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Aqueous Solutions Hosts Water Filter Workshop at Grace Garden Supported by UNESCO

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0700

Workshop participants pose around the completed water filter system.

Nate Reents from Aqueous Solutions lead a water filter workshop at Grace Garden April 22^nd through 25^th. The sixteen Karen participants hailed from various organizations along the border region. Over the course of the workshop, three water filter systems and two gasifiers for making the specialized charcoal were constructed. Two water filter systems and one gasifier were given to participating organizations and the remaining water filter system and gasifier are now installed at Grace Garden to the delight of all living and working on the land.

Some students check water barrels for leaks, others sift sand and gravel for the filter, and others watch over the gasifier as it cooks a batch of charcoal.

The Aqueous Solutions water filtration system was perfected over years of trial and error. The current system involves four plastic drum barrels in series. The first tank, a gravel filter, removes the solid particles suspended in the water. The second tank, a sand filter topped with a layer of helpful microorganisms, succeeds in trapping or eliminating harmful disease causing pathogens. The third tank, a charcoal filter, adsorbs chemicals such as those from fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, etc, that may have contaminated the water. The fourth and final tank serves as a storage tank. The whole system can filter about 300 liters per day of particle free, pathogen free, chemical free drinking water! You can learn more about the system from this white paper published by Aqueous Solutions or by checking out their website at http://www.aqsolutions.org/.

The first tank of the filtration system holds gravel to trap the solid particles in the water.

Grace Garden was thrilled to play a role in this workshop. The participants were a pleasure to teach as they were deeply engaged in the material as evident from their eager questions and quality workmanship. We wish the participants all the best as they implement their new systems in their home villages and spread their new knowledge. Thank you, Aqueous Solutions, for the wonderful instruction and UNESCO for supporting the workshop!

Participants manage to have fun while working hard to construct three water filter systems and two gasifiers in under four days.

Institute for Village Studies and Engineering Studies Program (ESP) visit Grace Garden (training supported by UNESCO)

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0800

Students participating in the Western Washington University course, Discover Asia: Field Program in Northern Thailand & India, lent a hand at Grace Garden January 22^nd through January 28^th while visiting Noh Bo as a cultural exchange.

Institute for Village Studies is an organization dedicated to facilitating learning experiences for students and communities through service field studies. Students participating in the program conduct an independent research project while visiting communities in Thailand and India and supporting local community development opportunities. Institute for Village Studies has been bringing students to participate in efforts at BGET annually since 2004 and to Grace Garden specifically since 2011. BGET much appreciates Village Studies’ continued support for our projects.

This year, the group of seventeen assisted Grace Garden in getting a jumpstart to the New Year by accelerating such projects as expanding and beautifying the nursery, transforming our vacant composting pig pen into an occupied chicken coop, preparing the ground and collecting sand and gravel for pouring the concrete foundation for the new classroom, constructing the north perimeter fence to protect the fragile pioneer nitrogen fixing trees from grazing cows, painting bamboo shingles for the new buildings, and reinforcing the vegetable garden fence with mesh to keep out roaming chickens, pigs, and goats. The students worked so diligently and efficiently that by the end of their visit, Grace Garden had been worked clean out of materials from paint to bamboo to fence mesh to zip ties! Thank you for the fantastic work!

Institute for Village Studies students greatly expanding our nursery, adding tamarind and papaya to our ranks, and also beautified the space with artsy and informative name cards and a door sign made from salvaged wood scraps.

Students constructed a much needed north perimeter fence to protect the fledgling nitrogen fixing trees, currently pioneering the food forest area, from grazing cows that descend from the jungle at night.

At the same time, seven second year engineering students from Mae La Refugee Camp’s Engineering Studies Program (ESP) came to Grace Garden for a two week hands-on workshop building a solar water heater. In addition, the ESP students got a chance to learn about natural buildings through trying their hands at making adobe bricks and pouring concrete foundation. Other minor projects included repairing swales, a rainwater management strategy for hilly terrain, and leading the American students into the jungle on a bamboo foraging expedition.

Engineering Studies Program (ESP) students from Mae La Camp visit Grace Garden for a hands-on workshop building a solar water header.

For all of these hardworking and driven students it was their first trip out of the camp since arriving up to six years ago. The students admitted to feelings of restlessness and boredom while living in the camp but also demonstrated inspiring hope and determination for a brighter future. Most insisted that living in the camp presented more opportunity for education and employment and, contrary to what I had initially assumed, were not eager to return to Burma. The more I learn about the plight of the Karen refugees, the more I realize how complex the situation is and I never cease to be amazed by the resilience of the human spirit.

ESP students demonstrate inspiring hope and determination for a bright future despite challenging circumstances.

2012 Grace Garden Sustainable Living Workshop supported by UNESCO

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Grace Garden reached an important milestone this month by hosting its first training, the 2012 Grace Garden Sustainable Living Workshop! The training was held November 24th through December 7th for 20 students from the Network for Environment and Economic Development (NEED) school in Chiang Mai. Two Saturday workshops were also held during this time for 18 children from Blessed Home Orphanage, in part as a teaching exercise for the NEED students.

Instructors were recruited from exemplary organization to cover different aspects of sustainable living; Instructor Tui from Upland Holistic Development Project (UHDP) covered sustainable agriculture, Line Ramstad from Gyaw Gyaw taught a unit on natural buildings, and instructors from BGET presented on sustainable energy.

Lecture and discussion style class sessions held at the Blessed Home Orphanage were broken up with practical sessions held at the Grace Garden land. In the classroom, students discussed everything from sustainable agriculture to sustainable energy and on the land they built a composting pigpen, repaired a swale, harvested indigenous EM (effective microorganisms), made over 200 adobe bricks for the construction of the new Grace Garden classroom, and more!

NEED students getting hands-on experience constructing a composting pigpen

The composting pigpen design implemented on the land by the students results in happier pigs, a regular production of maintenance free compost, and without the ordinary pigpen stench! The composting pigpen is based on a Korean design and is fundamentally different from traditional pigpens by building the floor with, instead of concrete, layered compostable materials infused with EM. The composting pigpen thus has a soft, springy floor which is much more comfortable for the pigs and the pigs are able to happily satisfy their instinctual desire to dig. This process of digging mixes the pigs' manure in with the rest of the floor materials, and EM, and after about 3 months you have a pigpen full of ready compost to disperse in your garden beds. Happy pigs, ready compost, and no obnoxious odor. What more could you ask for?

How to make a composting pigpen:

1. Mark out an appropriate sized area for the pigpen - about 1.5 square meters per adult pig.

2. Dig down 90-120 cm

3. Fill the hole with repeating alternating layers of leaves, rice bran, and salt. Water after each layer with EM infused water.

4. Construct the pig pen fence and roof with bamboo and teak leave shingles (or whatever materials you prefer)

5. Build a berm around the edge of the pen under the eve of the roof so that water cannot run into the pen.

6. Get some pigs!

Source: Instructor Tui from UHDP

In the natural building practicum, the students made over 200 adobe bricks which will be used to build the new Grace Garden classroom. To build adobe bricks, first a large shallow pit was dug in the ground. Next, water and rice husk was mixed with the mud to make adobe. The adobe was packed into wood forms and finally the wood forms were removed and the adobe bricks were left to dry for seven days. After diligently working through the afternoon, the practical session devolved into a very fun, very messy, and very satisfying mud fight.

