MLTV1601 Peace Village -Maechaem, Chiang Mai

Background

The gaps between city and country is still a different in Thailand. To give more opportunity for the children and people in countryside to link between global and local. To improve local/global situation of nature environment, culture, poverty & human rights. To support local NGOs, and self-sufficiency and human development of local community. To promote friendship, understanding and solidarity among world youth and local people.

Somdejya Learning Community Demonstration School, Bodhivijalaya college Srinakharinwirot University Mae Chaem Distric, Chiang Mai is alternative school and learning center for Hill Tribes school who come from poor family and very remote area on the mountain. This learning center is provide them free Education, Accommodation, Food and Occupation training as important as culture conservation of their culture.

There 58 students from 12 – 15 Years old. They are Karen and Hmong hill tribes.

Working

Base on community living, every work are coming by daily life. That is mean everything even generally is valuable in any case such as learning, teaching, cleaning, repairing, building.

Segregation works for Community Development are;

Creative teaching English – Creative teaching is important to recognize; teaching certificate does not need for specific quality of volunteer but creative is the one of yours. Aims of creative teaching is given the chance for people in the village or the place nearby have opportunity to communicate with difference language, touch difference culture, believing. The volunteer will go to primary school nearby home- stay or practice English for local people in the village.

Teaching Activity: the volunteer would do the activities base on InterCultural and Language (ICL) with the games, song, Storytelling, and Dancing. Focusing on communication ; listening and Speaking.

School renovation; the students’ accommodation need to renovate as it quite old and made from basic material. We could make them more beautiful and in a good condition to be a good atmosphere for them to live and learn. The volunteer could help on construction the new building for the learning center.

Farming –working together at the small farm with the local students in 5 different occupation training farm as their have to work on these in daily;

1. Cow farm 2. Pig farm 3. Fish and fog farm 4. Rabbit farm 6. Chicken farm.

The volunteer could plant more vegetable with them for the school lunch project.

Relationship with the villagers – The rest of time from your main work, important thing is to learn and share with the villager by visiting, talking and do activities with them. You will get rich experience by learning and sharing from each other.

Eco tourism – There are many interesting places to visit in the community such as Buddhist temple, waterfall, national park etc. The volunteer would go to visit this places and collecting garbage, promoting recycle and keep the place clean.

Location: Mae Chaem district Chiang Mai province.

Terminal: Chiang-Mai International Airport, Chiang-Mai bus station, Chiang-Mai Train station Mae-Cham bus station, Chom-Thong bus station.

Accommodation and Food: Volunteer will stay in dormitory in the community (Alternative School for Hill trips) with the students, separate male and female. Nature environment, basic and simple. Mattress, pillow, mosquito net, and fan are provided. Normal toilet and bath. Washing clothes by hand. Eating on the floor. Volunteers are expected to eat Thai Northern food (eg. sticky rice) and can take turn cooking with local volunteers. No food and drinks except water in accommodation area for your care because some animals such as mouse, ants, will come to share your food. Please keep clean and tidy. Keep minimum noise after 9pm.

Leisure Activities: Local Temple, Doi Inthanon National park, enjoying the local life

Special Remarks Culture, open mind and love to learn and share.

Note VSA provide Home Stay or Host Family for volunteer who has short travel period before or after workcamp or MLTV project. This is an opportunity for volunteer to exchange with ordinary Thai for few days.http://www.volunteerspirit.or.th/International-Volunteer/home-stay-in-thailand