A few months ago Vicki and I had the pleasure of spending a weekend at Ban Thor Phan http://www.banthorphan.com/ in Sangklaburi, Thailand on the outskirts of the Thai Myanmar border.   P Kampanart (Nart) and  P Yupha have a created a wonderful healing home and retreat for children in need as well as those of us who are looking for a break from the hectic city life.

Ban Thor Phan is not only an orphanage but also sells clothing which is produced by the locals.  Here is the story (taken from Ban Thor Phan website):

“A Human being’s basic needs are to be clothed, sheltered and fed.  P’Nart and Yuphah addressed these initial basic needs and continued brainstorming ways to support the ongoing needs of this project.  The land Ban Thor Phan stands on has an abundance of plant life that has been used for centuries in the dyeing process of the cloth from the bark and leaves of the trees to the husk of the durian fruit.  Also the border area around Ban Thor Phan shelters many displaced Burmese, Karen, Mon and Kalang refugees who worked in clothing and textile industry.  Manufacturing clothing seemed to be the logical choice, a natural opportunity for a way of supporting Ban Thor Phan projects and these disenfranchised communities.

The refugees of the region were abused and made to work very long hours for unreasonably low wages.  Kampanart realized that his responsibility was broader than the youth he had adopted; he had to do something for families that were being exploited.  Although these workers were made to work in terrible conditions, they were taught valuable skills in sewing, tailoring and pattern making.  Kampanart started taking people out of the sweatshops and giving them a proper wage and a way to work from home and take care of their families.  This is a very rare opportunity as in past these refugees had to travel to Bangkok or even to Malaysia and sometimes would not see their families for years at a time.”

It was so refreshing and inspiring to see this project  that Vicki and I wanted to be a part of it in some way.  We therefore decided to use the scarves from Ban Thor Phan as one of our “Healing Energy” products.  Natural healing frequencies are added to the scarf  which gives you a feeling of increased well being when wearing it.   Have a look at our website for more info:

http://lotus-star.com/products/energy-scarf

We do hope that you will join us in supporting this wonderful project.

Love from Charlotte