On the 16 of March GDA staff and villagers from Sangthong district went on a study tour in Luangprabang province.
On the morning of 17TH of March we visited Ban Phanoum which is an established model handicraft village in Luangprabang province. The committee of Phanoum village warmly welcomed the team from Vientiane and explained the story of the village including the handicraft aspect.
The head of village said that Ban Phanoum had been an established model handicraft village in Luangprabang province prior to 1975 and after the creation of the Laos PDR it was developed by the government and villagers together.
Phanoum village is a famous village for handicrafts and most people here work on handicrafts to make an income to their family.
One of the villagers, a Ms. Chanty said that “I joined as a handicraft member in 1998. At that time we make the handicraft and sell the goods at the house. If guest came to visit we would ring the bell. No handicraft centres are like that now. It is very good for us to make the handicraft because it helps us with many things. Such as before I am a farmer and have not much income but now after I join as a handicraft member it helps me have more income to my family. “
Also on behalf of Sangthong district the vice president of Sangthong district Ms. Weojai Saochanthalar introduced the Phanoum village representatives to the people from her district.
She spoke about what they do in their community, for example most people in Sangthong are farmers, make handicrafts and raise livestock. She said ”This is a good chance for us to exchange good experiences with you about the handicraft industry you have here which we can bring to our community.”
Finally both of them demonstrated a Q&A to each other and said thank you. Everyone also had a photo together.
Day 2 of the study tour: We went to visit Longlun village. This is far away from the town and is on a mountain. It is a very beautiful and mostly populated by Hmong villagers. We had a meeting with the village committee and exchange information about the activities which we do.
The head of the village presented the story of the village and described what most of the people in the village do. He said that all the people here are farmers and the main work of the village is livestock, field rice, and herb garden and forest protection. After he allowed the GDA team to also introduce themselves and explain their activities which they do.
Then we divided into 3 groups to exchange experiences with each other.
The first group exchanged information about livestock and the second group exchanged about herbs while the third group exchanged about forest protection. All the groups are disuse about how to do? How to manage the work?
In the afternoon we had visited the herb forest protection area. Mr. Biatuya who is a traditional healer of the village said that they make the herb forest protection because it can help the villagers in case they are sick.
Finally Mr. Khamyuen, on behalf of the team from Sangthong, said “I am very proud to be here and thank you very much that you give me more knowledge, more experience and especially about the herbs because I never know about the herbs before. But in my community there many herbs but I don’t how to use properly until I am here then I know from you.”
Then all of them said that thank you and good bye.
Day 3 of study tour.
In the morning of 19th we have a meeting with the team to summarize the study tour and plan for the future.
Souknida explained the purpose of the meeting and summary of the study tour in this time. She also divide the participant into 3 groups to review what they got from the study tour and what you would take to use in your community.
All the groups are disuse in their group by sharing together and plan in the future what they can take from the study tour to use in their community and all the group then make a presentation to the other groups:
The head of Bannasaonang village said that: They would take the knowledge from the 3 village that they had visited to use in their village such as handicraft, livestock and planting but however it still have a problem about the marketing.
The head of Xor village said that: “I had learnt many things from the study tour specially are handicraft, livestock and forest protection so that we know how to do handicraft and Phanoum village is an example village to sell the handicraft to the tourism.
So, I think we would take the knowledge from the study tour to use in our community and will get a fund from the GDA to help the women group in Sangthong district to make income for the women.”
The head of Banwangmar village present to the group that: We had learnt from the study tour in this time. We know the good example from the village that we visited and it help us know many thing which are herb, forest protection and livestock and they can take this knowledge from the study tour to use in their community such as herbal, planting, livestock and protestation forest.
After the groups presented Souknida reviewed the plan and give a little advice then thanked everyone and closed the meeting.
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