FLOWERS FOR BEADS FOR CAMBODIA: April 2009

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Paua Flower Stems

The Fund Raising Flower - Journey back to Project Wat Opots Childrens Communinty.

On my return from Project Wat Opot, my inspiration for helping them birthed a new version of my Art/craft product of which I designed and made specifically for them. This is the Paua flower stem.
All though I have been making Paua flower brooches for The Little River Gallery for the past 4 years.

I felt it appropriate that all monies raised from the sales of the Paua Flower Stems would be my way of helping and contributing to Project Wat Opot. Little did I know this would lead me to making over 200 of these wonderful Paua Flowers for sale to help me get back to Cambodia for July 2009. check out my blog site of Paua Flower Power to view some photos of them.

If you have purchased a Paua Flower Stem….. Thank you! you will be able to say that you too have contributed to the development of

Project Wat Opot Cambodia.

Fund Raising at Stoddarts Cottage

Marijke and I had a fund raising day at Diamond Harbours historic Stoddarts Cottage.

This day we were able to sell our creative wares to help fund our trip to Project Wat Opot Cambodia.

We were also able to connect people to Wat Opots Childrens community by sharing what knowledge

we do have of it so far and what we are hoping to doing with helping them with our skills.

It was great to be doing this along side Marijke.....she really is an amazing woman full of lots of lovely hea

rt energy. I am really looking forward to sharing and embarking on our trip to Wat Opot together in July. So stay tuned .............. to hear more on this awesome journey to Wat Opot Childrens Community.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

The Fund Raising Journey

A Flower for Cambodia:

On my return from Project Wat Opot Aug 2007, my inspiration for helping them at Project Wat Opot birthed a new version of my Art/craft product of which I designed and made specifically for them. This is the Paua flower Stem. All though I have been making Paua flower brooches for The Little River Gallery for the past 4 years,

I felt it appropriate that all monies raised from the sales of the Paua Flower Stems would be my way of helping and contributing to Project Wat Opot. Little did I know this would lead me to making these for sale to help me get back to Cambodia for July 2009. To view the product please refer to pauaflowerpower.blogspot.com or for purchasing flower product towards fund raising then email feebs directly. feebs@clear.net.nz

If you have purchased a Paua Flower Stem….. Thank you! You will be able to proudly say that you too have contributed to the development of Project Wat Opot Cambodia.

How this Journey Began

Fund Raising Journey 2008 / 2009

Hi My Name is Fiona,
I am ‘FEEBS’ Paua flowers & Flowers For Cambodia NZ ’
In August 2007 after reading an article in the Readers Digest NZ I created and followed a great opportunity to visit Project Wat Opot in the Takeo Provence Cambodia.
Whilst there I was so inspired by what they were trying achieving there I knew I had to return to help with what skills I had, and to share them with them.

To my knowledge Project Wat Opot up until January 2007 was an orphanage for children, some of whom were dying from the HIV virus. For 8 years prior to 2007 Wat Opot saw many of the children and some of their parents succumb to the virus.

January 2007 brought a new trail medication which then gave an opportunity for for the children to have prolonged life. Project Wat Opot was faced with a new challenge with the children that were HIV positive, it was impossible for them to return to a normal community. Discrimination and Stigma.
They have now changed their status as an orphanage to a ‘Community’ with a vision to be completely self sufficient.
They are doing this by welcoming the learning of any trades that can offer them the potential to bring money and to learn a trade that can help support their community.

The Trade that I can teach them is jewellery making for the commercial market of which I have a vast range of experience in this field.

What I am aiming to achieve in my time there in July 2009 is not only to teach them techniques of the jewellery trade but to look at their own resources and help develop some products that can make and will be sellable to the rapidly growing tourist trade.

I now have another passionate person joining me in going to Project Wat Opot . Marijke Lups is an Arts and Crafts teacher in Chirstchurch New Zealand and is completely and utterly inspired about what is happening at Wat Opot as I was when I first read about Wat Opot.
We fly out for Cambodia from New Zealand on the 13th July 2009 and will be at the project for about 5 weeks. While there we will be teaching our skills of Art and crafts and how to be creativily resourceful with what resources they have to make some stunning jewelly and Craft products.

Follow my journey with Wat Opot ...read the posts I have added below to keep you updated.
Check out their Wat Opot's new website and be inspired yourself
http://www.watopot.org/