Lifesaving Support

Mustafa

Mustafa is a member of the Andaman Discoveries family, having worked closely with us on community education and guide training for the tourism groups. In late 2008, Mustafa had a stroke that left half his body paralyzed. Having dedicated his life to low-paid jobs in community development, Mustafa had no way of making money while he recovered, and no savings to help him pay for food, accommodation, and medical expenses. With the generous help of former volunteers and Mustafa's friends, Andaman Discoveries covered Mustafa's expenses for several months while he recovered from the stroke.

His course of treatment within the Thai medical system has been covered by the government, but he had no means to pay for his physical therapy and transportation to and from the hospital. The doctor also recommended acupuncture, which is a widely recognized effective aid in stroke recovery. Mustafa has responded well to acupuncture, showing significant progress after each of his sessions. The acupuncturist also helped Mustafa to give up smoking and drinking, and to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Mustafa is now teaching "English for Tourism" to locals in nearby Khao Lak and working once again as a guide.

Travorn Prikunvat

In April 2008, Andaman Discoveries provided funding for the throat surgery of Travorn Prikunvat, the mother of our former handicraft coordinator, Su Andankan. Su had been part of the North Andaman Tsunami Relief/Andaman Discoveries family since 2005. Mrs Travorn was diagnosed with throat cancer and required treatment immediately. She has fully recovered.

Jariya (Noi)

As a Moken woman from Tung Dap, Jariya (Noi) has been one of the leaders in rebuilding her village after the tsunami, and has also been involved in our waste management and mangrove conservation projects in the village. Jariya needed an urgent heart surgery in January 2008, but was not scheduled for a government operation until six months later! We consulted an expert in Phuket, who realized there was no time to lose, and referred Jariya to a Bangkok hospital for immediate surgery. After a four hour open-heart operation, in which one valve was replaced and another extensively repaired, and a two-week recovery period, Noi has recovered from the surgery. Bodhi Garrett, the founder of Andaman Discoveries said, "The time I took to help Jariya with the operation was a reminder of why Andaman Discoveries was founded. Underlying the details of our work is a commitment to improving the daily lives of those we serve. In other words, compassion is at the root of what we do."

Moken community

Andaman Discoveries doesn't usually support the donation of food or clothing, as we would rather address the socio-economic circumstances that create that need. However, after an urgent request for assistance by Narimon Arunonpai, a respected social researcher from Chulalongkorn University, meant we had to take action. The Moken community on Koh Surin National Park was in need of rice and basic cooking necessities as bad weather had prevented them from fishing in October 2007. Many of the villagers were growing weak and becoming ill. The community had come to the mainland for their Tenth Month Ancestor celebrations and each family received a 10-kilogram bag of rice, fish sauce, dried chilies, and other ingredients to keep them going until the following month when they would be able to commence fishing again.

Computer training

A volunteer provided a month long computer training for 20 participants in Ban Talae Nok village in early 2008. Topics included: computer basics such as how to turn on a computer, and using software applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel. The majority of the students graduated from the program.

Adult Informal Education

Many adults in the region lack a formal education, with many leaving school early to assist their parents. As a result many are illiterate and do not have a high school diploma which makes it difficult to gain formal employment. Free informal education classes have been set up at the community centre of Ban Talae Nok. Andaman Discoveries donated the books to the villagers in early 2008. Since then, 15 persons have obtained their high school diploma, and the number of graduates continues to grow as the books continue to be passed onto others.

Reef Education

Andaman Discoveries, in cooperation with Reef Check International, hosted a Reef Education Program in four communities along the Andaman Coast in November 2007. Over 60 people of all ages participated in the workshops. The practical workshops were designed for those communities participating in tourism and those wanting to minimize the effects of their activities in the delicate marine ecosystem. Workshops addressed everything from environmentally-friendly reef practices for anchoring and snorkeling to issues of boat safety. "I'm a fisherman," explained 39-year-old Somsak Madsaron, "I've spent my life above the sea not under the water, but if our reefs and fish are to have a future, it's up to me to take care of the reef." Panya Surbhead, a community-based tourism boat guide explained," I have lived all my life with the sea, but tourists are different. It is my responsibility to make sure they are safe while they are in my care." A set of boat stairs were donated to each community to make it easier tourists to get in and out of the boat.

