Food Security in an IDPs Village of Pong Hai

After  39 years of relocation from Doi Pu Muen to Pong Hai Village, the Lahu of Pong Hai try to adjust themselves to the new home.  The mode of their farming practices were changed from shifting cultivation to mono crop pattern.  Village survey and discussions in 2015 reveal that 50 percents of their food are from the market while 25 percents are from the natural resources around the village which are forest and lagoon, 15 percents are from their farm product and 10 percents are from their culture of sharing and exchanging. It seems that they need some solution to be more self reliance.

A water project at Nato Learning Centre

After trying to allocate some fund and materials to put together with what the NLC and vilagers already prepared, we got some progress. Thirty two tank rings transported to the NLC and ready to build up water storage tanks.

This is a good start but still a lot more to do. We will have to work on collecting 625 pieces of PVC pipes to transport water from Pong Hai Village of 2.5 kms to NLC. Not an easy task but we will try.

Look back at a  few months ago on this project, it was hopeless and lack of  motivation when the companies which advertise their CSR policies denied our project proporsals asking for some materials.

The journey of  Sustainable Community Foundation is a  big challenge with a lot of tear and laughters along the way. We learnt and we will go on !

A hill water project at NLC....

As the two king cobras disappeared from the site of water tanks at NLC. We started the hill water project by preparing slabs for the tanks. The students worked hard on the very hot and sunny days. Carring bags of sand and  gravels and big bottles of water up on the hill. Set up formworks to be ready for concret.

Hard working never kill anybody.... was the sentence we usually say to support each other. Hope to have enough water for  the office and accommodations  utilizing and crops irrigations at the higher location of NLC.

Still more hard work to do.... we will keep on step by step :)

Another challenge on water project

We planned to set up hill water system for Nato Learning Centre(NLC). Field surveys and discusions with local administrators, villagers and partners organization were done well. Our friends from Shawnigan Lake School kindly contributed some fund for the project.

Things went well and smoothly and we were about to put water storage tanks on the top of  the hill behind the office of NLC. Agreed to start working together after Songkran festival.

Unfortunately there is a family of king cobra near the location where we set up for the tanks. The king cobras are unfriendly and chase away our friends when they walk pass by....

Hmmmmm.... Hmmmmm...How to cope up with this challenge ?

A ford at Natoe.... way to a better life

We spent two weeks building a crossing at Natoe Learning Centre. It was really a great time to see people from different cultures of Akha, Lahu, Shan, Chinese, Lisu, Kalor, Canadian and Australian working together. It is not just a ford but we belief that a small positive change we created can make a better future for all.

the first pour

starting the first pour

Crossing in to Natoe Jan 2012

Building a coffer dam

Day 1 Keeping the causeway open

Steel fixing

Stripping forms

the bucket line
 

the team
 

the final pour

 

the finish product
 

water for life
 

Lahu New Year at Pong Hai

We were invited  to join Lahu  New Year ceremony  in Pong Hai village. It was  a little sad that we could not join them due to our tight schedule at work.

We look at a photo of Lahu New Year ceremony at Pong Hai in 2006.  It brings back a memory of  happiness and  the beauty of Lahu culture, Ja Kue dancing and Lahu music. 

We are happy our IDPs friends keep their traditional practices. Hope we will be able to visit them soon.

INTERSECTION AHEAD !

On November 26, 2012 the journey of stateless students came into a turning point. The Ministry of Interior annouced its order to issue Thai citizenship for stateless people who lived in or entered  to Thailand within  18 January  1995.

Many of the stateless students who were born in Thailand are under the qualifications  stated in the order. We were happy for this great opportunity.

We set up a forum with our network to prepare for the application processes. We discussed, how to apply, when should we go, what should we take together with the application, who will be our references, and how to keep the record  of our applications. Many things in detail to discuss to ensure they can access to the application processes  effectively.

It is not difficult to prepare evidences, documents and references for the application. We hope to get good and effective services officers.  We hope to come back and meet each other again next week to learn and share the experiences of the applications at our hometowns.

Our journey comes to the intersection and many challengings are waiting. After we pass this step we will be able to work for the others who have the problems of being stateless we onced experienced.

Intersection ahead !