Simply Siam Eco Bags •
A range of stylish bags made from recycled rice and fish feed sacks.
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The original sacks are durable plastic sacks that are ideal for their intended requirement of holding large amounts of feed or rice , but a nightmare when it comes to recycling.
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These products are incredibly well made and in original designs that are all hand crafted , with new lines coming out on a regular basis .
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The colourful and quirky lettering and graphics on the original feed bags make for some excellent end products. Being recycled, no colours are the same. All are lined in a contrasting color of recycled material .
Simply Siam Eco Bags
Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world •
Free Trade Cambodian craft workers are turning fish feed bags into fantastically colourful recycled products such as fashionable recycled wallets and bags.
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Some of the craft workers are victims of abuse and those that have previously contracted polio and other debilitating diseases, also landmine victims.
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The training they have received has enabled them to become self-supporting, confident artisans, creating attractive and multifunctional products.
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Cambodia became one of the worst countries in the world to suffer from the appalling effects of land mines: the legacy from wars and the Pol Pot years has now claimed many thousands of lives, with as many as forty thousand people having lost limbs, or sustained terrible injuries, due to these unmarked mines.
Sustainable Development Shelagh is moved by the children
Heartfelt Support
After my travels to Cambodia I was lucky enough to discover the days of the disposable sweatshop where people are paid little money to work ridiculous hours are thankfully beginning to disappear. Craftsmen and women are starting to receive just reward for their work , rather than being exploited. Though poor in resources and money, there is a wealth of resilience and determination in this small country. A life of make-do and mend, again and again for many of its people. This is now changing .
Cambodian Life
Though poor in resources and money, there is a wealth of resilience and determination in this small country. A life of make-do and mend, and mend again and again for many of its people. With thirteen million people and 80% of the population earning less than US$2 per day, it makes Cambodia one of the poorest countries in the world. Constant drought followed by floods, leave many families in absolute poverty and with debts they have no hope of ever paying off. Day to day life becomes a never ending struggle.
Full Circle Smiling children run out from the houses to greet us as we walked through the “Floating Village� which during the rainy season is flooded and unreachable. The water from the lake used for drinking and washing is filthy and full of bacteria. You cannot wonder why there is so much illness in the community. Our hearts went out to these families with so little. Your fair trade purchase of handmade items helps improve the lives of thousands of artisans in Cambodia. Simply Siam goes full circle to put back into the community.
Simply Siam Bags Is Born I met a lovely lady in the local village named Yung and she told me about her group of ladies who make these beautiful bags. That was it.... my way to help the locals and support them in a sustainable manner. So that was the start of Simply Siam bags.
Every bag we buy from Yung we donate $1 to “Rainbow House Orphanage�
Rainbow House Orphanage The Orphanage House
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Rainbow House Orphanage in Sihanoukville, Cambodia was founded by my great friend Amanda Hayes . It operates solely on private donations from individual donors and is not funded by the government or NGOs. NGO 751 registered Cambodian Charity In 2006, the Rainbow Foundation was set up as an entity to help Cambodian children. The organization, takes in orphaned children or impoverished children whose parents cannot afford to care for them and aims to provide a long term positive, healthy environment for them in which they can grow up with Cambodian traditions and values.
Rainbow Orphanage We provide care for the children with education •
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The Rainbow Foundation also helps to provide the struggling families of Sihanoukville with proper diet, medial care and education fees. . You can help us by sponsoring a child or being a volunteer helper. Rainbow House is situated in the center of town in Sihanoukville. The house has six bedrooms, two living rooms, bathrooms, a kitchen and a large outdoor play area. It is within walking distance of the children's school. Ten children and three staff members currently live at Rainbow House. See www.cambodian-orphans.org NGO 751 registered Cambodian Charity
Help us to help the Children
Rainbow Orphanage Objectives& Future Goals RAINBOW HOUSE ORPHANAGE OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. Maintain a clean, secure and stable home environment for 10 children 2. Have up-to-date supplies of clothing and school uniforms, toothbrushes and all other personal necessities 3. Provide a full, balanced, healthy diet 4. Provide a standard Khmer education with additional home schooling and English instruction 5. Offer full, quality medical care 6. Provide adult supervision and guidance 7. Maintain an environment which encourages Cambodian culture 8. Allow freedom to practice all religion 9. Provide jobs for Cambodian citizens 10. Increase awareness of Cambodian and Worldwide issues 11. Support other Cambodian children on a non-residential basis through our targeted outreach program 12. Support the Rainbow Foundation Clothes Shop which generates funds and awareness for the Foundation RAINBOW HOUSE ORPHANGE GOALS FOR THE FUTURE ARE: 1.Organize workshops for children to discover and develop new skills 2. Expand Rainbow School to include computer classes and French classes 3. Provide lasting and ongoing support after the children have grown and left the organization 4. Create sponsorships and increase fundraising 5. Open a second home for children in Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia 6. Raise funds to purchase a minibus for our excursions to the children’s families and for the children of our outreach progra m 7. Encourage long-term (1 year +) foreign volunteers to teach English and other skills on a regular basis at the house
Rainbow Orphanage How you can help •
Meals. One child’s meals cost $50 per month. This provides the child with a very healthy diet. The children at Rainbow House eat three meals a day of rice, meat or fish, and vegetables. They drink milk every day. We also often have snacks of fresh fruit.
