Andaman Discoveries was started by the North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR) and is our commitment to assisting the villagers in their long-term sustainable community and tourism development. As a volunteer you will be playing an active part in the village's sustainable community and tourism development.
Since January 7 of 2005, NATR has been delivering targeted, community-driven tsunami relief. Our efforts have grown from immediate crisis relief into long-term community development. To date, NATR has implemented over 200 projects in 12 villages, focusing on self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability.
Andaman Discoveries now manages and supports several projects started by NATR using existing funds and contributions to the Community Fund from tourists and volunteers. Volunteer placements are available on these projects as well as those projects mentioned on the Volunteer page.
The Ban Talae Nok Community Centre
The Ban Talae Nok community centre was built using funds and volunteers from NATR, straight after the tsunami primarily as a coordination and distribution facility for aid. It was crucial to the well-functioning of the community in the chaotic time after the tsunami.
During that time, villager-based committees were formed through various focus groups, including livelihood restoration, eco-tourism/environment, community development and education/vocational training.
The Community Center in Ban Talae Nok has become central to village life. The center provides a myriad of services -- a meeting space, vocational training, aerobics, community-based tourism, handicraft production, and many more. Upcoming activities in the center include English lessons, summer camp for kids, and a waste management project. The Soap Group continues to cook up wonderful smelling batches of herbal soap. They have used the community center as a production space for almost two years now, and have recently opened a small craft shop that also includes batik and other goods made in Ban Talae Nok.
Andaman Discoveries now employs a Ban Talae Nok villager and NATR vocational graduate, Cha, to manage the busy centre, ensuring each of the projects addresses a real need. Cha and her assistance Pink, who is also supported by Andaman Discoveries, both have a very clear vision for the centre as a conservation, education and information centre. Projects include non-formal education for adults in the village (many of who are illiterate) to obtain high-school diplomas, a community craft shop selling soap and batik prints, daily aerobics, public health checks, frequent children's activities focusing on conservation and environmental education and community-based tourism.
Cha and Pink have been key coordinators in the village, hosting meetings, workshops and presentations. When not busy with the centre, the two mothers are running the homestay program, acting as guides and Pink is also a member of the soap group. Cha and Pink are currently using funds from tourism to develop and implement a waste management and recycling project.
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Ban Talae Nok Waste Management
It's hard to believe that until recently there was no public trash collection in Ban Talae Nok! With the support of Andaman Discoveries, the village now has a trash bin for every home and is in the process of providing bins for public areas such as the beach. After months of campaigning the local authorities are now making weekly trips to collect the trash, and a recycler is now coming to the village to buy recyclable waste, whereas before everything would be burnt or buried. Villagers are also making efforts to reduce the amount of waste created and actively recycling. The Ban Talae Nok Youth group has been encouraging younger members to Reduce, Recycle and Reuse with the help of their fun and informative puppet shows.
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Bamboo Saving Project
Pink, the assistant manager at the Ban Talae Nok community centre, wanted an activity to educate the children about saving, so created the "Bamboo Saving Project." All the village children have made a bamboo moneybox and have to put all their leftover school money in each day. After three months, each child will open a bank account and put in all their savings. "It's better to save than waste money on sweets," said 11-year-old Alongkorn Punchung, who plans to buy his mom a gift with his money.
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Children's Activities (multi village)
Andaman Discoveries and volunteers assist with numerous children activities throughout the year. These range from environmental education, creative workshops, sport camps, competitions with other villages and English fun and games. There's always lots of willing participants and sometimes it's difficult to tell who's having more fun, the kids or the adults. If people are wanting to sponsor or support children activities, please contact us.
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Adult Education (multi village)
Many adults in the region lack a formal education, with many leaving school early to assist their parents. As a result many are illerate and do not have a highschool diploma which makes it difficult to gain formal employment. Cha from Ban Talae Nok is now coordinating free non formal education classes at the community centre, financially supported by Andaman Discoveries and funds from the Community Fund (from tourists and volunteers).
