Come join us Monday at SynerGeo!
2-16-2009
6:00pm


We will have a special guest at our community dinner Monday, Mr.
Kovit Boonjear.

Boonjear is a social worker, community organizer, and
social activist who has worked and lived in Khon Kaen, Thailand for the
greater part of his life. Most of his work has revolved around working
with Khon Kaen’s urban poor communities and informal labor sector,
helping to organize and mobilize groups to address the social and
economic issues that they face, such as their rights to fair labor,
adequate housing and land, and protection and support from the local
and national governments. He has also worked with various education
communities, such as the local public school system and with the CIEE
program located at Khon Kaen University.

His intention in visiting and
studying in the U.S. is that he will learn to speak more fluent English
and gain useful experience working with social workers, activists,
organizers, and NGOs who are working in a similar field as he.

Shayne Thomas is working in conjunction with Educational Network for Global
and Grassroots Exchange (ENGAGE) on an the initiative to help our
colleague and mentor, Mr. Kovit Boonjear, embark on this extended study
trip to the United States. Thomas spent the fall 2007 semester
studying globalization and development in Khon Kaen, Thailand with the
Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE).

There will be
photographs from this project, the images are the result of a
collaboration with a community that lives and works at the city
landfill in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Ban Kambon Noi has existed on the edge
of Khon Kaen city for over 30 years. It is located beside the municipal
landfill; families who scavenged there eventualy decided to settle, and
now 60 families (approx. 235 individuals) have homes next to the waste.
In 2002, 50 percent of the villagers residing in the landfill were born
there, and at least one person from each household makes their living
by scavenging. More than 70 people work among the garbage, earning up
to 150 baht per day. Khambon Noi villagers are entirely dependent on
the landfill for their income. They are aiding Thailans’s recycling
efforts, as well as providing a great service to the city- so far they
have extended the life of the landfill by 7 years. They took these
pictures to show others what they wanted them to see about their lives.