dead in a container truck in Essex, UK. My work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Rest of World, Al Jazeera, Mekong Review and others.
Nowadays, I divide my time between Earth Journalism Network which involves editing Vietnam stories for Mekong Eye, and freelance writing.
Previously, from 2016-2018 I was Deputy Editor at VnExpress International, Vietnam’s most read English language newspaper.
I’m fluent in English, Vietnamese and Polish, and hold a degree in Economics from the University of Cambridge, UK.
Awards/Honors
- 2022: The SOPA Awards, Excellence in Business Reporting for story published on Rest of World: winner
- 2022: The SOPA Awards, Excellence in Reporting on Women’s Issues for story published on Sixth Tone: winner
- 2022: Earth Journalism’s Green Recovery Project: grantee
- 2020: The ILO’s 2020 Global Media Competition on Labour Migration and Fair Recruitment: winner
- 2020: Pulitzer Center’s Southeast Asia Rainforest Journalism Fund: grantee
- 2020: APWLD Media Fellow on gendered impacts of Covid-19
- 2019: APWLD Media Fellow on feminist development justice
Portrait photo by Yen Duong.