02/10/2012 Currently in the works to use Mom's soap recipe and give it a Thai twist. There are a vast amount of natural oil resources from rice bran and coconut that we are able to create a more localized version. Also, essential oils that are made more cheaply here than in the US don't break the bank of local residents. This project came about when another PCV in Issan heard about my mom's soap and the idea was tossed around that I would visit their site and teach a quick workshop for the women's occupational group. Needless to say, it was an amazing time and it's really taking off.
Diabetes
10/20/2011 With this project, we are providing training exercises and medical supplies to help diabetics in my community become more independent. Currently, they only check their blood sugar levels once a month at the local health station. Some people choose to travel outside of their village for testing. We are currently working on a project plan that will give interested diabetics the resources for testing at home and testing more frequently. Other aspects of the project include maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen, keeping a journal of daily glucose levels and sharing that data with the local, district and provincial levels, and reaching out to youth to provide information about prevention methods and healthy lifestyle choices.
Waste Water Runoff
10/20/2011 The South has many factories springing up wherever development can take place. Rubber trees are the predominant crop and in my village there are roughly 10 areas of concern from waste water runoff. The rubber process combined with improper litter disposal leaves waterways and natural wells at risk for contamination which also impacts the surrounding land and wildlife. Households are forced to use water sources farther away from their homes for basic chores such as washing clothes and dishes, showers, watering crops and gardens, and even fish farming. One of the problems is that the Thai Government has policies set in place to help large business enterprises with clean-up and "green" activities but this leaves the small business sector high and dry (no pun intended) when it comes to evolving a more sustainable and environmentally conscious practice.We are currently researching different budgeted techniques that can be easily adapted including Effective Microorganism (EM) balls which are thrown into the polluted waterway periodically to jump-start the microbial balance.