The adobe brick making session devolved into a mud fight

The course culminated in a design and teaching project. The NEED students designed a garden bed for an uncultivated patch on the Blessed Home Orphanage campus. Implementing the garden offered the opportunity for the NEED students to share with the orphans what they had learned including how to prepare garden beds, supplement the soil with compost and EM, protect the soil with mulch, and care for the plants.

The workshop was a fantastic success and BGET wants to make sure to thank the instructors for inspiring lessons, Blessed Home orphanage for great meals and wonderful hospitality, Gyaw Gyaw for providing extra housing, and UNESCO for funding the workshop. Thank you everyone for making this workshop such a success!

NEED Graduates of the 2012 Grace Garden Sustainable Living Workshop

Blessed Home Graduates of the 2012 Grace Garden Sustainable Living Workshop

Pig pen turned to be chicken coop

Happenings at the Grace Garden

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The rainy season has come to an end and there has been a lot of activity at the Grace Garden! Here is a brief rundown of what has been happening on the land these past few months:

Swale Maintenance: Over the rainy season the swales partially filled with sediment and weeds took over, threatening to choke out the planted NFTs and vetiver grass. First, we slashed all the weeds. Second, we dug out about a half meter of sediment from the swale and buried the slashed vegetation. Third, we covered everything with rice husk as a protective layer to suppress the weeds for a bit, provide organic matter, and also shield the soil from the sun and keep the moisture in. One swale repaired, one more to go.

Upper swale before and after maintanence

Weed Whacking: In preparation for building the classroom and kitchen, an area approximately 30 meters by 30 meters was cleared. In the process of cutting back the 5 foot tall prickle bushes that had taken over the land, we uncovered and liberated many teak trees! The process was demanding on our equipment and we had to re-handle our machetes multiple times. The re-handling process involved trekking through the jungle to harvest the appropriately aged bamboo, fashioning it to the proper length and end thickness, attaching the tool head, and finally securing it with a nail. I must say, there is something deeply satisfying about swinging around a machete and attacking weeds.

Material Accumulation: Ponchai, aka Miracle Man, has been a wizard in gathering materials for Grace Garden. One day we mention a need for rice husk and later that afternoon we traveled to a nearby town and collected 18 rice bags worth all for just 200 baht, the price of the bags. Another day we mention an interest in gathering cardboard, Ponchai promises to inquire in town, and later that afternoon we are carrying a truck load up to Grace Garden with the knowledge of a reliable local source of cardboard. We have also made friends with our neighbor who keeps a heard of cows and now have an endless supply of manure. Lastly, as the cold season begins, we have been diligently collecting the newly fallen teak leaves to be used in mulch, compost, etc and as soon as the rice harvest concludes we plan to buy another few truck loads of rice straw.

Water Spigot Construction: As the dry season is underway, we have added a water point next to the nursery with easy access to the nursery, compost pile, and vegetable garden space. First, we dug up the water line at the approximate location we wanted the water spigot. We then cut a portion of the pipe out and inserted a T joint. We cut the pipe again a few inches downhill of the joint and inserted a ball valve so we will be able to shut off water to the house and direct it instead to the spigot when needed. From the T joint we ran another section of pipe off to the side to where we wanted the spigot. A few elbow joints, a tap, plumbing tape, a stabilizing post, and some zip ties and we've created the spigot. We placed rocks and chunks of concrete at the base to prevent a muddy mess when it inevitably leaks. The 30 meters of soft pipe reaches all the way to the bean fence. Perfect.

Bean Fence Maintenance: A beautiful curved bamboo fence was built near the staff house with a few beans planted to wind up around the fence. It had since fallen into disrepair and the beans, and weeds, had gone wild. To bring the fence back to its former glory, first, the weeds were slashed along the fence. Second, new bamboo posts were strategically placed to support the listing fence and force it upright. Third, we retied each fence joint with bamboo ties. This last step involved trekking thought the jungle to harvest some bamboo, cutting it up into the proper strips, and finally using the strips to secure each joint. Using the word "tying" is misleading; to secure joints with bamboo strips, you simply wrap the bamboo around the joint and then twist the ends to together until it twists in on itself and becomes a sort of knot. The next step will be to mulch the area and plant some new beans and other vine plants to crawl up the fence.

Tree Rehabilitation: An integral part of a forest garden are trees. The trees planted near the upper south swale by the water tanks were being choked out by weeds. To give them a leg up we mulched an approximately 3ft x 3ft area around each tree. This involved slashing the weeds, watering the ground, then circling each tree with cardboard, watering the cardboard, covering the cardboard with rice straw, then watering the rice straw. For much of the watering we took water straight from the 2 in diameter black hose that connects to the well and solar powered water pump. In the process, Jobwa got more than a little wet.

Land Survey: Dave, a recurring BGET volunteer, spent another few weeks at Grace Garden. During his brief visit he was able to survey the land and create a 3D map of the property. The survey was conducted with very simple tools: two equally tall bamboo posts, a tape measure, a compass, and a scope. A data point included the distance between the two posts, the degrees from north from point A to point B, and the vertical angle from point A to point B. After these measurements were taken and recorded, the post from point A leapfrogged point B to a new location, point C, and the measurements were taken again, this time from point B to point C. A single survey ran full circle back to the initial position for quality control. In all we recorded over 200 data points over three days. The data points were converted to a 3D map via some trigonometry and fancy computer programs. We will use this 3D map to design and build the classroom and dorms and also for designing other systems, such as additional swales or a catchment pond.

Dave and PraPra performing the land survey and the resulting 3D map

Volunteers: We had two volunteers, Kwan and Tudtoo, come help out at Grace Garden for three days in October. Kwan and Tudtoo did a fantastic job helping with the swale maintenance. They also donated many seeds to Grace Garden. In addition, they spent time at Blessed Home conducting afternoon activities for the kids including coloring, story telling, playing games, leaf painting, and singing songs.

There has been a lot of activity here at Grace Garden and more projects are in the works!

