Campaigns
Oratory Chapel Construction Project
Dear friends and faifull
We are so lucky to inform you that thanks to your support we have executed the purchase of the land for our future oratory chapel in Umphang District. As you were formaly informed about this first campaign almost 1 year ago, we finally managed to collect from this crowd fundings the amount that seems to be enough also to start the construction of the church. The land covers the area of 5 rai and 2 ngan or equal to 8000 square meter. Since 2nd of June the construction process has been going on and not it goes towards its completion. There are still other many things to complet, but we are certain that by the end of this year, we will see our Catholic church raise for the first time in the downtown of Umphang.
The chapel will become the main center for any Catholic activities in the area, particularly for more than 20 Catholic families. Though small in number, our Catholics have enermous missionnary zeal to help proclaim the Good News to the rest of the people. We never convert people, but through our faith and our fellowship as Catholics, we give our best for social and spiritual transformation of the people we serve. That's why this place will become a kind of oratory where people of different religions and cultural backgrounds come to dig the source of living water.
The chapel design has been made by Mr. Francisco Garcia Moro, spanish architect based in Thailand. It tries to translate the Karen ethnic architectural character, , modern architecture and traditional devotion to Saint Francis Xavier into one work of archtecture. Does anyone remember a story about crab that holds the cross of Francis Xavier once it was falling into the sea on his trip to Moluccas (now Indonesia). The two typical roofs are indeed the claws of crab that hold the cross. Your contribution to this project is so meaningful for us and for the work of Evangelization in this area.
Best regards
Father Ray Fulgentio Tardelly
His Eminence, Bishop Joseph Phibun
Agriculture Project
Our agriculture project consists of encouraging the local farmers to develop a more sustainable agriculture trough biodynamic farming and agroforestry. Around 30 families are chosen to raise animals in a way that they help replenish soil fertility and enhance plant growth. This targeted group will plant 30,000 trees as one family is expected to plant 1000 teak trees in their own land.
Karen Women Weaving Cooperative
This project aims at increasing income generation efforts of 7 groups of women in 7 villages of Umphang district. Hopefully, in the near future, we will be able to extend our work to more villages. Final objective will be the set up of strong cooperative for women in this area and sourroundings.
- Generating new jobs or occupations such as weavers, designers and sellers.
- Helping women to organize in order to fight for their rights in their own societies.
- Setting up women cooperative in order to tackle the dependence on loan sharks and to create new business.
- Preserving Karen Art and Culture
- Encouraging local-alike tourism which is a kind of tourism which is run by and for the benefit of the local people while conserving their local tradition and their environment.
Goat Farming for stateless people
As tension between Myanmar and ethnic groups have been increasing since the beginning of 2021 many discplaced people have crossed the borders with Thailand and temporarly stayed until couple of months ago. Most of them are still stranded on the border in Myanmar side, as Thai authorities pushed them back to prevent the uncontrolled wave of illegal migration. Our community, however, still gives support and assistance for the most vulnerable famillies. We have set up this goat farming for about 10 families in Myanmar side in such a way we can help them to survive by selling the goat meats in the closest along the borders. Each family gets 3 goats to raise. We welcome your support for this initiative so that this can reach more families in need.
Bambo Craft Innovation by the Elderly
Bamboo is among the most used bamboo-based raw materials in South East Asian countries, including Thailand. Karen villagers mainly use bamboo for their domestic use such building construction and household construction. Five villages in Umphang districit have been receiving our assistance since 5 years. Based on the request of majority of them, we then set up this project to help them generate their income and mantain their productivity. Being age doesn't prevent someone from being creative and productive. Five men of each village have been selected to undergo a training as this project aims at enhancing new innovation and encouraging creativity through new innovation based on bamboo. Your suport to this project will be really meaningful to them. By buying their products, you contribute in creating jobs and new markets for their products.