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Mangrove Restoration (multi village)
Local wisdom appreciates the value of the mangrove forests. They are a diverse eco-system and play an important part in the marine and terrestrial environment. Many areas in the North Andaman were protected from the tsunami by the mangroves, and villagers are now taking a pro-active part in their conservation and restoration. In addition to replanting mangrove habitat where it was destroyed by the tsunami, the villagers are simultaneously implementing standards to monitor and assess their progress, such as tracking diversity and mapping survival rates.
Andaman Discoveries is supporting several community-led projects in a variety of villages and helping to coordinate regional conservation projects at village level. Volunteers are always welcome to join the regular collecting, planting and monitoring activities.
The mangroves are a fascinating ecosystem, a dense tangle of roots home to an amazing variety of species, including tree climbing mud skipper fish, crab-eating monkeys, and flying fish. They play a vital part in the larger marine and terrestrial ecosystem, acting to connect the two very different environments.
Mangroves trees are land-based plants that have evolved several features that allow them to inhabit oxygen deficient mud. These include roots that grow upwards, seeds that germinate before they fall from the parent tree, and some species that pump excess salt onto their leaf surface to avoid a harmful buildup. Via your translator, encourage the local guide to share his knowledge about the mangroves. Ask how the villagers used the mangroves in the past for food, medicinal remedies, thatching, fag papers and raising fish. Asking questions and being interested in the environment is a great way to demonstrate to the villagers that the mangroves are worth protecting and cherishing and that they may be able to earn some income from doing carefully managed eco-tourism in the mangroves. It also creates a sense of pride about the region.
Mangroves are very important. They act as a nursery for shrimp larvae, oysters, crabs, and a variety of fish, many of the fish you see while snorkeling grew up in the tangled mangrove root system. The marine productivity of the Andaman Coast is dependent on the mangroves, remove it and the fishery industry is threatened.
In the past the mangroves were removed to provide wood to build houses and make charcoal. Nowadays, the mangroves are under threat from large-scale shrimp farms (usually for exported Black tiger prawns) which have a life expectancy of 3-5 years. After this time the soil is so full of bacteria and chemicals that it can't be used any longer, and the farmers move on to clear another section of mangrove. Shrimp farms also pump all their nutrient-rich waste into the surrounding mangrove, greatly impacting the natural balance of nutrients and chemicals in the soil. This greatly reduces oxygen levels in the soil and leads to the suffocation of many species. Other threats include palm and rubber plantations, ports, roads and continued urban and tourist development.
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Tung Dap and Koh Phra Thong 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 will be enclosed by rope, and a volunteer monitoring group has already been set up.
Unlike many mangrove reforestation efforts to date, which have relied heavily on highly paid scientists, the effort in Tung Dap is led by community members. Village elders advise on which areas to set aside for conservation, and which species to plant in different locations, and village youth will gather the seedlings.
This proposal was conceived and designed by Pin, a young woman from Tung Dap community - Andaman Discoveries has provided technical assistance and advice on implementation. Phase 1, already active, includes working with the school children of Tung Dap to gather seedlings of various species and survey planting areas. As a thank-you to the children, we sponsor school lunches and snacks during activities. Phase 2 takes place during the monsoon, and a crew of workers from the village collects and plants the seedlings using local knowledge as a guide to the replanting process.
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Youth Education Youth ACT - Action Conservation
Training (multi village)
Communities in the North Andaman are connected in many ways with the natural environment and are highly dependent upon it for their every day existence. Unfortunately, unsustainable use of natural resources has resulted in gradual and sometimes rapid deterioration from the local to the global level. Polluted water ways, land clearing, intensive agriculture, and over-fishing are a very real threat to the local quality of life.
Many tsunami affected youth recognize the importance that a healthy environment played in mitigating the effects of the killer wave. They also recognize the importance of the environment to the local way of life. Unfortunately, there is no environmental education in local schools, and even less opportunity for youth to be actively engaged in protecting the environment.
Forty high school students from Kuraburi and Suksamran Districts, aged 16 and 17, have been selected by application to join the Youth Environmental Education Program. Project participants learn more about the environment, human interactions with the environment, and local conservation efforts. Using this knowledge, students are designing and implementing a conservation project 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.