Global Youth Service Team Project 2012

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0700

GYST 2012

ในพื้นที่อำเภอท่าสองยาง แม่ระมาด แม่สอด พบพระ และอุ้มผาง เป็นพื้นที่ที่ติดกับชายแดนระหว่างประเทศไทยและประเทศพม่า ก็จะมีชาวพม่าเข้ามาในประเทศไทยเป็นจำมากพอสมควรไม่ว่าจะเป็นที่ศูนย์ลี้ภัยชั่วคราวและมาทำงานในประเทศไทยก็มีจำนวนมากพอสมควร และบุคคลเหล่านี้ก็จะอยู่ตามศูนย์ลี้ภัยบ้าง ตามไร่นาบ้าง บางที่ก็เป็นพื้นที่ที่ห่างไกลจากการช่วยเหลือเข้าไปถึงได้ ไม่ว่าจะเป็นเรื่องน้ำ เรื่องไฟ ซึ่งเป็นสิ่งที่สำคัญในการดำเนินชีวิต ศูนย์การเรียนเหล่านี้ประกอบไปด้วย Green water, Maw Taw Lu, Rocky Mountain, TBCEF, Pa Noy Poo, Mae la caps,Green

กลุ่ม GYST ก็เป็นกลุ่มนักเรียนนักศึกษาที่มาจากประเทศอเมริกาพวกเค้ายอมสละทรัพย์สินยอมสละเวลาและแรงกาย เพื่อที่จะมาให้ความรู้และให้และศูนย์การเรียนต่างๆ( Migrant school )ที่อยู่ห่างจากไฟฟ้าและน้ำดื่ม กลุ่ม GYST ซึ้งเห็นความสำคัญทางด้านนี้ พวกกลุ่ม GYST ก็จะทำการติดตั้งโซล่าเซลล์ และ UV ที่เห็นว่าศูนย์การเรียนไหนควรจะได้รับ และกลุ่ม GYST นี้ก็จะมาติดตามโครงการนี้ทุกปี มาเปลี่ยนแบตเตอรี่ให้และหลอดไฟ

สำหรับในสายตาของเราคนไทยแล้วการที่ผู้หญิงต้องปีนขึ้นไปติดหลอดไฟต้องเดินสายไฟถือว่าเป็นเรื่องที่ยากสำหรับหญิงไทย สุดท้ายก็ขอบคุณอาจารย์ ( Mrs. Doug Hollinger ) และกลุ่ม GYST ที่มาให้ความสว่างให้แก่เด็กๆอีกทั้ง UV ให้แก่ศูนย์ต่างๆ อีกทั้งสร้างรอยยิ้มให้กับเด็กๆในศูนย์ต่างๆ คงไม่มีอะไรที่จะตอบแทนมีแต่รอยยิ้มและคำขอบคุณที่จะมอบให้

Working on the Border: Round Two

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Embarking on my second trip with the Global Youth Service Team to the border to work with BGET, I was expecting it to be very similar to my first trip in 2007. However, what I ended up getting out of the trip was so much more than I could have hope for. This summer in Mae Sot lasted about a week longer than my first one. It did not seem like a week could make that much of a difference but it was that much more time to get to know the BGET crew, work with students, and teach people in the area about photovoltaic systems and UV water purification.

Working in a foreign country, even if it isn’t for the first time, is not easy. Three weeks is not really enough time to get fully acclimated to the weather, the electric systems we were installing and repairing, the stress on your body of digging holes, or to learn to speak Thai/Burmese/Karen. However, it is amazing to me how easy it was to enjoy this work and communicate with people, regardless of the cultural and language differences. The smiles on the faces of all the children at the schools where we worked seemed to make me forget about all the sweat pouring off my body and the minor cuts and blisters that came with the effort and exertion.

To be able to work with such a dedicated organization as the Border Green Energy Team, twice, is really a privilege more so than actual “work”. Their “no serious” attitudes and knowledge are contagious. It is obvious that they all love what they do and appreciate anyone willing to join them and help their cause. If you ever get the chance to leave your everyday life for a period of time and go work with this group to bring sustainable energy, clean water, and the know how to maintain these systems to children along the border, my advice would be to not think twice. It is impossible to express the impact that these people had on my life and if our work helped even just one child learn a little more by being able to study at night, or not get sick because of having clean water, then it is all worth it. Not to mention, I have every ounce of confidence that the work done by both GYST and BGET will have this effect on way more than just one child.

Busy Weeks at the Grace Garden

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0700

It has been a busy few weeks for the Grace Garden. The rains are getting noticeably heavier and more constant, and while they make for soggy work, they will help things grow faster and are a welcome alternative to the stiflingly hot sun.

One of our first priorities was finishing the top swale. After spending hours trying to realign one section of it in order to be on contour, we finally deemed it fit for phase 2: planting of the vetiver grass that we obtained from the King’s Project. There are now several rows of vetiver grass lining the top swale. We still have plenty of vetiver grass left, though, and we hope to get it planted out onto the second swale before it starts to get moldy.

We also plotted out the second swale, making our way through the land with a homemade water level (props to Jodi). This task proved much easier when Jobson came along to bushwhack and clear the way ahead of us, so we were grateful for his help on day 2 of this process. Along the way, we discovered some amazing insects, including a vibrantly colored green and pink grasshopper with lines of tiny spikes on its legs. The bugs here in Noh Bo never cease to amaze me.

In other news, the flemingia seeds that I planted in the nursery when I first arrived have sprouted and are looking healthy, so we transferred about 80 of them (so far) to bags in a bit of our homemade potting mixture so that they can continue to grow outside of the germination bed. The potting mixture, which includes top soil, sand, burnt rice husks, compost, and coconut fiber, is rather labor-intensive to make, so we are considering switching to pre-made potting mix in the future, since there are hundreds of seedlings left in the germination bed, and we’d like to get them planted out as soon as possible.

Guest Blog Post: Solar Lease Versus Solar Loan

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Original Blog Post is on www.keenforgreen.com 18/07/11

If you are considering solar panel installation for your home or business, there are many different financing options available to you. Entering a solar lease can be a great way to step away from fossil fuels without having to spend a lot of money upfront. Other financing options include solar loans (public and private), Power Purchase Agreements, and payment in full. It is important to understand your options in order to make a decision that is best for you.

Solar Lease: Solar panel lease programs allow home owners to promote the benefits of clean and renewable energy without the high upfront costs. The home owner does not own the photovoltaic panels on their property. Instead, they borrow the system from a solar company for a set rate per month. Property owners are usually given the option of buying the system at the end of the lease (“lease-to-own” options). Sungevity is known for their solar lease program and many smaller installers are starting to get in on the action as well. Monthly payments on the solar lease tend to be roughly the same as an average energy bill was prior to solar installation. One of the downsides of leasing your solar equipment is that you often do not qualify for government tax credits because you are not the owner of the equipment.

Solar Loan: Solar loans are private or public loans in which home owners borrow the capitol needed in order to install solar panels. Monthly payments areSo made for the principle amount (the amount borrowed) plus accrued interest. State-sponsored loans provide very low interest rates (usually 0-5%), making solar financing more enticing to property owners. Private loans work in much the same way, but often at higher interest rates. Both usually require an initial down payment.

Power Purchase Agreement: A solar power purchase agreement (PPA) is a long term contract to buy electricity produced by a solar system. As with a solar lease, the system is not owned by the property owner; the owner is simply buying the energy produced at an agreed upon rate for a certain period of time. Individuals in a PPA are often given the option to purchase the system at the end of the agreement.

Payment in Full: This is clearly the most cost-efficient way to finance your solar system, but most homeowners do not have the cash they need in order to pay out of pocket for the initial installation. Property owners own their solar system outright from day one and don't have to pay any interest. In addition, when you own your solar panels outright, you get the full benefit of tax credits that you would not receive if your panels were on loan or part of a PPA.