Traditional Musical Instrument Lessons

Ban Talae Nok School received a donation of Thai traditional instruments that have been locked up in the music room for months, as no one in the village could provide proper training on them. Andaman Discoveries hired a traditional music teacher to teach the children in the school for three months in late-2007 and early-2008 to learn about the basics. The students performed in front of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, at the official opening of the Ban Talae Nok School in May 2008. The children continue to play the instruments since then.

Youth Action Conservation Training Environmental Education

Youth ACT project focused on a "Local Action, Global Change" philosophy and promoted youth understanding of the interconnections between society and the environment, and how each person can make a difference through collective action. The six-month projects took place in 2007, which was funded and administered by Andaman Discoveries.

This idea came up as many tsunami affected youth recognized the importance that a healthy environment played in mitigating the effects of the killer wave, as well as the importance of the environment to the local way of life. But there has been no environmental education in local schools, and even less opportunity for youth to be actively engaged in protecting the environment.

Andaman Discoveries sponsored 40 high school students from Kuraburi and Suksamran Districts, aged 16 and 17, to participate in the Youth ACT project. Half of them had never been in a forest or mangrove before the program, despite the proximity to their home. They were selected by application to join the Youth Environmental Education Program. Project participants learned more about the environment, human interactions with the environment, and local conservation efforts. Using this knowledge, students designed and implemented conservation projects of their own. Outcomes include participants being able to:

• Distinguish plant and wildlife species;
• Describe the usefulness of local ecosystems;
• Describe conservation problems and solutions in their community; and
• Formulate and implement a team-based conservation activity or project.

The youths participated in interactive activities roughly every two weeks. Learning took place in the field and in the classroom, and guest teachers included park rangers, conservationists, and educators. Throughout the course, we ensured that leadership and conservation skills were developed to the fullest.

English Teaching in Villages

Westerners are a rare sight in this region and both guides and villagers do not have the confidence or the English ability to have long detailed conversations. Many villagers have a basic level of English but they are often shy to speak and don't say much. In the early years of community-based tourism development, our volunteers encouraged them to practice as much as they could, whether they were hiking on the nature trail or having a meal at the homestay.

In the past, our volunteers have developed several teaching materials for teaching in the school and at the homestay. A Thai/English phrasebook for both the visitors and the villagers were also developed. The phrasebook is always provided to every guest before they head to the village.

Naka Youth Conservation Group

Andaman Discoveries worked in partnership with students from the Institute of the Environment of UCLA and the Naka Youth Conservation Group in July 2008. The two groups worked together to collect water samples from five different areas of the Naka stream and record the stream's depth, width and temperature. The project aimed to increase conservation awareness and knowledge. "Both us and the youth group seemed very excited to meet each other and as we started to step out into our individual ecosystem groups, I couldn't help but notice that most of the youth were females. After learning a lot about gender issues in Thailand, it's very natural to see females doing more humanitarian work than males. I think it's even more interesting see this kind of gender dynamic at such a young age." said Jun, a student from UCLA.

Had Phraphat Mangrove Rehabilitation

Andaman Discoveries supported mangrove rehabilitation in the North Andaman area. In 2008, we worked in partnership with the the Institute of the Environment of UCLA, the Birmingham University International Volunteering Society and the Rufford Small Grants Foundation. The students participated in the mangrove rehabilitation project in Had Phra Phad. Instead of using only one specie for habitat restoration, many different types of mangrove species are collected from the beach. This creates a mangrove eco-system that is more like nature and is more likely to survive. The students collected the seedlings on the beach, worked in the nursery and made a path and signs at the nursery.

The Rufford Small Grants Foundation funded the mangrove rehabilitation project in Had Phra Phad for one year in 2008-9. The goal was to improve knowledge of coastal communities through increasing awareness among the local villagers, which leads to the responsibility of a healthy mangrove ecosystem.

Ban Talae Nok Youth Group

Mangrove Monitoring: With assistance from the Ecumenical Coalition On Tourism, Mangrove Action Project and funding from EGP, the Ban Talae Nok Youth Group used transects to record information on the two plots to assess changes over time. The plotting activity was a learning process for the youth about how to plot and to think about an appropriate method of mangrove restoration for the Ban Talae Nok mangroves. Methods were taught on site and two plots were sectioned off with plans to monitor their biodiversity every six months.

