- In the mountains of the golden triangle, here is Luan’s story
Luan grew up in a remote area in northern Laos, with no formal education; she married early and followed her mothers’ foot steps, working in the rice paddies. She says: “I remember the days when my mother tried to make ends meet, selling her weaving products to merchants traveling through, for barely the cost of the raw material.” Luan wove with little success due to lack of quality and access to markets. This changed when she got into a training program and was later able to sell her products to Mai Savanh Lao. “My husband treated me with little respect before I started weaving for Mai Savanh Lao. I worked hard in the rice paddies and in the house, but this did not generate cash and was not valued.” Today Luan is a happy woman and proud of her achievements. “I earn money and respect weaving. I received social status as a woman and member of our community. But more importantly, we are now able to send our children to school, so that they will have a better life.” /n
And there are more stories … in northern Laos
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The
Silk from Paradise