- Formulate and implement a team-based conservation activity or project.
Over the course of one semester, youth join in activities roughly every second week. Learning takes place in the field and the classroom, and guest teachers will include rangers, conservationists, and educators. Throughout the course, our skilled education staff will make sure that leadership and conservation skills are developed to the fullest. We will also make use of the extensive education resources available, including the Naka Wildlife Reserve, the Ranong Mangrove Research Center, Laem Son National Park, and respected educator Robert Steele.
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Tung Nang Dam Orchid Conservation
Orchids are a popular decoration for homes and restaurants, and are becoming an increasingly rare sight in the jungle as a result of over-harvesting. Noy, a former vocational student from Tung Nang Dam, has started a project aimed at restoring the orchid population. The process involves transplanting cuttings from orchid stalks and incubating in a community run nursery; once mature, the seedlings are returned to the forest. The villagers are now educating others the importance of conservation. The Orchid Conservation project is an excellent example of community-led conservation and shows what’s possible with a small start up fund and lots of encouragement. This is a highly enjoyable volunteer activity, popular with people of all ages. You also get to meet Noy’s wonderful parents, lots of baby goats, a few chickens and drink from coconuts straight from the tree.
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Teaching English (multi village)
English Language Assistance
English is one area where you can be a huge help. Teaching or helping with English is something that you can do throughout your entire trip whether it is a scheduled activity or not.
For those of you teaching in a school, please refer to the Introduction to Rural English Curriculum for lesson plans, teaching materials, worksheets and ideas for games and activities that you can use in class. All these materials were put together by a dedicated team of volunteers, just like you. They’ve done all the hard work so all you have to do is teach and have fun!
For those volunteers staying with a host family in a homestay, we have created a Homestay Pack, again created by volunteers that you can use with your host family to practice English and even learn some Thai. You can print off these materials before you leave.
You can make it more fun, by combining English teaching with learning Thai. Please print off the Thai/English Phrasebook for Visitors and Thai/English Phrasebook for Villagers to assist you during your time in Thailand.
The ability to communicate in English is a vital skill for many Thais, especially those wanting to engage in successful tourism, guiding or running a general business. During your time here, you will spend much of your time with Thais. Each person will have a different level of English, but no doubt you will hear many Thais insist that they can’t speak English, even though they have just told you that in English!
Their confidence, or lack of it, is one area that you can really help with. Due to the ‘saving face’ nature of their culture, most Thais will avoid making mistakes in front of others. For many, the fact that they do not speak English 100% perfectly is a ‘loss of face’. To avoid embarrassment, many will avoid speaking with farang (Westerners) and just smile and laugh. One student admitted to hiding when ever he saw a farang because he was too scared to speak English with them. Another said that the only reason that Thais smile so much is that they are too shy to speak!
Thais are famous for their generous nature, their lovely smiles and fun-loving nature. Despite their shy natures, and lack of self belief that they CAN actually speak, hopefully most of the people to come to talk with will at least have a try at speaking with you. It’s up to you to encourage and to help them develop their English skills, and, most importantly, let them know that farang and tourists are nothing to be scared of, that we do not bite if they get something wrong.
One of our vocational students who worked in a resort explained that he struggled with pronunciation when talking to guests. He told how he gave one guest a ‘plaster’ instead of ‘pasta’ and some ‘toast’ to another guest who asked for a ‘torch’. Listening and speaking a foreign language is difficult, so when speaking, slow down and don’t use idioms or slang (no swear words please either!).
Many of the Thais do not come into contact with farang very often, so it’s important that you encourage and don’t make them feel stupid if they don’t get it quite right or you just plain simply do not understand. If this is the case, do what Thais do and smile. Don’t get impatient or angry. If you can’t use language to communicate, use your hands or actions instead. It’s amazing how much you can achieve by waving your arms around and looking silly.
One thing that can really encourage Thais to be at ease around farang, is having a go at learning some simple Thai. You’ll have them in hysterics and it will certainly break the ice between you. It gives Thais a sense of pride to hear farang making an effort to speak their language. Of course, this is great in theory but if you want a coke and you get given a plate of fried rice instead, which is what happened to a Western member of staff, don’t give up and keep smiling. See the Thai/English Phrasebook for Visitors for more information.