"We want this demonstration plot, to become another source of knowledge for the local people and also non local people," said 12-year-old Jiraprapa Hahnjit. "It's good to learn about the importance of the mangroves while having fun with friends," explained another 12-year-old Sudarat Padungchat. Other youth conservation members expressed the importance of community service and understanding the mangroves for the benefit of the village.

Environmental Camps: Two environmental camps took place in Ban Talae Nok in 2008, with funding supported by EGP. Andaman Discoveries worked with Laem Som National Park, Wetlands International and Mangrove Action Project. The youths spent a weekend learning about conducting research and creating a transect map. Activities included bird watching, species identification, ‘life of a baby turtle' game, and singing introduced youths to natural resource management and environmental issues. The activities were a learning experience for the members and leaders.

The first camp carried out two types of transect mapping. The first was forest and community, which shows the overview of natural resources and describes the location and distribution of resources, the landscape and main land uses. The second was mangrove transect, which is specific on mangrove biodiversity.

Activities involved the measuring and observation of their surrounding environment, data plotting and presentation of outcomes. The children took great interest in this project and came up with some impressive results. At the end of the camp, each group presented their findings to family and friends in the village.

"The environmental preservation training helped the youth to have a more continuous and enthusiastic working process," continued Pink. "No one knows from the time he is born, how everything is supposed to be done. This is one reason why we need to train our youth. To know is still not enough. There also needs to be hard work and co-operation from other people, in order to complete the tasks in hand." These were then presented to the villagers. Inviting adults to watch the youth's presentations helped to encourage villagers to understand more about nature conservation and resource management.

At the second camp, twenty students from Kuraburi and Ban Triam Schools visited Ban Talae Nok youth group and were led by the Ban Talae Nok Youth Group along the beach and into the mangroves, to the mangrove monitoring site. It was the first time many town students had been inside a mangrove forest. Ban Talae Nok Youth Group described the ecosystem and its importance to the marine environment. Back at the community centre ideas were exchanged about past, present and future activities of each of the group's environmental activities. The Ban Talae Nok Youth Group then presented The World is Beautiful Like Us puppet show and Ban Triam School did a comedy show in exchange. The exchange was the first step in creating a youth conservation network in the region. The town students were very motivated to learn more from the Ban Talae Nok Youth Group and each school invited the Ban Talae Nok Youth Group to their school to see their environmental activities.

Study Trips: Two study trips took place in 2008, with the support from EGP. The objective of the first trip was to share experience of environmental education activities between Ban Talae Nok youth group and the Krabi and the Koh Yao Noi Youth Groups and to create a network of youth conservation groups in the region. From visiting different groups the Ban Talae Nok Youth Group had new ideas for their groups, for example to make trash collection bags from fishing nets instead of using black plastic bin bags and how to encourage older villagers to understand and participate in environmental activities. The Ban Talae Nok Youth Group also learned how to ask questions and not to be shy to raise questions. Koh Yao Noi is a good example for both youth and adults to understand the linkage between community-based natural resource management and Eco-tourism.

The main lesson from Koh Yao Noi was that cooperation and understanding in natural resource management was important for the success of eco tourism development. The Ban Talae Nok Youth Group were impressed by the activities at the Koh Yao Noi School which included a mangrove path and a bungalow for volunteers. "A waste bank is a simple and effective way to reduce trash," noted Vipada Padung Chart. "The key to successful implementation in our village would be making sure the elders understood and persuading them to separate their trash for the betterment of the environment."

Another study trip was conducted at Pato National Park, 60 kilometers from Ban Talae Nok. Nine youth group members went to observe the numerous different environmental projects at the National Park. The group observed each of the different projects and was encouraged to ask questions and think about the possibility of such projects in Ban Talae Nok. Projects ranged from waste management to homemade fertilizer.

The trip built awareness on different methods of waste and environmental management. The youth planned to implement various projects in Ban Talae Nok dependent on location of funds. The group reflected over the past seven-months of activities and allowed them to plan for the future.

It was the first time that Ladda Ardharn, Ban Talae Nok youth group leader, organized a youth group activity by herself. The NP staff offered to assist the youth group in the future with implementation of new projects, such as organic fertilizer.

