On the International Day of Care and Support, we celebrate the core values of care, community and support practiced in Karen culture. Living among the forested hills of the Mae Hong Son province poses many challenges and Karen communities are able to overcome these hurdles by working together. Caring for their environment whilst offering support to neighbours is integral to daily Karen life. Their spirit of solidarity is something to be admired by modern, mainstream society.
KHT volunteers are lucky enough to experience this caring community first hand. Volunteers have witnessed families, recognising that their neighbours are experiencing financial hardship, offering neighbours work, in return for necessities such as rice. Care and support also spans generations within the Karen hilltribes. It is customary for younger members to express respect and care by ensuring their elders are served first and assisting them in accessing healthcare when it’s needed.
Today also marks the perfect opportunity to celebrate the care and support provided to Karen communities by KHT and It’s volunteers. KHT strives not only to care for the Karen community but for the environment in which they live. Traditionally, Karen farmers have constructed their dams using bamboo. This requires approximately 300 bamboo stalks plus small trees for each dam. Unfortunately, these structures were unstable and frequently collapsed during heavy rain, forcing farmers into a continuous cycle of rebuilding in order to maintain their crops and livelihoods. Thankfully, donations have enabled KHT to replace these dams with durable, concrete alternatives, expected to last for over 20 years. This not only supports Karen farmers and families but has so far prevented the logging of 4.2 million trees, caring for the beautiful landscape of northern Thailand.
KHT also demonstrates care toward the health and dignity of Karen communities. Water borne diseases are common in Karen villages due to a lack of adequate drinking water and waste disposal. However, through the provision of 201 water systems, more than 51,000 Karen people have benefitted and reported that the since the project ‘life is more comfortable’. Caring for Karen health and wellbeing has a profound impact on the success of this community by improving enrolment in education, contributing to future success and breaking the cycle of poverty.