A Thai Refugee Care Organization, BGET, “Hopes for Where There Is No Light”

Sat, 26 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

A Thai Refugee Care Organization, BGET, “Hopes for Where There Is No Light”

Supports renewable energy and trains refugees across the border region

Translated from Korean to English by Sejin Yang (2009 BGET's Volunteer)

“The refugees along the Thai-Burma border have nothing. Electricity is hope for them.”

Salinee Tavaranan, the director of a Thai refugee care organization, BGET (Border Green Energy Team), was full of her determination to continue the refugee care projects

Salinee Tavarana, Director of BGET

at the Kyobo Foundation of Education and Culture in Sinseol-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul on 22 April.

BGET is a non-profit organization co-founded by American renewable energy experts, Walt Ratterman and Chris Greacen in 2005.

BGET received the Kyobo Life Award for Environment for the international division. The organization has been bringing light to Burmese refugees and internally displaced Karen communities using renewable energy technologies such as solar and micro-hydro power.

BGET provides electricity to schools and medical clinics using solar and micro-hydro power systems.

BGET also installed hydraulic ram pumps to provide schools with drinking water. While the number of BGET staffs including its volunteers is only around 9, the organization has provided light to far more than 100,000 people.

Tavaranan said, “It allowed medical clinics to light night-time surgeries and use vaccine refrigerators. The people in the region are very happy to have light.”

BGET does not hesitate to take life threatening risks as long as they can bring light to more people. The Myanmar border has been under tight security due to Karen people’s war of independence against Myanmar for the past 64 years. In spite of all tensions, BGET would walk for 2 days to get to where there is a need for their help.

Tavaranan said, “Danger always lurks on the way as the Myanmar army laid landmines everywhere to stop the ethnic minority from returning to their homes and lands. However, I’m not particularly worried about it” and smiled. “We can die anywhere and anytime. I don’t think working for this project suddenly increases the danger of death.”

Walt Ratterman, one of BGET's co-founders, lost his life following the devastating earthquake in 2010 while working on solar projects for medical clinics in Haiti. Although in losing Walt BGET lost a leading figure in the organisation, it has not hindered them in pursuing their work. In 2009, BGET was awarded the international award of the World Energy Globe Awards and the Kyobo Life Award for Environment for the international division this year.

Tavaranan said, “Knowing how many people could get benefits from the projects, I can’t stop working. I’ll continue this work for the rest of my life.”

She finally added, “Since the Myanmar’s government and the Karen National Union recently signed a ceasefire agreement, further reconciliation has been emerging in the border region. Once security along the border is guaranteed, we will be able to bring electricity to even more people in remote mountain villages. We will deeply appreciate for your continued interest and support for our work to help benefit more people.”

http://www.edaily.co.kr/news/NewsRead.edy?SCD=DA42&newsid=01580966599498744&DCD=

A Thai NGO, ‘Border Green Energy Team’ Won Kyobo Life Award for Environment

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Orginal article is retreived from http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/environment/529429.html

Translated by Sejin Yang (2009 BGET's Volunteer)

A Thai organization, ‘Border Green Energy Team (BGET)’ was awarded the Kyobo Life Award for Environment for International Division and was invited to the award ceremony in Seoul. BGET supplies renewable energy technology to Karen villages in Myanmar (Burma) and refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar (Burma) border.

Salinee Tavaranan, the director of BGET, said, “Despite recent improvements of democracy in Burma, it is too early to say if Burma is changing. The BGET team still crosses the border to Burma to install solar power systems taking life threatening risks.”

The Karen people have been fighting against the military regime of Myanmar for over 60 years. Though KNU signed a ceasefire agreement with the government of Myanmar in January this year, the military tension has not been reduced yet. The Karen in Myanmar are still living in darkness with no access to electricity as well as education and medical service. They use firewood for cooking and only few of them use candles for lighting.

The most urgent electricity demand is associated with better lighting for medical clinics. It is difficult to perform emergency operations at night where there is no light. Tavaranan said, “BGET installed solar power systems for 60 Karen medical clinics. The electricity is used to power vaccine refrigerators and microscopes for malaria diagnosis as well as surgical equipments.” It costs 1,300 USD (1.48million KRW) to install a 120W solar panel and 3 solar panels are needed to power a vaccine refrigeration unit.

Since the Karen communities are forced to flee the military attacks due to the ongoing civil war, the solar power systems for their mobile clinics are designed to be easily assembled and disassembled. Tavaranan said, “BGET staffs sometimes walk for 2 days in the jungle to install solar power systems inside Burma. Once the systems are installed, BGET provides the technicians with annual follow-up training for maintenance and operation near the border.”

BGET has installed about 10-15 solar power systems a year so far and provided renewable energy technologies and training in 7 Karen refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. While studying Solar Engineering in the USA, Tavaranan went back to her home country, Thailand, in September 2005 to join the projects of BGET. Tavaranan said, “I couldn’t stop working, knowing how many people could get benefits from the projects.”

The Kyobo Life Award for Environment is the most prestigious award for environmental issues in Korea. In its 14^th year of the award, The Kyobo Foundation of Education and Culture created the international division of the award and awarded Border Green Energy Team(BGET) a 50,000,000 KRW grant and a plaque this year.

Jong-Young Nam fandg@hani.co.kr (22 April 2012 Hankyoreh)

Batiking in Mae Sot

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Mae Sot is an incredible city. I have never lived in a place so welcoming. Mae Sot has diversity of cultures, of food and of people, which provides everyone with a feeling of ease and acceptance. Mae Sot bustles with activity throughout the week and the presence of so many non-governmental organizations and shops ensures that activities are offered, allowing you to explore different subjects and meet many people. Every Wednesday and Friday, people play football on a field just outside town. There is a quiz night on Thursdays at a local bar. Additionally, there are classes offered by different organizations. I had the opportunity to take two batiking classes offered by the Puzzlebox Art Studio during my time in Mae Sot. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.

Both batiking courses were taught by the talented artist Sein Sein Lin. In the first few hours of the course, Sein Sein Lin taught the class about color theory, batik history and the importance of batik to Burmese culture. Everyone was then given books and pictures of batiks past, as sources of inspiration for their own designs. Students could design a tablecloth, napkin, blouse or scarf. I chose to design a tablecloth and a napkin during each course.

The design process is important in providing everyone with a better understanding of which shapes and colors work best in batik. However, the batiking process provides ample opportunity for unexpected design changes during wax and paint application, or due to the influence of the sun on the batik’s final appearance. After designing the composition, students use colored pencil to draw on the cloth. Colored pencils are used since they are a gentle medium and can therefore be washed out during the batiking process. After drawing the design, you must draw over the lines with an intricate wax pipe. The hot, bubbling wax sits inside a small pot and as you tip the pot forwards the wax pours out the tiny spout, onto the cloth. The wax’s temperature determines how the line will look. If the wax is very hot, the lines are smooth and loose. If the wax is cooler, the lines are harder to draw and can have a more abrupt and jagged appearance. During my four days of batiking, I never quite figured out how to control the heat of the wax or predict the character of the line before I was working with it on the cloth.

