2018 We are working with a group of young women at the Deaf-mute centre who are skilled weavers. We are planning on supporting them to create products to sell at the Luang Prabang art and craft night markets that are held every night in the main street of Luang Prabang. We are hoping to get them to create something with a point of difference that is not sold by any other stallholders. Sister Vong is keen to have them sewing carry bags. We have begun with 50 bags that have been made back in Australia using discarded egyptian cotton sheets from the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle, Western Australia. I am teaching the young women to create patterns on the bags using shades of indigo blue dye, and a leaf potato print with the outline of leaves drawn onto the print. Rachel has just delivered the equipment that they will need to the DM centre to begin this week [ February 18th 2018] and we are setting up a fb video call with them on the weekend. We are hoping that this is the beginning of an enterprise project that will bring money into the Deaf-mute centre to assist to feed, clothe and educate the students. Wish us luck!!
There are many volunteers passing through the Deaf mute centre each year in Luang Prabang, all of us earnestly trying to support the centre to make money to support the children. The Nuns have begun to make carry bags with the young women weavers and I noticed that they are selling them in the Indigo Hotel in town. This is a wonderful opportunity. We didn't get on to screen printing leaf design this time.... there were other ideas in action! Another group have been working with the young women to make bandanas and headbands. My hunch is that every month Sister Vong would be welcoming new volunteers with new ideas. It's challenging working out how to get the balance right... new skills or donating money? I think we are all challenged by how to work respectfully in a community that needs our support... in fact I know I am! I spent two weeks teaching the young women how to print and sew/ embroider into their designs. The young women are very talented.... but there is a need for consistent ongoing support to take on new ideas... Two weeks is just a beginning.
I have been working on a pattern for iPad covers using scraps of denim from recycled jeans. This will be easily accomplished but not sure if there is a market for these in Luang Prabang. Another idea is to use the Sinhs that the girls weave to create a lined iPad cover. I am working on how to do this!