Forest preservation, active community, join the local school, activities with kids, foreign language and culture exchange, remote area…

Cha Uat district, Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, South Thailand
DaLaa MTV project – code: 1704
Periods available: all year round (except school holidays: October, March and April)
Expected number of volunteers: 2 to 4

SHORT DESCRIPTION

Lang Ai Mee community, from the remote and mountainous area of South Thailand, is seeking volunteers to support their action of preserving harmonious relationships within the community, with the environment and the world. Their position in the watershed of Cha Uat river gives them the responsibility to preserve the forest so clean water can flow continuously through the valley. Their fights against the government who declared the place as a national park and tried to evacuate them in the past make their group strong and determined. Nowadays, they show actively that they are able to take care of their environment. The new learning center started by the police border patrol and the sister of the Thai new king is now taking care of the education of the local children and volunteers would be greatly appreciated to support with foreign language and activities exchange.

HISTORY and REASONS OF THE PROJECT

Lang Ai Mee is a mountainous village of Nakorn Sri Tammarat province, Cha Uat district, part of Bantad Range Mountain. It is the watershed area giving birth to Cha Uat river flowing through the town of the same name and until the Chinese sea in Pak Panang district.

The first people came to live in this area in 1963. It’s a good area to plant rubber and fruit plantations. One of them was named Mee and gave his name to the village. In 1972, The government declared this area a national park and since then tries to forbid the villagers to live there and to use the natural resources, arguing that villagers are destroying nature. (The same government who allowed before some companies concessions to cut all the forest-rich trees species to sell abroad.)

Since that time, the villagers, about 60 families at that time, gather to fight against this decision and to prove they can live in harmony with the forest, nature and can take care of it. Many volunteers’ activities have been going on in the village and now the community is very strong and responsible.

In 2002, they create a group “Ton Rak Paa Ton Nam” which could be translated by “Love forest and watershed” to gather now 157 families and 463 people. They made agreements together to preserve the forest, animals, water, trees, and organize activities together.

In 2014, the police border patrol helped to start a local school so children can have education all the year along.  In 2015 and 2016, DaLaa volunteers situated in Roywan Phan Pba project close to the place joined often activities with the school and the villagers. The princess and donators made it possible to create a new and beautiful learning center for the local children in the village (called the school).

After Roywan project was stopped in 2016, an active member from Lang Ai Mee, P Com and an active teacher close to the villagers, Crue Prakan, contacted us to request more volunteers to join their activities.

AIMS of the PROJECT

– Exchange and learn language and culture with the local community.

– Support the local group: Love forest and watershed.

– Support the learning center on the foreign language aspect.

 – Help to give responsibility and harmony to local people in preserving their culture and way of life.

WORK AND ACTIVITIES

– Learning center (=school): exchange language, activities with kids. The school will adapt to each volunteers skills.

– Join and exchange activities about the local culture, occupation (fruit and rubber farming, using local material to make crafts like brooms…)

– Take care of the forest and watershed: plant trees close to the river, look around for seeds species, tree nursery, and small dams to keep humidity…

– Join with the women group to make processed food from the forest: chilli sauce, kind of palm fruit to boiling…

FOOD and ACCOMMODATION

Volunteers have their own house with a small kitchen. There will be a simple mat, pillow and mosquito net. You will need to bring a sleeping bag – more bedding materials could be an option in case you are not used to sleeping on the hard floor.   The volunteer will be taken care of by the neighbour family who will take care of them for daily matters including buying food, security and transport.  During activities at school (most school days), the lunch will be offered there. There are 4 or 5 families who are willing to welcome the volunteers at their house. Local people eat rice (or noodles) 3 times a day with side dishes like curries, omelettes, local leaves and vegetables. They agree to adapt to volunteers needs and tastes using the ingredients available there.

OTHER PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Laundry: expect to hand-wash your clothes

Water supply and electricity: available

Internet/phone access: At the school, and mostly only at the school, there is a connection for DTAC and True move phone companies’ network. You can use the internet with a Thai Sim card and your mobile phone.

The closest big village, Tung Chumpon is at 7km with a health center, ATM, market twice a week and temple.

Mai Seap is a bigger village at 16 km. It is the place to take the bus to and from the project.

Pa Payom, is a town at 18km, where there is a hospital.

Hat Yai, the main city of South Thailand (close to DaLaa office) is 2 hours by bus/minibus from Mai Seap.