Tung Dap and Koh Phrathong Mangrove Restoration

There were about 74 homes in the village of Tung Dap on the island of Koh Phratong, the majority of which were completely destroyed by the tsunami. The destruction not only immediately affected their lives by taking or injuring loved ones, but also left massive amounts of rubble in the wake. Most of the debris was forced into the mangrove forests on the coastlines where it extensively damaged the ecosystem. It is extremely important to replant the area so that the mangrove forest can revive, crab and fish populations can regenerate, and the villagers can regain their livelihood.

However, replanting is not enough. Villagers have also identified the need to protect healthy areas of the mangrove forest. They have selected areas in which crab fishing will be prohibited during certain times of the year. These areas have been monitored by local volunteers regularly.

The mangrove conservation effort in Tung Dap was led by community members. Village elders advised on which areas to set aside for conservation, and which species to plant in different locations, and village youth gathered the seedlings. Andaman Discoveries provided funding, technical assistance and advice on implementation in 2007. Since then, villagers continued to monitor the conservation area on a regular basis.

Waste Management — Laem Naew and Tung Dap

Waste problems in the North Andaman coastal communities of Thailand are obvious. All types of rubbish litter the village areas and shorelines, which is of particular concern for isolated communities that are not serviced by local Government garbage collection. Some of the garbage in the communities washes in with the tides from other sources. However, much of it comes from the locals themselves.

For isolated communities the main method of rubbish disposal is to make burning piles or throw items to sea in hope they'll be carried away by the tides. Much of the rubbish disposed of to the sea is washed in again with the next tide or else becomes hazardous to local aquatic life. This is by no means a fault of the Communities, but rather, a lack of access to knowledge and systems available to villagers for safe, economically viable, and minimal impact waste disposal.

In an effort to improve village sanitation, reduce resource use, and minimize pollution, Andaman Discoveries's predecessor, North Andaman Tsunami Relief, sponsored a community led effort to clean up the villages of Laem Naew and Tung Dap in 2007. The waste management effort had three goals: to clean up the existing litter in the village (short-term), to create better methods of disposal and separation of waste (mid-term), and to reduce the amount of waste being generated (long-term). Steps for the project included construction of waste and recycling bins, a visit to a waste management facility, in-village training, village clean-up, and a continuing recycling program.

In Laem Naew, Gasom, one of our ACE program graduates, was also building a public bathroom. As the villagers do not have running water, they must all use common wells. The only bathing area in the village was in a public area without much privacy. In Tung Dap, the program focused on involving youth in waste management. Every weekend, local children collected waste dropped on the ground as well as from bins provided throughout the village, separated and sold the recyclables, and burned the remainder by village volunteers at a safe location.

Tung Nang Dam Public Land Protection

The village of Tung Nang Dam is blessed with a pristine eight-kilometer beach front. Sea turtles and the highly endangered dugong have been sighted just off the shore. In addition to the scenic beauty and rare species, the beach area is utilized by villagers for fishing and community based tourism. In recent years developers have settled the land adjacent to the beach, with plans to build resorts and bungalows.

In Thailand, regulations prohibit construction of any private structures within 12 meters of the high-tide line. Despite this law, it is common for developers to build right up to the shoreline, restricting local access to the land they have always relied on. In 2007, two local women and our ACE program graduates, Chim and Noi, attempted to petition to different stakeholders, including villagers, landowners, government officials, to protect the beach area by building a trail next to the boundary line between the public and private land. Andaman Discoveries's predecessor, North Andaman Tsunami Relief, supported their conservation efforts by providing a stipend to them for their outreach work.

Nature Trail Development

Andaman Discoveries sponsored the construction of nature trails in the villages of Ban Talae Nok and Tung Nang Dam in 2007. Tourists and other guests can explore the forest around the villages while learning about the unique aspects of the jungle. In both villages, the trail development utilized local labor and knowledge, building a sense of pride within the community. They also have a conservation value, as they provide an income from the forest that does not involve hunting wildlife or removing plants. In Tung Nang Dam, the villagers identified several species of orchids and discovered a couple of new viewpoints during site survey. In Ban Talae Nok, signs and information have been posted along the way so that tourists can learn about the plant and wildlife that thrives on the hills. Both trails have been popular for tourists of all ages.

