The Beat - A pulse on our findings and adventures — Hmong

This  year Ma Te Sai has embarked on it's second sewing skills program with village artisans. We have 20 trainees from 6 different ethnic groups and villages in the Luang Namtha area, in remote Northern Laos.
Why do we train women to sew? It lets us follow our mission; a mission to work with women in remote areas and create finished products in their villages to earn a better living. But what we actually get in return is so much more, let me tell you how much more. 

In Luang Prabang, just before the town goes crazy with Christmas vacationeers, there is the Hmong New Year festival.  This year the Hmong Association bought a large piece of land on the outskirts of town, so now the festival has a permanent home. And this year was my first visit to the festival, or what is known as "raising the mountain".  This is the fun after the 3 days of new year celebration within the house, where there are family meals honouring parents and in-laws, cleansing rituals, souls are released and offerings are made to the God of Wealth, amongst...