First day in the field

"Field work" has begun.  We have spent a month creating a questionnaire to survey those with disabilities, and we began conducting interviews this past weekend.  I guess that means I should tell you what it is I am doing here... 

As a bit of background, I am in a very rural area (if you couldn't tell by the bug video!), where many families have no income and have never attended school. They feed their families with what they can farm from the land, so having a family member born with a disability that requires attention or removes a member from the workforce, is devastating.  With no other option, some disabled are left to languish at home alone, or are abandoned to older relatives. Those who are more able-bodied try to find work, but either don't receive it for simple discrimination, or must work for less.

Further complicating their situation is the fact that those in Northern Thailand receive less support, representation and general attention from the central government, simply because of their background (lots don't even have Thai citizenship yet). 

So what are we hoping to do? Warm Heart is hoping to build a program through which those who are disabled can be given a chance. They may be taught a craft or skill, and provided with an accommodating workplace and transportation, and help selling their craft. The program would be supported by a portion of their wages. My role is to manage the research collection process: to find out what population we are dealing with, what their capabilities are, what they want and what they can do.  Because the government has no services available for those with disabilities, there is no data on the books.  We are here to collect it.

This process of interviewing the disabled, to say the least, is humbling. We have met farmers who are partially lame, missing limbs or are blind. But they work twice as hard to produce as much as their able-bodied neighbors.  This project is close to my heart not only because it addresses a major public health need, but because both of my grandfathers had disabilities from a young age that are very similar to the most common ailments here. One had no use of his right arm from birth, but became a successful lawyer (and avid chess player and golfer) and the other was blind in one eye, but served in the US military stateside during WWII, and went on to become a business owner and public servant. They inspired, mentored and intimidated us grandkids with their no-excuse attitude, and I see their spirit in these people every day.

I will continue to keep you posted on our progress. Here are a few photos from our first day in the field on Saturday.

Interviewing a 12-year-old with developmental and physical disabilities. His family is showing off his good grades in school.

P.S. it should be noted that the Lanna people (northern Thai) and hill tribes are by nature indescribably hospitable, kind and love to laugh, so it has been incredibly fun to conduct these interviews. And because a few westerners tend to be a spectacle, the entire village gathers 'round to take stare as we collect data... we are at the least a source for entertainment! 

Lisu women in traditional dress.

Interviewing a man whose botched spinal surgery left him unable to walk (and farm).

Warm Heart team takes a lunch break! (I passed on the grilled liver P'John is about to bite into)