Sustainable Livelihoods: A Study

of Handicraft Women’s Groups in Kamphuan

Amy TaChristina HughesChristine Nguyen

Liz LamTerri Chan

IntroductionProject’s focus-

How do the women’s livelihoods contribute to their household sustainability and overall resilience to environmental threats and economic change?

Objectives:

To understand the role that Muslim women do or can play to maintain a sustainable community in Kamphuan, Thailand

To determine the women’s priorities

To help the women reach a wider customer base

Sustainable Livelihood Dimensions

Sustainable

Livelihoods

Economy

Institutions

Social Network

Environment

Religion

Pressures

Background of Batik Group

 Formed in 2005 after the December 26 tsunami

16 member group run primarily by 2 sisters, Ja Hap and JaDa

OTOP (One Tambon One Product) paid people to be trained in a handicraft skill to promote the economy and tourism. OTOP money was reinvested to start business

Mostly supplements other income-generating activities

Background of Tie-Dye Group

JaRiya formed group in 2005 after the tsunami to empower local women and organize the community

Grew to as large as 25 members, but the group split into 2 because some relocated 13 current

members with 5-6 regulars

Methods Historical Timelines

“Cake” charts about spendings, savings, profits and production costs

Daily activity clocks

Interviews

Network trees

Ta translating interview dialogue >>

Raks Thai Foundation

Batik group

KCLC

Pi Panuwat

Organizations/NGO

Seminars

Foundations

Michael

UCLA Students

FriendsCommunit

y Development Office

Gov’t

OTOP

Development Occupation Network

Local Gov’t

Gifts

Exhibitions

Fair

Village Head

Community

Social network tree- Batik

Society – Tie Dye

KCLC

Raks Thai Foundatio

n

Ranong College

Local Governme

nt

Religious School

Youth Muslims of Thailand

Organization

Pi Panuwat

USAID

Tie-Dye Group

Economy: Finances Comparison

-Lack of a foreign market

-Most of profit from foreigners

-Not affected by current global economy

Batik Tie Dye/Sewing

-Income varies a little with season

-Income varies a lot with season

-More self-sustaining

-No debt

Group Savings

50

20

19

10

1

Future/Kids Edu

Travel to Mecca

Other Emergencies

Health

HIV donations

50

30

20

Health (medicine, ER money)

Kids' Educa-tion

Retirement

Tie-Dye Batik

Group Production Costs

30

40

20

10Raw Mate-rials

Workers' Salaries

Management

Group Fund

Batik

Tie-Dye

6020

10

10

Raw Mate-rials

Workers' Salaries

Management (rent, elc)

Group Fund

Group Leader Income Source

30

20

40

10

Husband

Garden

Tie-dye

Other Jobs

30

2020

15

15Shop

Batik

Government Staff

Other Jobs

Garden

JaRiya Ja Hap

Religion Drives all aspects of

their lives from birth until death

Helps women restructure their livelihoods after the tsunami Mental restoration Applies the

principle that all misfortunes are tests from God

Strengthens community ties

^Baan Nam Khem tsunami memorial

Environment – Tie-Dye

Teach students about environment

Keeps waste water in a well to evaporate

Natural dye -> chemical dye

Sell plastic bottles and aluminum cans

Feels that there is no air pollution

Materials from Phuket – cheaper and local

Liquid organic fertilizer in JaRiya’s fruit garden

^Retrieving longon from the fruit garden

Environment-Batik

Stitch scraps from shirts to create bags and other products

Reuse ink and the plastic cuts containing them.

Work in open air

Feed leftover food to dogs, chickens and other pets/animals

Plastic bags from the market are reused as fruit containers

Collect plastic bottles to sell for 10 baht/kil and aluminum cans for 30 baht/kilo.

Participate in mangrove restoration projects.

Summary: Sustainability Assessment

  Tie-Dye Group

Batik Group

Religion 9 6

Social Networks 7 7

Institution 9 9

Economy 8 6Human Well-being Average 8.25 7

   Environment Well-being 7 8

Sustainability Indicators:• Socio-ecological systems

Integrity

• Long term livelihood sufficiency and opportunities

• Inter-generational and Intra-generational equity

• Efficient resource maintenance

• Engaged civil society

• Precautionary principle

Sustainability Assessment

Graph

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 100

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Tie-Dye Human Well- being Av-erage Batik Human Well-Being Group Av-erage

Environmental Well-being

HumanWell-being

Limitations Too personal and/or complex questions

Gaps in technological knowledge & financial resources

Lack of motorized transportation – exacerbated by weather

Availability

^3 bikes for 6 people^eBay store registration attempt

Community Service Batik group: New shirt design for local gov’t officials

-Golden Mountain

Tie-dye group: W.I.L.L = Women’s Initiative for Local Livelihoods at UCLA

Thank You! Dr. Silverman & Dr. Shipe, for making this

project possible with the connections, transportation and utmost faith and support in us.

Our translator Ta, whose English skills enabled efficient communication with the Thai women; and whose welcoming aura made the research project fun and memorable.

KCLC director Panuwat, who gave us support, cultural/development knowledge and safe housing. The batik group, who shared their stories, cooked us delicious lunch and dinner and took us in as their own family members.

The tie-dye group, who gave us a space in their hearts and trusted us enough to let us transport their products to the USA.

The Kamphuan residents, who treated us not as outsiders but as their fellow community members.

References

Berno, T & Jones, T. (2001).Women as Producers and Consumers of Tourism in Developing Regions. 93 -109.

Department for International Development. (1999). Sustainable Livelihoods Guidance Sheets. Introduction, Section 2, Section 4, Section 7.

Bell, S. & Morse, S. (2003). Measuring Sustainability, London: Earthscan, 29 -57.

Pinter, L., Hardi, P., & Bartelmus. P. (2005). Sustainable Development Indicators: Proposals for a Way Forward. International Institute for Sustainable Development.