Wax lines on my batik

The wax acts as an important barrier during the painting phase, so the wax lines must be solid. If the wax lines are permeable then the paints will “walk” through the lines and mix together, creating unplanned colors and compositions. After the wax cools and hardens, you paint the cloth with special fabric paints. It is important to use fabric paints for batiking, because like in silk screening, fabric paint lasts longer and was designed for the batiking process. In order to achieve a darker color, more concentrated paint and repeated layers of paint should be applied to the fabric. Additionally, batiks can be painted in a similar manner to watercolor painting, where regions are made wet before paint is applied. This process allows colors to bleed into one another and create a softer look. Conversely, paint can be applied to the dry batik for a harder look and severe lines.

Paint beginning to be applied to the cloth

Paint application is complete

Once paint is applied to the batik, the batik dries in the sunlight for days before sodium silicate is applied to it. Sodium silicate acts as a fixative, holding the colors in place and preventing future water damage. Once the sodium silicate is dry, which takes approximately five hours, it is washed off in a large, boiling pot of water.

The batik is then hung out to dry in the sun.

Batiks hanging to dry

Once the batik is dry, the batiking process is finally complete. The finished appearance of the batik may be substantially different from the idea the artist originally conceived, however, the final product is always beautiful and exciting.

These classes and the other activities in Mae Sot are a great way of getting to know other people working in the city and also the work of other organizations. I learned a lot about the Puzzlebox Art Studio and the life and artwork of Sein Sein Lin. The long days at the Puzzlebox Art Studio will remain some of my favorite in Mae Sot and have enriched my understanding of batik and batik culture. Now when I see batiks for sale around the city, and throughout Thailand, I can recognize which are handmade batiks and which batiks are printed. I also now know how much skill and time went into the handmade batiks and try my best not to bargain.

I really appreciated with what I can do.

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

I've done my school with project management in April 2011 and joined to BGET. When I started working with BGET, I really being curious of what I can help BGET to reach the organization goals. Because I had very few skills to work with BGET as a technician and some of the tools that I've seen looks very strange to me, don't know really how to use its.

A few months later, I can adapt and try to match with some of the skills that I have learned from my school and experiences such as Translation and Interpretation, survey and do need assessment to community of school. Moreover, I am able to do as a technician trainer as much as I can. Most of the skills that I’ve learned from BGET are by doing so I really don’t have much theological knowledge. I always need to review the lessons that I will train to people.

During the period of my work time, I have done lot of solar projects and being as a translator and interpreter. And also I have done bio-sand water project and bio-gas project as well. In conclusion, when I step back and reflect to see my experience and time of working with my current organization, I really appreciated that help number of people with the skills that I have and did as much as I can. I can rely myself that NO ONE IS PERFECT. I really happy and satisfies with what I can do well.

you'll not feel tire if you love your work!!

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

I would like to share my experiences during the second semester of internship period in my organization. It is really good opportunity that I have a chance to work with BGET (BORDER GREEN ENERGRY TEAM). Firstly, I don’t think so that I will understand what is the really situation around migrant school in Thailand especially Mae Sot area, but, now I gained many experiences during this second semester. Because during first semester, we don’t have much more projects because we just preparing the materials for coming soon projects and mostly we spend the time in the office. During we were in the office, we were setting up all the materials like, solar penal, the based posts setting for solar panels, controller system, and batteries. During this second semester, we have some projects for migrant schools, with the students from US, (GYST) (Global Youth Service Team) for solar system, water sanitation in their migrant area. As they have many experiences about water sanitation, I have learnt many techniques that how to build Ultra Violence purified water system, and the technique of how to build that water sanitation systematically. Not only I have learnt the technique of instruction of water sanitation, I translated manual book in English to Burmese version, that the first time I translated manual book in this office. According to we have no lots of staffs who are very good and enough skill to translate Burmese version of manual book about water sanitation, I have a chance to translate English to Burmese. I am proud of myself that I can translated manual book as much as I have a skills then I show some of my friends to correct if I make some wrong translation but, all my friends agree that I translated was perfected. I will share more information that I have had during second semester as following below.

There are many highlight in this period during the second internship period in our organization. There are, I can set up all electric wires as systematically with meter boxes during the second week of our internship time. We have as different projects solar system, all the technique also very different to set up. We went to Phop Phra area to implement our project in one of migrant school which located very close to Burma. Because there is no electricity in the school and they can’t study night time. So we implement our solar system project for this school. That the projects we done with GYST group and all we including staffs from our organization as well. Why this period was my special highlights for me is, I have never been this Phop Phra area and didn’t see new migrant school because i only know about migrant schools which located in Mae Sot area. All the migrant students are very welcome to us and help during we were working as well.

Now currently, I am much familiar with the organizational work even though this is the first time that I practically join to work with communities around the border. Such a lovely face from residents from the mountains that I saw are a new challenging for my life by working together with them. When I saw many people are hopeless for their future we can’t support perfectly but however we have been working with them and helping to have better situation before in their living areas with solar home system. Working with those residents is also not very easy because according to they are living on higher mountain, somehow it difficult get there.

I feel interested current my job because I have to see different place and different people from different place. And our project is in different place, so we can see different place and different people so I have a chance to have new friends more and more. And some time our project style is little different such as, install solar system, some time bio-sand water filter, and purified water and others. So I know many instruction of renewable service from my organization. And I have to learn more about our new project program like, biogas and solar cooker. So we do the project also different things and I don’t know yet some instruction of our project. So it makes me to interest during my internship at my organization.

When I think back for my previous background life, this currently job is very important and useful for development program. Because to implement this renewable system is very important for all of us and for especially village where no electricity place and I need to learn more about this solar system for my future. This is very important for our environment to keep safe our community in the future. I hope to work long time with this my organization until I can practice for my village in chin state where no electricity is.

Three Months in Mae Sot

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

It’s hard to say at what moment I went from tourist to resident. Maybe it was the moment when I started to use Mae Sot as a adjective: “that’s so Mae Sot” (you’ll have to live there to learn the definition), maybe it was the moment when I actually understood Mae Sot directions: “turn right past the tiny ponies”, or maybe it was the moment on a bus back from Chiang Mai when I realized I was happy to almost be home. Whatever the moment was, for three fleeting months, Mae Sot, Thailand was my home. You probably haven’t heard of it; it isn’t a pristine beach town, it doesn’t have any particularly notable historic or cultural sites, and there isn’t any adventure trekking near by. In fact, with its hot sun beating down on a paved cityscape of tired four-story buildings where signs and tangled electric lines have replaced trees, Mae Sot is the type of town you’d drive through and instantly forget on your way to something else. But beneath its mundane surface, Mae Sot is a diverse and vivacious border town located 7 km from the Burma border. A miniature melting pot, Mae Sot inhabitants are a mixture of Burmese, Karen, Hmong, Chinese, Indian, Thai and farang (westerns).