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Education. While local education is free, Rainbow Foundation pays extra school fees for the children who live here to attend extra classes and receive a more comprehensive education. For $4 each month you could support one child’s extra education fees. One school uniform is $3. Notebooks, pencils, sharpeners, erasers and school supplies are around $4 per month.
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Clothing. One set of clothing, including shoes, shorts, a shirt and underwear is $8. Donations of used summer clothing in good condition are always welcome.
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Medical Care. The children at Rainbow House are quite healthy, and we do not have high medical costs. For a few dollars each month we can buy plasters, vitamins, and other supplies necessary to keep the children healthy and pay for the occasional doctor’s visit.
If you want to make donations into the Registered Charities' account please contact the Founder Amanda Hayes on +34 660803184 email amanda_hayes (at)yahoo.com www.cambodian-orphans.org
Rainbow Orphanage How you can help • • •
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You can choose a particular child at the home or keep your contribution general. It is up to you. Visit the “Children” section of our website to get to know the children you are helping! There are many ways you can get involved if you want to volunteer at Rainbow House! For people who are staying for a longer period of time in Sihanoukville, we are always seeking people to teach English in the evenings. Come between one and three nights a week and get to know the children at the house by teaching them English! We can also always use short term volunteers too. • We want to clean up our garden area so we can plant some vegetables and save money on food costs. Lend us your hands for a day of digging in the dirt. • We would also like traveling artists to help us paint a bright, cheerful mural on the garden wall. Getting some of the kids involved in this would make it fun for everyone! • Anyone coming though town with special skills might want to teach the kids something fun, including martial arts, music or instruments, art, dance, or sport. They love all kinds of things. • Carpenters, painters, or any handymen can always ask us what we would like fixed up around the house. Even people not in Cambodia can get involved and volunteer. People can coordinate fundraisers for us from anywhere! Let us know your idea and how we can help you organize the event. All money raised goes directly to the children at Rainbow House. There are so many ways to get involved. We are always taking new ideas. If you want to volunteer please arrange it ahead of time to fit around the children’s school schedules. Contact the Founder Amanda Hayes on +34 660803184 email amanda_hayes(at)yahoo.com Contact Rainbow House by email at rainbowcambodia@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
The Raw Materials The bags have many other uses, sand bags
Before we flatten for the bag
The Raw Materials The prototype bag before we finish designs!!
The finished bag
Educating the children Be responsible -Do not pollute our environment The Simply Siam Handicraft work force can earn money to support and improve their families and lives. There are 16 ladies working and all of them come from poor families, some of them are handicapped. Furthermore, these jobs are providing education and understanding for the local children about the benefit of the waste that can be recycled for profit and also help save the environment. I would like to set up a programme where visitors can experience working in the orphanage and also with the handicraft team.
Old Fish feed bags wash up onto the beach, harming the ocean life
The Handicraft Work Force Flattened Recycled bags pre production
Sustainability Most of the local people are famers living in poverty. Most have 5 children to support.
They use bags filled with pesticides in the rice fields, with fish feed for fishing, then the plastic waste bags from the pesticides and fish feed were thrown out ,without sustainable concern. So we proposed the idea to buy those waste bags from the local farmers and recycle them into modern bags, hold alls and purses etc. Simply Siam Handicrafts has provided jobs and a future for these people. Moreover, this work can provide them with more understanding about sustainable use by recycling waste.
The Handicraft Work Force
Yung with supplies
Many Innovative Designs Purses
Pencil cases/Mobile phone cases
Many Innovative Designs Round Sponge Bags
Square Cosmetic Bags
Many Innovative Designs Inside Lap top/School Bag
Outside Laptop /School Bag
Many Innovative Designs Small Bendy Shoulder Bag
Shopping Tote Bag
Many Innovative Designs Beach Bag with outer pocket
Shoulder Handbag
Many Innovative Designs Laptop bag or school bag
Hand luggage holdall
Many Innovative Designs Side View Medium Hand Luggage Valy Holdall
Valy Holdall
Many Innovative Designs Plastic covered Travel Holdall
Shopping Tote Bag
Many Innovative Designs Shopping Bag
Extra large Travel Bag
Shelagh Foster Founder and Director Any Hotels or Resort wishing to have their own branded bags or to support Simply Siam Workforce Team in Cambodia and Rainbow Orphanage please contact me, any suggestions welcome!! Love and Light,
Shelagh
Contact Us Shelagh Foster - Founder and Director Worldwide Sales & Enquiries Exclusive designs and corporate labels • Email: shelagh@simplysamui.com • Telephone: 66(0)810896316 • www.simplysamui.com “Help us to help others”