In the 'office' everyone works 16 hours a day every day here. It's intense but rewarding at the same time. Our entire technology inventory consists of 3 laptops, all borrowed. Internet access is by dialp-up DKU2 phone. Effectively as fast as a string and two cans.
Initial goals are to provide immediate, short term aid to survivors who strive to get their lives and livelihoods back on track. And attempt to so in an ecologically and sustainable way, where appropriate. A longterm goal is to provide vocational educational training for survivors who wish to choose a different lifestyle post-tsunami. Many survivors won't return to their former lives, fearing another tsunami. Or are simply unable to face living in a place that caused them so great loss.
Regular fresh food and vegetable deliveries ease life in the villages and temporary camps. The Thai Government supplies some stables like rice, but they do not provide fresh vegetables. Vegetables cost money and survivors have none. Family incomes have been slashed to zero because there is no work, no boats to fish, no nets to catch crabs.
Imagine how much fresh food you need for a community!
NATR helps to provide tools and equipment to fishermen for boats, nets and trap repair. Equipment will enable fishermen to begin fishing again and earning money. Tsunami survivors certainly appreciate all the help from around the world as a whole, but like you or I, they are anxious to get back on their feet. To start earning an income again so they can take care of their families.
Hilarious situations and curious requests abound along the way. Most entertaining was delivery of some 300 live chickens. My dearest friend Bonnie describes the process on her web blog best.
FROM LIVESTOCK REPLACEMENT PROGRAM
"The Thai government has agreed to assist some villages with replacement of livestock, but will not begin the process for at least 6 months. In the village of Laem Naew, some goats and water buffalo survived, but most of the chickens in the village perished in the tsunami. All 30 households in the village owned chickens. Community discussions reveal that goats and water buffalo are not viable solutions in the short term, due to the fact that the grass upon which they feed has died, and will take time to grow back. Therefore, chickens are the most useful livestock at this time.
Focus groups have indicated that villagers prefer the local variety chickens from Ranong rather than factory-bred chickens from Takua Pa. Local (wild) chickens do not require feed and regular feeding."
Do you have wild chickens there in Ranong?
"Yes, we have wild chickens."
We need approximately ten per family, thirty families.
"Okay."
So you have the chickens.
"Yes, we have the chickens."
We need 300 chickens. You have 300 wild chickens.
"Yes, we have the chickens."
NATR staff drives to Ranong to acquire chickens for Laem Naew. When we get there, we discover there are no wild chickens. We call another village.
Do you have wild chickens?
"Yes, we have wild chickens."
We drive to the village. They have five wild chickens. Five. All running around, well, wild.
Can we get the chickens?
"You cannot catch them now."
We cannot catch them now? Why?
"You cannot catch wild chickens. Very difficult."
But we need the chickens.
"You must come at midnight. The chickens sleep then. You catch the chickens at night."
Okay.
Several local villages later, NATR staff acquires and delivers chickens according to the local methodology. Yet another culturally sensitive success for our chaos surfing team.
Wild chickens propsper on Laem Naew
Laem Naew is my favorite village. As it's a muslim village I cover up completely when visiting. Which is a very sweaty experience in the height of a hot, humid Thai Summer!
Laem Naew sits on a piece of land jutting out into the Andaman Sea. There are no roads to the village. To get there I drive an hour to the nearest pier, then take 30 minute long-boat trip. One particular boat trip stands out in my mind. On board were 3 Sherpas from Nepal, 2 Christian ministers, many US volunteers, myself and a Muslim family from Laem Naem who's little son sported an Osama Bin Laden T-shirt, quickly covered up by his Mother when she noticed me looking at it. I smiled to myself, amazed at the moment. So many cultures and people sharing such a tiny vessel in peace.
A glimpse of the the Mosque's golden roof tells me we're close.
Why is it my favorite village? Because they don't ask for more than they need.
When Laem Naew's old electricity generator failed, they borrowed one from a shop in Ranong. Hoping to fix the old one, an inspection showed it had been cobbled together from different manufacturers, parts impossible to replace. It was inefficient and expensive to run. The generator running costs are covered the village households. That money harder to come by post tsunami.
Donors had offered to buy a new replacement generator for the village. But they didn't want a new one, they just wanted to repair the old one. Why? Assisted by Peach, one of our many great Thai translators, we set out for Laem Naew to talk with the villagers.
After a lengthy discussion it became clear what the problem was. They knew how to fix the old one! And the extravagence of buying a new one didn't sit well with the villagers. We worked out a compromise. The village would allow us to buy them a reconditioned second hand generator, including maintenance training.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jowdi/23478443/in/photostream/
Delivery of the new generator
CHILDREN
All over the tsunami-affected Andaman region many children lost either one or both of their parents. 2,500 baht, or $60, supports one child for half a year. NATR's scholarship and education funds already take care of 16 children on Laem Naew. And in co-operation with some wonderfuol individuals (Beth, Dicky and Jacqui) help support many more.
The scholarship funds are administered through the teacher's in the local schools. The teachers take on additional responsibilities such as handling opening bank accounts in the children's names. Being a co-signee on the account so that monies withdrawn go to school needs for the children. For the records the children have their photos, names and school details taken and entered in the database. NATR staff are in constant contact with the teachers and the villagers. Relationships are built that transcend language and culture.
Other things we're working on getting funding for are tools and materials to build more squid traps, fish nets and crab traps. To continue with boat repair, mangrove reforestation, scholarships and educational programs, fresh vegetable deliveries, building community service centers, repairing rickety bridges etcetera etcetera etcetera.
This work is emotionaly, physically and psychologically challenging. But the rewards so outweigh the discomforts it's possible to keep going.
