Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Insightful Moment

It was a great experience and trial for the children of Wat Opot to have an order placed for the product they would be producing over the next few weeks. The Universe brings/supplies the opportunities with the right timing for the right and truest of intentions... Wayne is perhaps feeling a little nervous as he faces the reality of the next stage and his intentions for the Wat Opot children to be producing products for sale in order to become more self-sufficient.


First there was a surprise visit to Wat Opot by Susan, the owner of Butterflies Garden Restaurant Cafe, and her $280 order. Then Wat Opot found out that there will be a Buddhism Tour group or 20 people from Singapore coming on the 8th of August and they would like to stay for the night at the Wat Opot Childrens Community. This will provide another opportunity and test of the children's jewellery-making.


Marijke and I have decided to have four days away in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukeville to show samples of the children's jewellery to NGO organisations who support products made by under-privileged groups. We are planning on some R&R at the beach in Sihanoukeville. Our absence from the Wat Opot project will allow them to start working towards fulfilling and completing their very first order and a chance for them to build on gaining experience of working and relating together as a team. Also they will have to take responsibility for keeping the materials and tools safe and tidy etc. We will return early Friday morning to see how they went. I am sure that no matter what the outcome, it will be a wonderful positive learning experience for each of them.


The team of girls and boys that have come together to learn were excited to see their creations that would perhaps be chosen by their first official buyer... but more abut that in another post!

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1 comment:

  1. ClaireAugust 6, 2009 at 1:38 PM

    Hello Fiona and Marijke!
    How are you? I hope that you are having the best time in Cambodia. Your project seems to be on its good way. Unfortunately, it's not possible to read the last post you wrote, because the sentences are cut!
    I wish you heaps of good things for the rest of your time there!
    Cheers,
    Claire

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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/