Posts Tagged ‘Laos’

18 Dec

Shopping: Peace Bomb Bracelets

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Environment, Support. Tagged: , , , , .

So you might already be tying ribbon on the last of the packages to go under the tree, but I love this product, which would make a great gift any time of year (and yes, you can get gifts for yourself too. In fact, I highly recommend it!)

Peace Bomb Bracelets from Article 22 are aluminum bracelets made from bombs that were dropped in Laos. Laos is the most-bombed country in the world…for nine years, the US dropped 2 million tons of ordnance, averaging one B-52 bomb load every 8 minutes, 24/7…

Artisans reclaim exploded bomb pieces and melt down the aluminum to form these simple bracelets. For only fifteen bucks for a single or 38 dollars for three you help the livelihood of families in a Naphia village, and additionally, a donation is made to the community bank that makes micro loans to poor families in the region. Other infrastructure projects funded by the bracelet sales include roads, light poles, and electricity for the school.

29 Jan

Journeys Within Our Community

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Vacation Ideas, volunteer. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Village communities in Southeast Asia get nurturing help from within and with the assistance of international volunteers via short breaks (a week or so) or longer stints for service (month or more) from Journeys Within Our Community. By working at the local level and focusing on community-determined needs like clean water, education, health, shelter, and emergency relief, JWOC starts projects small that then grow with outside support, gaining momentum and changing lives.

Work projects are in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar (Burma). Over the last five years of work, there are now over 70 students in those three nations going to university thanks to the JWOC Scholarship Program. There are three JWOC Free Schools in Cambodia and Laos that operate six days a week.  There are over 300 wells offering clean water to villagers in the Siem Reap area and in Laos local children now have the resources they need thanks to the JWOC Village School Sponsorship. JWOC has also given out over 200 micro loans to families living below the poverty line.

Volunteers work with specialized programs based on the skills you bring (and your skills need be no more elaborate than a willingness to work…but if you have teaching experience or carpentry skills or medical training, let them know when you sign up), and a nice element of the management of this grassroots organization is that long-term projects are re-evaluated regularly, and monthly priorities are established in response to the shifting terrain of change. This responsiveness is hugely important and surprisingly rare among NGOs.

JWOC was founded under the ideal of See a Problem, Solve a Problem…words to live by.

2 Jan

Planet-friendly Planeterra

Posted by Andrew Mersmann in Inspiration, Vacation Ideas, volunteer. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

The start of this New Year is a time for new beginnings for all of us—travel planning companies included.

Planeterra is a global provider of volunteer vacations, mixing service work in fantastic locales along with some insider exploration of the regions you visit, so your experience with the community runs both deep and wide.

2010 has new offerings, including volunteering in Sichuan, China at the world’s largest panda preserve and also visiting the Great Wall, X’ian, Beijing, and Shanghai. Or you could opt for the new family-friendly volunteer adventure pitching in at a kid-friendly organic farm in Ecuador. There are eleven new projects in the Americas, Asia, and Africa, plus previous client favorites that are still available, some as group trips and some as private arrangements. Your housing (double rooms, shared accommodation, or sometimes living with a local family), most meals, ground transportation, training and equipment, orientation, and escorted adventure exploration tours are all included, and most volunteer vacations with Planeterra average about $85 per day.

Argentina, Peru, El Salvador, Galapagos, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, South Africa—each provides a new opportunity to help in community improvement programs, education, building projects, animal and habitat conservation, trail building, and more. Planeterra’s Director, Richard G. Edwards, said that more than ever “community development, environmental and wildlife conservation projects around the world need the support of active travelers who are willing to take the time to understand what is needed and how they can help. Our programs are designed with great care, so that everyone genuinely benefits while having fun learning about each other’s cultures.”

http://www.planeterra.org