Small beads making a big difference to families in Bangkok

The Peuan Peuan team has just started selling its new range of products made by families at the ThaiCraft fairs in Bangkok. The first fair we joined was in December and was busy with lots of expats shopping for Christmas presents! A lot of people were seeing our products for the first time and were really amazed.

Peuan Peuan’s Home Based Production (HBP) projects helps the families of marginalized children to earn an income by making accessories out of recycled materials in their home. The money they earn from the sale of these products at events like ThaiCraft mean that these families can send their children to school instead of having them work or beg on the streets.

The products sold by Peuan Peuan at ThaiCraft are made by four different families in the Sapansiri Community (north-east of Bangkok). The families use the extra income that they make from being part of the HBP program to support their children to go to school. The first male participant from the same community has just joined the Home Based Production project so we now support five families and nine children in this community. The products they make include bracelets and necklaces made from beads made out of recycled cardboard.

The second ThaiCraft fair was held on 16th January 2010. It was the first fair of the year, and just as successful for us as the first. Hopefully in the year of the tiger, our sales will be fast and strong like a tiger too!

Learn more about Friends-International’s Home Based Production project and Peuan Peuan.

To find out when the next ThaiCraft fair is on, visit www.thaicraft.org