Food queues stretching for hundreds of meters have become the "new normal" in Chiang Mai, Thailand - a city where most people are employed informally or independently, there IS no government unemployment benefit, and the economy hinges on tourism. For migrant workers absent from extended family, times are really tough. For women with children, even more so. Paternal child support for single mamas is also not enshrined in law.
While cooked free meals have been a "thing" for several months - with local businesses, temples and the community donating and cooking their hearts out - other essentials for women and children have been scarce. And they are expensive.
Enter the Women's Happiness Cupboard - a beautiful initiative of our friends at both Wild Rose Yoga Studio and Amrita Garden Vegan Macrobiotic Restaurant. The aim is simple: it's a little community "store" where no one has to queue or feel shame, where women in need can come to take essential supplies for themselves and their children, at no cost. Think monthly period supplies, nappies, toothpaste, laundry detergent, soap, baby items, formula (many Asian women do not breast feed) and the basics like rice. And snack for the kids. Every mother's heart hurts when they don't have a little treat for their kids.
Today my business, Pure Thai Naturals, donated some 100% natural Pure Baby Balm - for smooth, comfortable baby's bottoms. Cos nappy rash is a real thing here in the tropics, especially since many young women have started using disposable plastic nappies. 😭 Judgement not required - we just make the balm. Our massage teaching friend, Felicity Joy, met me for lunch there and donated some much-needed rice.
Felicity's rice was all distributed before I even got home.
Luckily Maki and Foie (the owners of Amrita Garden) have been receiving some cash donations too - and they have been using those gifts in a DOUBLE way. Cos they're like that. 😍 They use the money to buy organic rice from ethnic minority Karen farmers (yes the same tribal group I work with but in different area) - some of that rice they donate, and some they sell to local people, and then reinvest those proceeds into basics like dish soap, laundry soap, nappies, sanitary products and basic food items moms need.
The local farmers in Om Koi district (like this guy)? Pretty happy and grateful too.
How Can You Help?
If you're in Chiang Mai, you can drop off food, personal care items, cash donations and baby-children's things to Amrita Garden Wednesday through Saturday 12 noon to 5pm.
Please come and buy some yummy organic Om Koi rice - 25 baht for 800g is a seriously good price!
If you're celebrating a birthday or a special occasion, consider making a cash donation in someone else's name - Maki is happy to sign a card or whatever to share the good news. We saw our dear friend and yoga teaching friend, Esther White, doing just that today. 😍 (Hot tip - Yin Yoga with Esther is ON again at Chiang Mai Holistic.
If you're in Chiang Mai, you could also make sure you tell vulnerable people - Thai women, displaced people, migrant workers or whomever that there is non-judgmental, friendly women-family support available.
And please enjoy a meal at Amrita. We had a AWESOME soba salad today - organic, vegan, YUM. They have a great seasonal menu and the food is healthy, organic and out-of-the-box. Maki and Foie are a young Japanese-Thai couple with a small child too and doing it pretty hard business-wise with no tourists - it's time we locals stepped up and helped them too!
Not in Chiang Mai But Still Want To Help?
$20 goes a loooong way here! Please send a contribution.
If you'd prefer to PayPal, please just email Makiko (mail@amritagarden.net) for PayPal details, or you are also welcome to email me (marike@purethainaturals.com) and I will get whatever information you need.
What Did I Learn (Again) Today?
That community is everything and that it only takes a few of us to make a major change to a LOT of people's lives.
We all need and deserve to have our simplest needs met - and for young moms with dependent children, no income and no government support, it takes something like the Women's Happiness Cupboard to keep it doable.
Much love to Rose, John, Maki & Foie for being not just wonderful friends, but true community leaders and people with massive hearts. You guys are just everything that makes Chiang Mai special.
If you can help support the Women's Happiness Cupboard, please do. This "no money no honey" phase is going to be with us until Thai tourism revives and people have jobs and money again, and we still have the rainy season to get through.
One Love.
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