It usually rains stronger from November to January and the fruit season is in August to October.

Clothes worn in the village: You will be living in an area with elderly people and children around so it is appropriate that you dress modestly, for example, no short skirts or shorts too far above the knees. Also, women should wear tops that cover your shoulders. Bikini is not appropriate to swim. Please wear shorts and a top instead. You will learn more about Thai culture in the introduction day so please don’t worry too much. You will quickly learn when it best to dress more informally and when it is important to cover-up

Language: only very few people in the village can speak good English (Crue Prakan, the teacher is one of them). We strongly advise the volunteers to learn at least basic Thai language before or during the start of your project. Non-verbal communication will be as well essential.

Few things not to forget: Flashlight, mosquito repellent (nature-friendly if possible), light long sleeves clothes, closed shoes and flip flops,  rain jacket, hat, something to show your culture, food, pictures…, games, music, your motivation and beautiful smiles.

REQUIREMENTS

The volunteers should be ready to stay in a remote area (in the middle of the forest), to adapt to the local conditions with only basic facilities and with very few people able to speak in English. Volunteers should be able to handle a spontaneous working environment and constant changes in the plans. The mentality and way of thinking are very different from the western world.  There will have often activities with the children. To have responsibility for yourself, the kids and full involvement in community matters is a must.

**For ones who plan to travel in Thailand/Asia besides this voluntary work, having it done before or after the project would be advisable. We hope that volunteers will fully spend their stay in the project without asking for a long holiday break amid the project period. This would cause uncertainty in running activities.

The path to a family-based liberal community
in Cha-uat, Nakorn Sri Tammarat Province

Project number: 1601MLTV
Volunteer type: Medium and Long Term (two months minimum)
Max Number of Volunteers: 4

Available application period:  all year round

SHORT DESCRIPTION

A group of a few families with liberal dreams decided to start alternative education for their children and the interested members of their villages. They would like to welcome volunteers to help them to organize education activities and will include them as a part of their family and life style toward harmonious relationship between people and their environment. They try to free themselves from any kind of slavery from the mind to the body and the entire society. They want to become a new kind of responsible community based on a liberal way of life through spiritual work and active daily life.

HISTORY and REASONS OF THE PROJECT

All the members of this community, living in a few neighborhood villages are active in the social life of their area and want to take full responsibility of their way of life. They first met at the Southern center for Buddhist alternative medicine (Mor Keaw) and decided to join together for deeper reflections on how to improve this society. They have good knowledge about alternative education (already practicing home schooling), traditional health, agriculture, herbs… They want to take concrete actions with meaningful results.

The important domains we try to be free from in Withee Tai are: education, economy, society, health. It should be starting by ourselves, then the family, the community (natural or chosen), the country, the world. We want to change the world by acting locally, not only dream. Everyone is responsible.

So how can we bring the volunteers to the right direction so she/he can start the improvement for him/herself? How to make the change from a society where you work for a reward (having a good score, having a salary) to an open space where you work by free will, by voluntary spirit? We need to learn together and for this we need each one to open ourselves, break the ice between people, realize our common desire to preserve the world and rely on our volunteer spirit. We should have enough attention to learn from observing ourselves at any time. We shouldn’t try to change others (only if asked for help).

About 8 families will be the core of this community based in 5 villages. The main center is the house of Crue Liam where a clay house has been built to welcome volunteers. Volunteers will follow the rhythm of life of these families.

AIMS of the PROJECT

1- Improve the quality of human way of life

2- Start a new kind of community exempt of slavery, on the base of family and with a healthy environment.

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Participants would feel attached with:

– freedom in following their dreams

– good relationships between people

– unity and solidarity as well as preserving diversity

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The seven agreements of Withee Tai community:

– Find our common ground within our differences.

– Learn from others by observing inside ourselves.

– Say what you do and do what you say.

– Everything is based on the relationship of brotherhood.

– Develop heart of ownership.

– Positive thinking. (Get free from judging others).

– Do not take side part from one or another when a conflict occurs.

