Life can be hard for those living in small-scale fishing communities.   For many, existence is truly ‘life on the edge’. Settlements are often remote, with poor access and few services. Over exploitation of marine resources leads to falling catches and declining incomes. As if this wasn’t enough, fishing remains the world’s most dangerous occupation with many thousands of fishers dying every year and their families often cast into poverty.   It is within this context that the Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programme for South and Southeast Asia (RFLP) sought to reduce the vulnerability of small-scale fishing communities in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam.   At the heart of RFLP’s actions were capacity building activities. We trained fishers, their wives and government staff at a variety of levels. Ranging from how to better patrol community fishing grounds and use life jackets, to how to make a better tasting fish balls or sew a pair of ladies underwear the variety of activities supported by RFLP was considerable. Yet all had a common thread: delivering tangible benefits to participants and practical skills for them to both enhance their livelihoods and more effectively manage marine resources.   During the lifetime of the programme RFLP staff made a concerted effort to document the results of these activities as part of ongoing monitoring and evaluation efforts. This publication features a selection of change stories illustrating some of the impacts of RFLP. While the subject areas may differ what remains constant is the undoubted motivation and commitment of those featured to put what they have learned into practice.   These are some of the faces and stories of those who have worked with and benefitted from RFLP. They are testimony to how Spanish aid, combined with FAO expertise, as well as national counterpart and community commitment has made a very real difference to the lives of many.