Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Kate Playground Sasha Gray

changes in Mae Sot - Changes in Mae Sot

Seit 10. Oktober bin ich in Mae Sot, Hauptsitz Hog (Help without Frontiers). Like last time, I live in one of the rooms on the first floor above the office. Advantage of this accommodation is that I'm right on happening. When I get up in the morning usually the house is already in action. Meanwhile cavort five permanent employees in the home Hog-Thailand. An office full of girl power! Added are two Thai assistants for accounting and management for Chaung Ku (Karen refugee) and Ann, which got 4 months before her baby. She does not keep them from continuing to work with full enthusiasm. Furthermore, I could see notable changes.
The project of school kitchen , which was then put back in March still in its infancy is running now in full swing. Every day, refugees prepare food for about 1600 students in various refugee schools. has a great organizational effort for its management HoG hired another Thai woman who takes care of purchasing and accounting. The kitchen includes a water filter system, the HWF has been bought and therefore is able to supply schools with clean drinking water well without having to buy it from Thai companies. The filtration system is also run by refugees, maintained.
is in the same building the kitchen in a large In addition to the sewing room working space ("Sewing Workshop") for school uniforms in which four refugees. The workshop is led by Wat Pi, an equally talented Thai woman takes care of the next workshop also lead to the purchase of materials, accounting procedures and the use of the embroidery machine.
The school kitchen, the filter system and the sewing room to meet the purpose of a so-called Incomegeneration (literally, from the close.> Income generation). The bottom line is this is a meaningful job creation scheme for refugees. Behind it lies the same concept as in the school bag project: Refugees help refugees.
This week I have taken over in a workshop with my school bag and translation of Chaung Ku explained the approach the project. Fortunately, I found good resonance and optimism. Although the sewing room at full capacity and currently they have little time there until the end of the week the rest of the 300 school uniforms, must be cut sewn and embroidered, which is a lot of work for five people. But if I so noticed the work atmosphere, the relaxed laughter experience of people working there, I see no reason why they can not meet this production should be up to date. To achieve
the project "Satchel" we may need to be able to sew special sewing machine that thick materials such as PVC film. This afternoon I am, as always driven by a translator, in a workshop on the outskirts of Mae Sot, gutting the used industrial sewing machines and put together. There we found the right one. This may take a few days to pick up the unit and will be ready for use. In addition there are other purchases such as a small belt sander and a saw for the bamboo.
The photos at right show an insight into the school kitchen, a refugee woman and a potentially suitable for sewing machine.
Since 10th October I’m in Mae Sot, Headquarter of HWF (Help without frontiers). Like the last time I live in one of the two rooms over the office. The advantage of this host is the possibility to be as close as possible at what is happening. Mostly when I get up in the morning everybody in the house is already in action. By now five permanent employees are working at HWF-Thailand. An office full of lady power! Added have been two Thai assistants for the accounting and management for Chaung Ku (Karen-woman) and Ann, who has just brought to birth her little baby four months ago. But this doesn’t stop her to continue working energetically. Furthermore I recognised some mentionable changes.
The project school kitchen , which wasn’t yet installed in March of this year, is now getting up to speed. Every day refugees prepare food for approx. 1600 students from the different refugee schools. That’s a big effort of organisation. Therefore has been employed another Thai woman who takes responsibility of the purchase and the accounting. A water filter system has been bought by HWF and it’s a part of the kitchen installation. Now the HWF-schools are able to get directly fresh drinking water without buying it from Thai companies. Also the tasks of maintain the filter system gets assumed by refugees.
In the same building of the kitchen you’ll find the sewing workshop, which is used for producing school uniforms made by refugees for refugees. Pi Wat is responsible for this workshop. She’s also a very talented Thai woman and takes care of the purchase of materials, accounting and the maintenance of the stitching machine. 
The school kitchen, the filter system and the sewing workshop are all income generations. Basically it’s a employment-creation measure for the refugees and behind that you can find the the same concept like it’s for the school bag program: Refugees help refugees.
This week I came with my schoolbag to the sewing workshop and Chaung Ku the introduction that I made for the sewers into Burmese, Karen and also Thai. Fortunately I got a good and optimistic feedback. Indeed the sewing workshop is very busy at the moment and they have very little time, because the rest of the 300 ordered school uniforms have to be finished until the end of the week. The cutting, sewing and stitching means quite a lot work for five workers. But when I feel the working atmosphere, the slack laughter of the people who are working there, I don’t see a reason why they shouldn’t can finish their work in time. 
To make the school bag program become realized we need a special sewing machine that sews thick materials like PVC-Canvas. This afternoon I went, as always with my translator, in a workshop in Mae Sot that repair used sewing machines from the industry. There we found the right machine. Now it takes a few days to make until it is ready to use. Furthermore there is some other shopping to do, like the acquirement of a sanding machine and a hand saw for the bamboo.

On the pictures you can get a impression of the school kitchen, a Karen-woman sewing a school uniform and a some used but still potential sewing machines.

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