WORK AND ACTIVITIES

At Withee Tai, volunteers practice healthy activities for body, mind and soul: morning walk, yoga, discussion-evaluation in evening, prayer before meals, health camp…

For the daily routine, we decide it together with the hosts and the team of volunteers. It includes collecting food, cooking and cleaning of course. For the rest, it is not fixed and depends of the team and time of the year. Some days will be about agriculture, some about activities with kids (joining Withee Tai learning center), and some for construction or garbage management. There are easily changes when people come to visit, the hosts are invited to meetings, other activities; you may join or stay home to do something on your own… The quantity of work would depend on you; also if you find some project of your own, everything is possible. And to be frankly, when you chose and enjoy what you are doing, it’s no reason to call it work anymore, it’s just activities in the day. We also organize dialogue with the community members about learning process of participants, evaluations and future plans, at least once a month.

WITHEE TAI COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER

Since November 2016, Withee Tai has been officially registered as a community based learning center. There are about 25 of these centers in Thailand. They are free to organize their way of education and recognized at the same time. There are now over 10 kids registered and more are interested, but everyone around is also part of the learning process. We give equal importance to everyone; there are no actual teachers but 3 equal groups for decisions and preparing adapted program to each child: children, parents and facilitators (mentors).

The aim of the learning center is to improve the life quality, improve:

1- our soul            2- our environment         3-  our professional skills (find our way)

Being free means for us being happy to live together.

Children will learn from joining and practice concrete activities some will be for everyone like yearly meeting, art camp, thanks rice and water festival, health and family camp, or walking trips. Other will be optional depending of the child interest. It includes yoga, healthy cooking, gardening and rice planting, languages learning in everyday life with volunteers, economic project, local cultural event, international family camp, making natural dam, clay house building, social enterprise (business) project, local cultural events… and any new possible activity proposed by kids or volunteers around can be included.

The only real obligation for kids to join this learning center; and it could be interesting for volunteer to do so; is to take time everyday (at least regularly) to think about these 3 questions: What did I do (today)? What did I learn? How did I feel? and to find a way to record it, drawing, writing,…

This is for a double reason, first to be able to learn effectively about ourselves and secondly to be able to explain and show to people outside our learning process. Indeed, not sending our kids to a regular school is usually not well understood by people around. There is also a possibility for each kid to be back to a regular school and the learning center offers the equivalence with a proper system of step to reach.

• For those interested, you may assist to organize health camp together with the Southern center for Buddhist alternative medicine (MorKeaw) .

(http://morkeawninepills.blogspot.com/2013/10/balancing-of-hot-and-clod-elements-in.html)

FOOD and ACCOMODATION

Volunteers’ bedroom will be in the clay house, you may need to share your room. There will be simple mattress, pillow and mosquito net. You will need to bring sleeping bag .Volunteer will be part of the family who will take care of them for everything including food, security and transport. You will join daily tasks for collecting food and cooking. Local people eat rice (or noodles) 2 or 3 times a day with side dishes like curries, omelets, local leaves and vegetables and quite many fruits depending of the season..

OTHER PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Cha Uat is a district of Nakorn Sri Tammarat province situated half way between the Bantad mountain range and the South Chinese sea. It has wetland forest, canals, palm and rubber plantations, rice fields and other vegetable garden. Locals make crafts from palm leaves. They have also traditional South Thai dance (Manora) and Shadow puppets theater (Nang Talung). Ban Ta Saton, the village of Crue Liam is few kilometers from Cha Uat small town where you can find hospital, market, shops, banks, internet cafes and the train station (Bangkok- Hatyai line).

The most rain season is usually from October to December. There are a lot of mosquitoes because of the swamp around.

Laundry: expect to hand-wash your clothes

Water supply and electricity: available

Internet/phone access: There is WIFI open at certain time of the day. Volunteers are requested to use in private areas mainly and restrain themselves when with kids and people.

Hat Yai, the main city of South Thailand (close to DaLaa office) is 3 hours by train from Cha Uat.

Clothes worn in the village: You will be living in an area with elderly people and children around so it is appropriate that you dress modestly, for example no short skirts or shorts too far above the knees. Also women should wear tops that cover your shoulders.

REQUIREMENTS

The volunteers should be ready to stay in a remote area, to adapt to the local conditions with only basic facilities and with few people able to speak in English. Volunteers should be able to handle spontaneous working environment and constant changes in the plans. The mentality and way of thinking is very different from the western world.  There will have often activities with the children. To have responsibility for yourself, the kids and full involvement in community matters is a must.

**For ones who plan to travel in Thailand/Asia besides this voluntary work, having it done before or after the project would be advisable. We hope that volunteers will fully spend their stay in the project without asking for a long holiday break amid the project period. This would cause uncertainty in running activities.