Homestay Development:

Ban Lion Village was built with the support of Lions Club International for tsunami-affected people from several villages on Koh Prathong, including Pak Jok Village, which was totally destroyed. Andaman Discoveries, in collaboration with Mangrove Action Project and funding provided by the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism, held a CBT training and pilot tour in June 2009 on how to manage and develop activities for tourists.

The purpose of the training was to promote development of community-based tourism. "By sharing their lifestyle and the jewel of Koh Phratong, the villagers pride increases as well as their motivation to preserve the place they call home," said team member Leslie Welshimer.

Ban Lion will be included in future Andaman Discoveries programs.

Marketing

With funding from the EGP, Andaman Discoveries supported various marketing activities with Ban Talae Nok villagers in 2008. In particular, we assisted them to design and print their tourism brochure in Thai and English. Darunee Pakdee, a local villager, came to the Andaman Discoveries office for weekly marketing training. Motivation to do domestic marketing is the result of the CBT group gaining confidence in their CBT activities and speaking to other homestay groups offering similar services. Previously, villagers were reluctant to do any domestic marketing, because they didn't think it existed or that they had the skills to do marketing. The CBT group approached the Ranong Tourism Association on their own and was able to secure a booth at a travel fair in Bangkok. Later in the year, the villagers applied for the Thailand Tourism Industry Award 2008, which they won the silver award.

Andaman Discoveries also sponsored Ban Talae Nok villagers to attend the 5th Thai International Travel Fair and the Thailand Tourism Festival in Bangkok in 2008. This was a chance to promote Ban Talae Nok community-based tourism activities, assess what other organizations and products exist, make contacts and links with other organizations in the industry and gain experience in promotion. Andaman Discoveries supported transportation, accommodation, food and printing costs of the trip. The trip highlighted the importance of branding, having a unique selling point, marketing materials, clear pricing policy, and the need to locate a budget for future marketing.

Study trips

Andaman Discoveries supported ten Ban Talae Nok villagers, with representatives from the homestay, guides and handicraft groups to visit the famous Koh Yao Noi community for a study tour. They saw how this community uses tourism to increase local ownership, empower underrepresented community members, build local leadership, conserve their natural resources and provide tangible motivation for adoption of sustainable livelihoods on the island.

After visiting several groups on study trips sponsored by the EGP, the villagers of Ban Talae Nok realized they were just as good, if not better than the other groups. Ban Talae Nok's high standards in terms of activities and service provision are result of Andaman Discoveries's feedback and training in all areas including homestay, guiding and safety.

Health Education

A health fair and first aid training was held in Ban Talae Nok in May 2009, with support from YouthLINC. The volunteers provided hands-on training on emergency medical care. Other topics included: dental care, hygiene issues, and family planning.

Gym Equipment

Andaman Discoveries donated gym equipments to a local Thai boxing gym in Kuraburi town in 2007 to support the gym owner's idea of providing free classes to youths in the area. "Young people get bored easily and this can lead them into trouble," explained Ajarn Mon. "This training centre allows them to focus on something and keep them fit at the same time." Visitors can join morning and afternoon training sessions to learn about this much respected ancient sport.

Children's Activities

North Andaman Tsunami Relief have organized numerous children's activities in multiple villages such as art workshops, sport camps, sports competitions and learning English.

Library

Over 200 books were donated to the library located in the Ban Talae Nok community centre in 2007 by Andaman Discoveries. The library was opened to all villagers. It has been closed since the beginning of 2009, but will soon be reopened again.

Path Construction

Andaman Discoveries worked in partnership with the Birmingham University International Volunteering Society (UK) in August 2008 to provide a safe access to Samakeetham Temple in Tung Rak. Khun Likid, a local villager, said that "the community thought this would be a worthwhile activity for the volunteers and a great way for them to learn first hand about Buddhism." The nine volunteers spent three days to help with sand moving, bricklaying, cement mixing, paving and planting to construct the path.

Green Path

The youth group of Ban Talae Nok has enlivened the village environment by building a "green path" along the main road that had no trees previously. Locally grown plants such as Pak Leing, a local vegetable, rose apple and mango trees have been planted on both sides of the road. This project was supported by Andaman Discoveries financially in 2009.