Due to its proximity to the Burmese refugee camps, Mae Sot has become the operational hub of numerous NGOs. An array of altruistic acronyms of all sizes and funding levels have rooted themselves here to address the pressing issues of health, sanitation, education, and electrification for refugee camps and rural communities. Consequently, a portion of Mae Sot’s population is in constant flux: NGO volunteers rotate in and out, refugees quietly arrive and depart, and merchants frequently come and go. The Mae Sot community is a function of time, and therefore, everyone’s Mae Sot community is unique. You may eat at the same restaurants, stay at the same guest house, and work for the same NGO, but Mae Sot will never be the same place twice. Therefore, as I pack my bags to travel around the rest of Thailand then return to the USA, I am both happy to go and sad to leave. In the grand scheme of things, three months is barely a blimp on the timeline, but nonetheless, I’m going to miss my Mae Sot community -the people I met and the places I went. For three months, I was a resident of the Mae Sot community and forever my Mae Sot community will reside with me.

Thanksgiving Day Market Research

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

What do you use for light at night? What do you use candles for? How much do you spend on candles a week? These were some of the questions we asked villager after villager on our trip to Pa Sak last week when we went to conduct market research for the Border Green Energy Team’s (BGET) spin-off company, SunSawang. SunSawang is slated to be a for-profit, solar electricity service company, whose mission is to provide solar products and services to rural villages of Thailand. As background, in 2004, the Thai government sponsored a program that gave villagers across Thailand photovoltaic solar home systems (SHS) in exchange for their electoral support. However, the program did not provide any maintenance or training for the SHS systems, and consequently, some of the systems are now useless; their photovoltaic panels are functioning, but the battery has expired, the inverter has malfunctioned, and/or the controller has failed. SunSawag’s plan is to fill the service gap for these existing systems while offering additional products to create a sustainable energy source for rural areas.

Having spent much of my fellowship with BGET working on my computer in Mae Sot drafting SunSawang’s business plan and writing proposals and reports for BGET, I was super excited to get out into villages to do some market research. Early Thursday morning, Antonia (another MAP fellow), M, Htoot, Jobson (all BGET staff), two Karen translators, and I piled into a truck and drove the three hours north to Pa Sak. The drive was fun; we listened to M’s music while we passed by the Mae La refugee camp, turned off the highway, then bounced and sludged our way down the long unpaved road that snaked and bounded through the jungle and out to the village. The highlight of the drive was when we had to ford a river to continue on our way– a foot or more of water rushed at the truck as we bumped across the river’s rocky bottom. This was the trip into Thailand I had expected: rice fields, sugar cane, and lush green mountains! I couldn’t help but smile the whole way there.

The road to Pa Sak.

We spent two days in the village going from house to house asking villagers if they would be willing to take our survey. Some declined, but many were more than happy to oblige. The results were fascinating. Honestly, I half expected to eventually be bored out of my mind repeating the same product ranking exercise and questionnaire for the umpteenth time with person after person who spoke a language I don’t understand, but surprisingly, I was far from it. It was crazy how much I could understand without knowing Karen (my Thai is spotty at best, but my Karen is pretty much nonexistent). At one point, I remember realizing, “Oh wait, I don’t actually know what he’s saying.” I had been so wrapped up in observation of the villager’s expressions and gestures that I already understood his position and forgot he was also speaking. I was even able to tell that our translators and the villagers were occasionally having trouble communicating because differences in eastern vs. western Karen (Htoot confirmed this later). It’s pretty amazing how much communication can be accomplished without words.

Villagers access the products.

The second thing I found fascinating, coming from a product design firm position prior to my fellowship with BGET, was the complete failure of many of the intended product “design cues” of the products we were researching. As part of the market research, we had the villagers use, then rank, four PV-powered lanterns designed specifically for the developing world. Through this process, we watched villager after villager struggle to simply turn on the product. Villagers were carefully placing products on the ground upside-down, they had trouble plugging in charger cables, and they were unimpressed or joked about some of the product features. What had seemed so obvious to us was not necessarily intuitive to them. However, once over the learning curve, the villagers were shrewd assessors. They were highly critical of the product’s function, and quality and lifetime questions came up most frequently. An interesting trend that emerged from the data was an association of product quality with product cost: the most expensive product was often regarded as having the highest quality. This decision making process was the opposite of what I anticipated. I expected people with limited economic means to prefer the cheaper product; the one that did not cost a significant percentage of their annual income. But instead, the villagers were more concerned with getting lasting value for their money - good to know when SunSawang finalizes its pricing strategy.

Early morning in Pa Sak.

All and all the market research trip to Pa Sak was an interesting and excellent change from a computer screen and the city streets of Mae Sot. The results will be valuable data for SunSawang as it moves forward in its product offering decisions. One market research village down, more to go…

Two Summers in Thailand with BGET

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

I have spent the last two summers as a member of the Global Youth Service Team on the border of Thailand and Burma installing photovoltaic systems and ultraviolet water purifiers in migrant schools. Some may think it odd for a teenager to willingly give up a month of summer vacation for two consecutive years, but the time I spent volunteering on the border is invaluable, and I can’t express how grateful I am to have been involved. The things I have seen and experienced are unique to say the very least—and I truly believe they have made a significant impact on my life.

Coming to an area like the border region was profoundly humbling the first time I saw it, and in returning I only felt a stronger desire to do what I could to contribute to the tremendous need that exists there. What I found to be most sad was that there was, to some degree, assistance from other groups already in place; but for the most part incomplete, ineffective, or miscommunicated. It was evident in both of my trips to the border that other NGOs had tried to help out by donating solar electric systems for migrant villages and schools to use, but they are usually installed improperly. We noted several instances of solar arrays facing the wrong direction to gather optimal solar power, under the shade of buildings or trees, and the lack of or misuse of batteries to store power. In our projects, we make it a point to spend a day explaining how the newly installed systems operate.

Obviously, teaching the students at the migrant schools presented the challenge of a language barrier. Some of the students speak Burmese; others speak Karen (and within that, two different subtypes!); and still others speak Thai. Meanwhile, all of us GYST volunteers were fluent in… English. Luckily, we had been working with some incredible technicians from BGET who helped us out and acted as translators. With their help we could succeed in explaining the newly installed systems and their required maintenance and discuss the reasons for using sustainable energy such as solar power. Actually, working with the BGET technicians in general was one of my favorite things about being on the border. There’s something really amazing about partnering up with strangers who understand about half of what you say to them, and somehow growing close to them over installations and bumpy truck rides and groggy mornings at work. Unexpected friendships from the other side of the world are irreplaceable and hard to come by, and I’m so glad to say I’ve had the chance to develop several.

Getting involved with the Global Youth Service Team and with projects in the border region was, in the beginning, something of an automatic decision for me. I’m a science geek, so engineering and putting together electrical systems sounded like a good time, and I love to travel so Southeast Asia seemed a new and exciting place to spend four weeks of my summer. Then I learned of the service aspect and was drawn in even more. But none of these initial attractions can compare to how much I have actually gotten out of my experiences in these past two years. For anyone looking to get a grasp on what the “real” world is actually like, coming to volunteer on the border is an ideal way to sense the reality of the less fortunate—and to give assistance to people who really need it.

Thanks to BGET for all you do, and for making my experiences as incredible as they have been!

