Blooming Orchids

One of great joys in working in this environment is to see people flourish when they are given just the smallest opportunities and limited resources.

An example of this is the Payawpao Orchids craft group (Payawpao is a local mountain that dominates the area). The Payawpao Orchids take recycled paper - much of it from waste paper from the RYE School - and turn it into jewelry, bags, bowls and much more. The process involves cutting a piece of paper into long thin triangles, rolling each triangle into a tight ball, adding a small blob of glue to hold it together, and then coating it with varnish to make it hard.

The Orchids started by making simple items like this, but quickly moved onto more advanced items. Flor - for example - can up with these bracelets which are now affectionately know as "Flor Bracelets". The Orchids are working hard on coming up with paper-bead bags, paper-bead pencil-holders, paper-bead art, and so on.

The ladies are targeting a big festival coming up in late-August to sell their products. The products will also be available at the Meaningful Shop - the soon-to-be-live on-line store.

The Orchids have taken a simple technique, limited resources (waste paper, varnish, nylon, plastic beads, and locks), and turned in it a not only beautiful product, but a marketable product as well.

I love working with these ladies. Their passion, commitment, and even their business-nous remind me why I love working in developing counties so much.

Do you have a good idea of your own that could help these ladies? What not volunteer with them and help them bloom even more?