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 With no electricity or running water, and sometimes even with no hands, villagers in
Laos and Cambodia craft objects of beauty from the remnants of war. Deanna Husk, assistant manager at Ten Thousand Villages Souderton store, witnessed the
transformation process during a trip Feb. 6 to 20 to visit some of the fair trade retailer’s international artisan partners.
The learning tour is an annual event for Ten Thousand Villages employees, and 12
staff members traveled to two countries, which Husk said are “every single day still affected by land mines.”
Cambodia has one of the highest rates of disabled persons in the world, due not
only to land mines, but also to polio and untreated diabetes, Husk said. United Nations estimates suggest that Cambodia still has 4 million to 6 million unexploded
landmines, and 7,300 casualties have been recorded from 1999 to 2008, Husk said.
Rehab Craft Cambodia is operated entirely by Cambodians with disabilities, half of
whom are landmine amputees. The organization strives to improve their quality of life and their status as contributing members of society.
“The smiles on their faces really touched my heart,” Husk said during a presentation at Dock Meadows retirement home in Hatfield March 29.
Check Chan has worked his way up from messenger to production manager despite the loss of both his hands. Many
employees are hired with no education or training, and working at Rehab Craft Cambodia allows them to gain valuable skills.
“They are being provided something that no one can take away,” Husk said.
Artisans incorporate renewable resources into their handiwork, carving ornaments from dried coconut shells. They also
make the silk ikat purses available in Ten Thousand Villages stores. The Rajana Association employs 40 full-time staff and
supports 130 families living in rural villages, selling their products in its Cambodian shops as well as in Ten Thousand Villages stores.
Dove pendant necklaces are made from bomb casings, with the word “peace” in English and Khmer stamped on the wings.
“They are making something beautiful and making money from something that is still tragic in their lives,” Husk said.
The Rajana Association logo is three elephants, a symbol of joint labor and solidarity. In the rural villages, families work together to make soap, do metalwork and weave silk, often in difficult conditions.
One learning tour participant bought 100 small baskets, allowing a family to pay its electric bill. Villager Chin Sovann
previously rode her bike an hour to get to work; but with her earnings she was able to buy a motorbike, reducing her commute to 20 minutes
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