Volunteering In Thailand - Don't Just Visit, Do

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Since I’ve returned from my trip to Thailand, I’ve been struggling for the words to adequately communicate all of my experiences with GYST and BGET. It’s difficult to describe our service trip to someone who has never gone for a variety of reasons. The average person mainly wants to hear all the little things: about the toilets, the food, and the bugs. They strive to keep the conversation superficial, while I attempt to tell them about the more complex issues the team encountered. Because in the end, the time we all spent in Thailand really wasn't about the food, or the bugs, and not even the toilets. Ultimately it was about the people we met, and the service we did. Of course, there are foods and places I will remember, but it’s the time we spent helping people and the emotions associated with that experience that I will never forget. I know I speak for the whole group when I say these are the real memories of Thailand.

I’ll always remember the schools I visited and the kids we played with after the build was done. I’ll remember the adults who came to the training. They were so focused on the lessons and profoundly grateful afterwards. We take education for granted in the United States, but for these people it can be a vital life-changing tool. We definitely had our fun, and we did tour and play around plenty. But if it had been only been that, the time we spent in Thailand would have been shallow, we would have been mere visitors – just observers of this foreign land. But instead, we were a part of it and it became a part of us. I will never look at life in the same way again; I hope I will never again take opportunities for granted – they are a privilege not a right.

I know that most people won’t try to do something like we did: journey into a foreign country not just to visit, but also to serve. But I wish that they would. I encourage everyone to join or help an organization like BGET or GYST. The work they do is spectacular and I was honored to be a part of it.

The All Too Common Story of Students in Mae La

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Mae La, a refugee camp directly on the border of Thailand and Burma, is filled with roofs made of metal and organizational difficulties. Mae La is mostly dirt, and the roads change seemly randomly from wide enough for one car to pass, to foot paths, then motorcycle paths, and then back to roads. The soil is not strong enough to grow anything, there is no sewage system, and all drinking water is brought in by NGOs. Mae La is roughly 1.9 miles long and is the home of approximately 41,000 refugees. Its full length runs along a main road. On the Thai side, there is a road and a meager fence with randomly stationed military; on the Burmese side there are only mountains. Because of its location by the road, Mae La is able to have power and phone service, a luxury most Burmese refugee camps in Thailand do not have, which allows some schools to use computers a few times a week. For this reason, “Mae La is different than most refugee camps.” Salinee Tavaranan, the director of the Border Green Energy Team (BGET), told me. Having electricity, phone service and the internet is a great advantage for people who otherwise have few opportunities, jobs, or activities. In my talk with both Salinee and the students, I learned that for a child in the camp, there are only three options after completing school: find a job with an NGO in the camp, apply to a school in Thailand and hope for acceptance, or apply for the resettlement process which is long and has decreased its operations since 2008. The odds for a better future increase with education and vocational skills, thus Mae La’s access to electricity is invaluable.

At Mae La, BGET is involved with a school called Engineering Study Program (ESP). At ESP, approximately 40 students over the age of 18 learn skills like: Photoshop, English, calculus, engine mechanics, welding, and Autocad (CAD software). I asked Salinee what skills were the greatest benefit for these students and her response was that job-related skills were the most valuable, “…That is why we train them [the refugees] in more practical knowledge, like how to use biogas systems. The hope is that the students will be hired by an NGO to educate others on how to use the systems they have learned about.” ESP is a three year program and is slowly expanding its offerings as funding permits: a library has been added, as well as a larger work place. When asked if there was something BGET could do to help, Mula, a student at ESP, responded, “I do not know what to say, I think it is up to Thai government.” Many Karen refugees within the camp are taking advantage of all the opportunities offered to them and accelerating at all of them, but despite the refugees’ efforts, in the camps of Thailand, it is the Thai government’s policies and decisions that determine the future of these 41,000 people.

Mula, a 20 year old refugee living in (and unable to leave) the Mae La camp, sat down with us for an hour and told us her story. Mula is tall, has long straight black hair, and a beautiful smile that seems to always be present on her face, "My name is Mula Le Bray; my name means perfect hope." I have never met anyone who deserves this name more than Mula. She is learning English and says shyly, “I only speak a little.” Yet she is able to have a conversation on any topic. When she does not understand she smiles, stares directly at me and says, “I do not understand.”

Picture of Mula.

In Burma, villages near Mula’s village were burnt to the ground, but hers luckily was not entered. As a result, Mula’s three brothers went to Mae La to find jobs teaching. “Mae La camp is out of the [Burmese] government’s control” Mula explains, so her family was notified that refusal to bring her brothers back to Burma would result in their arrest. Consequently, three days after Mula’s final high school exams, her family left their home, drove one day to the border of Thailand, and then walked another day to Mae La refugee camp where they have now lived for almost 5 years confined within the mountains and fence that outline Mae La.

Burmese refugees cannot leave Mae La camp because they do not have identification. Many refugees do not have a Burmese ID and very few have a United Nations refugee ID. As a result, the refugees are stuck in limbo: they do not want to return to Burma due to the risk of violence, but it is illegal for them to enter Thailand without an ID. Although there is military presence, security of Mae La is not strict, fences in some places can be walked over. What keeps the people in is the fear of being deported or possibly killed; the refugees have escaped one difficulty only to emerge into another. They are stuck, detained at the border they thought they’d be crossing.

As a result, Mula continues to live in Mae La with her three brothers, mother, and father. Her father is the pastor at the neighboring church. I asked Mula if she is happy in the camp and she replied, “Yes, real happy… I see a lot of my people and I am very happy to live with them.” The community, Mula says, helps each other, “if we need something our neighbor will help us and we help them.” However, despite her positivity Mae La camp is still a refugee camp and the people recognize they are not free. Mula explains, “[in Mae La] I can not do what I like, because it is not our land and we live in control of Thai government.” In the camp the “power is turned off at 9 pm and turned on 5 or 6 am.” Monthly rations are rice, chilies, charcoal, salt and sugar, and Mula states, “they give but not enough.” Many people eat only two meals a day.

Despite the rough life of Mae La camp, there are some opportunities and Mula is taking full advantage of them. Mula is a third year student at Higher Education for Engineering. During exams this year she helped tutor many of her fellow students. Mula is committed to her studies and remains positive and compassionate. When we asked her what she would like to be when she gets older she replied, "I will be a teacher.”

When asked about what she thought of her past, Mula said simply, “There are a lot of sad stories in camp... I think my story is not the worst…” What I was sad to learn, is that Mula is right. After talking to her, I spoke to another student named Hsereh. Hsereh is from the Papu district in Burma within the Karen state. Mula and others told me this is one of the most dangerous districts of Burma. Hsereh came to Thailand by himself, “because I want to get higher education.” The opportunity to go to school in Mae La is actually much greater than in Burma where costs are very high and there are many discriminatory procedures. Hsereh’s parents “allowed me to go,” so he and some of his friends walked one day into Thailand. His parents have not joined him; he remains the only member of his family to choose to become a refugee. Hsereh is in Thailand alone because his family, like many people, does not want to leave their home. “Especially my parents,” Hsereh says, “she, [his mom], doesn’t want to stay in the camp, because they doesn’t want to leave their village, because she has a garden and a field.”

