Mae Sariang

2 December 2009

Sophia Stone from the RIJ Funding committee joined me in Mae Hong Son on 1 December (Steve returned to Japan the same day).
In the morning of 2 December Sophia and I drove to Mae Sariang over the beautiful mountain roads. Mae Sariang is a lovely town on the banks of the river with views across to the mountains in the distance.
In Mae Sariang we met up with Pam Rogers from DARE at the DARE office. It is great to see Pam and the manager, Lo Lo Say, again and to meet other staff at DARE. We were shown around the office and heard the stories behind the amazing visuals that DARE prepare to illustrate their work and give out the message of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The visuals are very imaginative and provide a clear message even for those who cannot read.
We then went to the Karen Women’s Organisation office to meet Lu Lu Maung who manages the Baby Kits programme. We discussed the advantages of the Baby kit project and how it benefits mothers and reduces the chances of infant mortality. We asked Lu Lu about the vocational training centre inside Burma that RIJ funded a couple of years ago. We were delighted to learn the weaving and handicrafts in the centre are now self-sufficient and the women are training more people. They had some bolts of fabric that were produced in the centre and they are an excellent quality.
The Karen Women’s Organisation runs a lot of programmes in the camps as well as inside Burma – covering education, capacity building, health, care for the elderly and provision of safe houses. There are some 40,000 members. They often bridge the gap between the NGOs and the community to improve communication and understanding.