Your help with English in the different areas listed below is invaluable. Just being with farang is great experience for those wanting to develop their guiding skills of for villagers wanting to develop tourism in their village.
Areas in which you can assist with English:
- Children: You will be organizing fun and games with the village children, a great way to teach English and have fun at the same time. The children range from six to 12 years of age. The children will be very excited to have you in their village. They love to sing songs and play games so think about some songs that have actions like the Hokey Cokey and Simon Says. Remember to be pro-active and make things happen. Take the kids down to the beach early evening for relay races; join in the community aerobics an exhausting way to teach numbers. The program is a guide to volunteer activities, but it’s up to you to make things happen and make the most of your time in village.
- Homestay Host families are very keen to learn some English for when they have guests come to stay. You can use meal times and free time to teach them informally. Bear in mind that you can teach English while learning Thai and that the host may be more relaxed if they see that you are making the effort to learn their language. We have created the Thai/English Phrasebook for Visitors and Homestay Pack to help volunteers and guests and villagers communicate.
- Guides: Westerners are a rare sight in this region and both guides and villagers do not have the confidence or English ability to have long detailed conversations. Many villagers have a basic level of English but with your assistance they will get the vital practice they need to be able to communicate with tourists in their village. Guides tend to be quite shy and don’t say much, try to encourage them to participate in the trip and ask them lots of questions via your translator. Having you in village will demonstrate to the guides and villagers the importance of a basic level of English and highlight the areas in which they need to improve.
This is a fancy way of saying that villagers practice the language by speaking to each other in English as much as possible. First we ‘present’ bits of language, using flashcards and mime, then we devise lots of different tasks so learners can practice putting the bits together and practice speaking the language to each other. Teaching English using the communicative and interactive methodology means you’re facilitating the interaction and communication between villagers during this process. Learning English using this method is more fun than challenging, but it’s also extremely effective. Please refer to Introduction to Rural English Curriculum for some great activities and games.
We have several resources to assist you with your teaching and language assistance throughout your trip. We would advice printing off the Thai/English Phrasebook for Visitors and Thai/English Phrasebook for Villagers before you leave and use them during your time in Thailand. You will find the Thais very appreciative of your efforts. Don’t worry if you are not good at languages, it’s just a bit of fun.
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Introduction to Rural English Curriculum | |
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Homestay Pack | |
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Thai/English Phrasebook for Visitors | |
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Thai/English Phrasebook for Villagers | |
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Nature Trails
Andaman Discoveries is sponsoring Noy and Cha, graduates from Tung Nang Dam and Ban Talae Nok, respectively, in the construction of nature trails. Soon, tourists and other guests will have a chance to explore the forest around the villages while learning about the unique aspects of the jungle, and enjoying breathtaking views that can be seen from the top. In both cases, the projects utilized local labor and knowledge, building a sense of pride within the community. The nature trails also have a conservation value, as they provide an income from the forest that does not involve hunting animals or removing plants.
Noy has installed a rope at all the steep spots of the trail so that the trek is not too difficult, inviting less active explorers to join the tour. In order to make the trail accessible in the monsoon season, she has also built small bridges over parts of the inland marsh at the bottom of the mountain. In doing so, Noy has also identified several species of orchids and discovered a couple of new viewpoints. Cha has installed signs and information along the way so tourists can learn about the plant and animal life that thrives on the hills. Mindful of the steep slope, villagers also carved steps into the hillside. Both are beautiful, not-too-difficult hikes that add an adventurous aspect to the community-based tourism program.
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Tung Nang Dam Public Land Protection (Boundary Path)
The village of Tung Nang Dam is blessed with a pristine eight-kilometer beach front. Sea turtles and the highly endangered dugong are found 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 commonplace for developers to build right up to the shoreline, restricting local access to the land they have always relied on. In order to protect against illegal beachfront development in Tung Nang Dam, the local conservation committee has requested assistance in building a pathway along the legal boundary for development.