Hsereh lives in Mae La O a much smaller camp deep in remote jungle, but he studies at a 4 year leadership school at Mae La. In addition, for at least one more month, he is a teacher at the Blessed Children Home which is where I met him wearing a Bob Marley shirt, acid washed jeans, and a gold tooth accenting his smile like an exclamation point. Hsereh’s experience is quite different than Mula’s. Potentially for lack family at the camp, Hsereh tends to take more risks. I asked Hsereh if anyone has helped when he has needed something. He replied, “yeah, yeah, but when I was student, I meet many many many difficulties, because I don’t have like pocket money. Sometimes I want to eat like a bread but I don’t have money.” So he and some of his classmates, during their two-week school holiday, sneak from the camp at night to find work in northern Thailand. The security is not the strictest but the punishment for being caught sneaking in or out of camp varies from deportation to being shot at.

A picture of Hsereh.

Just as Mula answered easily and quickly when asked her future plans, so did Hsereh. “I want to serve my nation, community and society.” Although he is hopeful, he is aware of the binds holding him and he finished by saying, “But I can do nothing at this time, because I don’t have anything so I can’t do anything for my people.” Hsereh is doing what he can to learn and help his people, but once he finishes school the apparent opportunities will become scarce. Nonetheless, Hsereh remains hopeful. I told him how sad and frustrating his story is he said, “It is ok, everything is ok.”

Mula and Hsereh’s stories are not uncommon. They are not the only people I talked to who have plans for the future; they are not the only people who told me they will help their people. All of the refugees seem to share their drive and compassion. Although, Salinee pointed out that not many of the youth are joining the fight in Burma, many of them are hoping for peace while learning other ways to help their people. The youth of Mae La refugee camp may only know of the Burmese abuse of power that has put them where they are, but they do not accept it. The Karen youth are educating themselves and setting high but attainable goals for themselves. Faced with injustice from their home country and a seemly dismal unpredictable future, the Karen remain positive and focused on anything that could improve their lives.

What would you do if you were them? What will you do for them?

What do you say in a commencement speech in a refugee camp?

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Thomas whispered in my ear, “Do you think this better if you can understand what he’s saying?” I told him I thought it was probably worse. We sat atop the stage, in white plastic lawn chairs, beneath dangling multicolored balloons, facing the Engineering Study Program class of 2011, Mae La refugee camp, on the Thai-Burmese border. Unable to understand the seemingly endless speeches in the Karen language, I nevertheless tried to appear interested. To my right, a large man in a blazer, made out of hand-woven Karen cloth, dozed peacefully. A younger man next to him surreptitiously talked on his cell phone, his hand over his mouth to muffle the noise.

The stage at the graduation ceremony. Thomas and I are sitting on the far right. We were apparently stage-worthy guests (because were are BGET volunteers)

But my mind wandered, as it tends to do. I started thinking about what I will do after my fellowship ended: “should I become an environmental engineer in San Francisco? Or should I move to Boston to be a public policy research assistant?” My eyes rested on the animated commencement speaker who had been talking for nearly an hour. Suddenly it dawned on me: what could he possibly be saying? What do you say to graduating students trapped in a refugee camp? Follow your dreams? How can they?

The camp was nothing like what I had expected. I had spent the previous few months working in schools in Kibera, a large slum in Nairobi, Kenya. There, the narrow paths were a mix of plastic bags and sewage, the schools over-crowded, the children dirty and dressed in ragged clothes. As far as the eye could see, there were rusty tin roofs, TV antennas, and dirt. What I had seen of Mae La camp was rolling hills with lush vegetation, dotted with traditional bamboo houses perched on stilts. In the early mornings, crisp air was filled chanting school kids. The post-secondary engineering students I worked with were well dressed, eager to learn, and spoke the best English I had encountered in all of Thailand.

But these students are trapped. And that is worse.

Mae La refugee camp

The Burmese people regularly protest their brutal government—most recently in 2003 and 2007. But the military junta controlling the country is just too powerful for the people to overcome. Last November, Obama declared it “unacceptable to steal an election, as the regime in Burma has done again for all the world to see.” He promised continued monitoring of the situation. The freeing of Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi on November 12, 2010 was an important step, but the Burmese government continues to massacre its own citizens. Just as it has been for the last 59 years. Isn’t it time we did something to stop them?

Meanwhile, the bright Engineering Study Program graduates will work to perfect their English and try to find something to do in the camp. But mostly, they will wait.

Because I was so perplexed about what was said in the graduation speeches, I sent Mular, second in the graduating class and avid facebooker, a facebook message asking. She wrote me:

“He said if we have a high goal we must have persevere…He said the place where we live now is not our place. We don't know when will we leave. So don't lazy in learning when we have a time…If u want to know more, u can ask me.

Best wishes,

Mular”

Mular (which means “hope” in the Karen language) and me at the graduation

A Lesson on Determination from Mae La

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Since I’ve been at BGET there has been much variation of projects that I have been involved in. A couple of weeks into working here, we got some great additions to the team for two weeks—a group of students/ world travelers from Western Washington University, high school students from a small island in Washington State, and students from the engineering school in Mae La refugee camp. Our project for that time was to help build a power line to a new training center. The new sustainability training center is on a beautiful property right next to the hills and surrounded by large teak hardwood trees. Being deep in the village and away from the bustling streets of Mae Sot, where BGET’s main office is, was refreshing. I have to say that I really enjoy watching little piglets trotting around and the sound of tiny chicks.

While working on the new training center, we stayed at an orphanage nearby (below, first). It was rejuvenating, staying in such a lively atmosphere of children running around and playing—and most importantly, my wakeup call music of “I’m a Barbie girl” by Aqua played on loudspeaker on one of the girls’ cell-phones. We are all hard at work by day, installing the power line by digging holes for the posts (below, second), clearing land, and building the training center (below, third). By nighttime, we have dance parties with the kids where the sound of the guitar, drums, and keyboard can be heard across the river in Burma. The people that I have met during this trip have been spectacular, especially friends that I have made from Mae La refugee camp engineering school. Their struggles in life really give you perspective on how you are living yours. Mular traveled from Burma 4 years ago and has been in the camp since then. This is the first time in 4 years that any of the students have been outside the fenced camp, yet they are the most optimistic and hardworking people I have ever met. One of them crossed the border and left his family behind with the sole purpose of getting a practical education—he knew for a fact that he would never have the opportunity to go to school in Burma. I was awed by his determination and by the fact that he valued the importance of an education enough to literally cross a mountain, river, and landmines just to sit in a classroom and learn. Really makes me think about all the people that I had classes with in college that fell asleep in the front row during lecture.

Morning at the orphanage

Installing a post for the power line

Working at the property for the new training center

The next project that we are in the middle of is developing and implementing a needs-assessment survey for all the 70+ migrant schools in the area. So far, we have visited around 20. The purpose of this project is to compile which schools have energy, water, or sanitation needs and share this study with organizations that work around the area. This will hopefully help organizations prioritize their resources and follow-up on projects that they have already done. So far, the most pressing need for migrant schools that are further away from communities is clean drinking water (see below)—something that we all take for granted sometimes. There is a lot of work to be done and I am happy to be able to help while I am here. The people that I have met here have played a huge part in shaping my experience and I am grateful for that.

A storage place for water at a migrant school