Pa Daeng Women's Weaving Group Aims to Raise Money for AIDS orphans

4 Aug 2008 by Dan Bilen

Tags: Creative Expressions

In Thailand, a women's weaving group is selling traditional woven products to raise money for AIDS orphans and their families. The project, selling 100% natural woven products, is working in a collaborative effort with AIDS Orphaned Children's Initiative, to provide orphans with education services and vocational training.

Story of Pa Daeng Women’s Weaving Group

In 2005 Maechee (Nun) Pranorm, came across a group of women trying to sell a woven product, but realized the quality was not up to Thai standards. Interested, she asked to see where these women worked, so the women took her on a one hour drive out to the village of Pa Daeng. The Maechee quickly realized this was not a proper place of work. Here began what would be the PaDaeng Women’s Weaving Group. A group aimed to teach these women to make 100% natural woven products in efforts to empower them.

Partnership with AIDS Orphaned Children’s Initiative

Hope Watcharaprecha is an Expat that moved to Chiang Mai from the States over 30 years ago, and in that time has managed to get involved in a world of different community service programs. Of those programs none is dearer to her heart then the Grandma Cares Group (www.grandmacares.org), which she is a Consultant for. This group was founded by International AIDS Researcher Somsat Somboon, and aims to give the necessary resources to local Thai orphans that have lost one or two parents to AIDS and have been left in the care of their grandma, neighbors, or other locals. The money provided goes towards the education of these children, as well as workshops to provide them with vocational skills so that they can enter the workforce once they are of age, and earn a living to support their future lives and families.

With her involvement in many service groups, Hope came into the role of consultant for the Pa Daeng Women’s Weaving Group as well. Being a member of the board for both of these noble organizations, she seeks to bring them together in some way. With the help of intern Dan Bilen, Hope has started the Grandma Cares Product Line, consisting of textiles, primarily shawls. The revenue from these shawls will cover the costs of making the products and all further revenue will go to helping these orphaned children. With the purchase of a shawl you will be helping ensure the future of these children that are not yet in a position to help themselves.

Future Growth

It is our hope to expand the product line as more people become aware of this noble cause. With your help you will not only be helping these children directly, you will start a chain reaction that will bring light to this cause, and thereby recruit more donors.

In addition to being able to purchase the Grandma Cares Products, you can donate money directly to the cause, which will give even more benefit to this organization. Through your donations you will bring a wide variety of positive externalities, varying from a stronger economy to a healthier future for the youth of Thailand.

(Please look over the website for additional pictures of both children being aided as well as the Grandma Cares Products).

Click Here to visit the Grandma Care's website