Many landowners have already agreed to the path in principle, but some are against it, and political obstacles remain. The chief reports that some landowners have already put boundary posts in on public land. Actions taken include:
- Forming a committee of villagers and landowners to decide on the details of the project
- Contacting government departments for official support including Forestry, Navigation, Agriculture and Land Reform, and Marine and Coastal Resources.
- Petitioning the district authorities to declare the boundary area as village-controlled land.
There are many relevant stakeholders to contact, and the trail itself will be between four and seven kilometers long. Considering the enormous amount of work involved in the project, Andaman Discoveries has agreed to pay a stipend to two women (Chim and Noy) spearheading the effort, and cover the costs of building the trail.
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Handicrafts – Income Generating Projects
Thanks very much to everyone who has supported Tsunami Crafts in the past, and welcome to those who are interested in supporting the groups in the future. The handicraft groups are now independent of NATR, a bold and necessary move for their future survival. Andaman Discoveries is, however, still providing external support with sales and assistance for marketing. Su, a former member of NATR staff, and a tsunami-affected villager from Bak Jok village, is the manager of the Tsunami Crafts Endeavour, stretching her sales and marketing knowledge to encompass the boat, soap, and card groups.
Su is currently focusing on quality control to make sure that customers are satisfied with their purchase. Our products have seen some new and improved eco friendly packaging, and will hopefully experience continued growth in sales in the coming months. February saw a new sales record with a single soap order totaling 10,000 Baht! Perhaps less astounding but no less significant, progress continues in the domestic marketing of soaps, with high-end hotels in Phuket and Koh Samui recently requesting samples and considering installing sales displays such as the one at the Phuket Holiday Inn.
A spark of enthusiasm is sent through each handicraft group whenever they get an order from within Thailand or abroad. So pass on the website, www.tsunamicrafts.com, to anyone you think might be interested in buying soaps, boats, or cards. You can join the ladies in an interactive workshop and help out with their English at the same time. Contact us for more information.
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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 is sponsoring a community led effort to clean up the villages of Laem Naew and Tung Dap. The waste management effort has 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 include 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 graduates, is also building a public bathroom. As the villagers do not have running water, they must all use common wells. Currently, the only bathing areas in the village are in a public area - often causing discomfort among women and visitors wanting to shower in private.
In Tung Dap, the program focuses on involving youth in waste management. Every weekend, local children collect waste dropped on the ground as well as from bins provided throughout the village, separate and sell the recyclables, and leave the remainder to be burned by village volunteers in a safe location.
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Long-Term Scholarships
The goal of this project is to provide financial support for primary and secondary school education for a total of seven years (2005-2011). This projected was started by NATR and is now administered by Andaman Discoveries. Our criteria for long-term scholarships includes: financial need, tsunami-affected status, motivation of the applicant, academic performance, community service, and the opinion of our village contacts. NATR interviewed all families, almost 300 children, interested in applying for long-term scholarships. 135 students were accepted into the program.
For poor families, the cost of sending their children to school has always been a challenge, and the loss of income as a result of the tsunami has made this an even greater challenge. For many families, their earning capacity was been reduced by half, and some are still without any form of sufficient income. Despite these obstacles, families place a high value in education as a means for opportunity.
Our staff keeps in touch with our students, and regular monitoring includes a mandatory yearly interview with the child and parents. At this meeting, we get an update on the child, how they are doing, and details on academic performance and community service. The child also provides a letter for his or her sponsor. We then transfers money for children to purchase their uniforms and school supplies for the first semester. After completing the first semester of each year, children are required to send a copy of their grades for the completed term and proof of registration for the second term of the school year. After this has been completed, the second semester funds are transferred.
We have partnered with several organizations in order to guarantee children's education for a long-term period. We are grateful to these sponsors, as they have agreed to fund a full seven years of education - providing a stable learning atmosphere for the recipients. Sponsors include Annika Linden Foundation, Tanglin Trust, Helen Doron Group, Rotary Club of Koh Samui, Tomas & Thisbe Ander Memorial Fund, Whatever Pte. Ltd., and many others.
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