The Karen People

Rowena Dunford looks at the work of the Karen Hilltribes Trust

Falmouth resident Ashley Calizzi Muckley will be running 100 miles from Penzance to Launceston to raise money for the Karen Hilltribes Trust in Asia. He will also be working with the Karen People in North West Thailand to improve their water quality.

The Karen Hilltribes Trust has grown into an established international charity supporting education projects, the set up of clean water systems and the reinforcement of traditional skills amongst other projects.

21-year-old Ash has always had a burning desire to go travelling around the world, to meet new people and experience a diff erent way of life: “I don’t want to just go as a tourist. I want to be a part of their culture and experience what it is like to live in more remote parts of the world,” explained Ash.

Getting onto the scheme was fairly easy: “I checked out the website, downloaded an application form and called up the organiser”. However, things have got a bit more complicated since then and Ash has his work cut out trying to raise money and organise everything.

Needing to raise at least £1250 for the trust, he explains how this money will be used: “I will actually live with a family so the money pays for our equipment and food and rent etc. Unfortunately that’s nothing towards getting out there and visa, insurance etc which will amount to about another £1000 which I will fund myself.”

Ash is scheduled to run his 100 miles over fi ve days in the fi rst week of May under the guidance and expertise of his personal trainer, Kelly Langford. Apart from the sponsored run Ash is planning a sponsored swim from Pendennis Point to Flushing and has been amazed by the support he has received by everyone in Falmouth.

Whilst in Thailand he will be working alongside locally based staff of the trust and villagers as well as other volunteers to improve water quality. The water systems already set up by the trust are producing water that is ten times cleaner than water from other local sources therefore reducing diseases like Malaria and Dysentery.

The systems installed by the trust are gravity fed from above the village and flow down into storage tanks to eliminate water shortage problems and are easily maintained.

There will also be volunteers helping to teach English in the local communities, Ash choose the water project as “I’m more of a hands on person and I think it is more benefi cial for the people to help improve their health fi rst”.

When Ash arrives in Thailand he will be living the life of the Karen people, a host family will adopt him and he will be treated as a member of the family. The Karen people live in close, cross generational communities looking out for and helping each other.

The Karen people have a very traditional lifestyle. The living conditions are a far cry from the salubrious western houses we are used to, there is very little furniture and Ash will be swapping his comfy bed for a mat on the fl oor.

Ash is not too concerned about the hard work, after all he should be fairly fit by the time he leaves in October, his main fear is the local wildlife: “spiders, I hate them. I really am going to have to get over my fear of spiders, if I see one where I’m staying I’ll just freeze” He also thinks the heat and food may take a while to get used to but can’t wait to get out there.

www.karenhilltribes.org.uk

Rowena Dunford

© Substance Magazine 2005