Year: 2020

6 Months Volunteering In Koh Sukorn & Koh Nang Kham​

March 19, 2020 DaLaa Leave a comment Volunteer stories

My name is Gavyn, from America. I did volunteering in Koh Sukorn and Koh Nang Kham for 6 months 2019-2020. 

My time at Koh Nang Kham was enjoyable. The community is very kind, the food is good, and the neighbors, who are in contact with dalaa, are very helpful. The kids like any school are on a spectrum with how much they are willing to learn. However, regardless of their aptitude to follow in class they are good children who are kind and a joy to be around.

There are a lot of downtime in Koh Nang Kham, so be prepared to entertain yourself.


I had a great time in Koh Nang Kham, making a second family, a home away from home. I will miss these people and hope to come visit them later in my life. 

They’re is a swimming hole by the quaint village in a quarry, the locals call “The Grand Canyon”

Yod Rak organic farm

February 28, 2020 DaLaa Leave a comment MLTV

DaLaa MLTV project – code: 2001
All year round – At least two months 
Expected number of volunteers: 2-3


SHORT DESCRIPTION

We are a family of 2 working on sustainable and organic farming in Trang province, South Thailand. We are nursing many kinds of vegetables and trees for our network of organic farmers and organizing the Cinta green market of the next town (Trang). We are involved in many kinds of alternative stuff and are willing to welcome volunteers interested to support us and willing to learn.

AIMS of the PROJECT:
– to learn and support organic farming, self-reliance, cooking and local culture
– To join the life in the village, and possibly exchange culture and language with neighbours and local kids.

WORK- ACTIVITIES

  • Agriculture (seeds conservation, planting, potting, caring, collecting, weeding, watering, composting…)
  • Learning about food processing
  • Sell vegetables or fruits from the garden at green market.
  • Learning how to make shrimp paste and natural tie-dye clothes.
  • Activities with kids in the local small school.
  • Thai cultures and Thai language learning.

REQUIREMENTS

This project is for volunteers who interested in organic agriculture, self-reliance, and Thai traditional cultures. The volunteers will learn more about green market and community network building.

Volunteers should be ready to adapt to the Thai, local way of life, and willing to create relationships with volunteers’ friends, hosts and local people. Some difficult points could be mosquitoes and insects, eating rice at every meal, language and culture barrier, missing feedback, changing plans often.

Volunteers should be able to stay in a remote environment, without public transport.

Volunteers should be able to take responsibility for themselves and the team by taking care of their health and security and be fully involved in the daily tasks.

** Clothes worn in the village- schools and temple: skirts or shorts long enough to cover your knees also when you are sitting. Women should wear tops that cover their shoulders, no low neckline. Bikinis are not appropriate to swim if you go on holidays. Please wear long shorts and a top instead.

FOOD and ACCOMMODATION

  • We will cook meals together, suitable for vegetarians.
  • Volunteers will stay at the hosts house/ Yod Rak garden, either in tents or a small clay house (to be built)

You will be in the middle of a Muslim village- the hosts are Buddhists. The relationships are very good between everyone and people close to each other’s.

  • Mosquito nets, pillows, blankets and mattresses are provided.

OTHER PRACTICAL and LOCAL INFORMATION

  • We live in Thung Krabue Yan Ta Khao District, Trang province which is quite multicultural. We are a mix of Thai-Buddhist, Thai-Muslim, and Thai-Chinese. Therefore, there are various traditions such as Chak Phra Festival – Celebrates the return of Buddha from heaven to earth and to be greeted by multitudes. Celebration takes place every year immediately after the end of 3-month rain retreat, about October. It is celebrated in many parts of southern Thailand. Eid Mubarak Day – is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims. The Qingming festival – is a traditional Chinese festival.
  • Krabue in old Thai language means buffalo, and there were many buffaloes for rice farming in the past. So, it has been called “Thung Krabue” = “buffalo field”. Fisherman also one of a common occupation in Thung Krabue because there is a mangrove river connecting to the sea.
  • Most of people in our area are either rubber farmer, oil palm farmer or fishermen.
  •  The weather is the hottest in March-April, from May to September, you will experience more rain.
  • Water supply, electricity and WIFI available at the host house
  • Laundry: hand wash or washing machine
  • YantaKhao is the closest small town, 10 km from our village: there is a market, banks with ATM and hospital
  • Trang, the main town of the province (Trang province) is situated 20 km away.

  • Hatyai, the main city of South Thailand where is our office is about 2 hours drive by public transport (mini bus)