Thailand Floods

A message from the founder of A Global Friendship, Elizabeth Firgeleski:

“We are committed to helping our artisans recover.”

Natural disasters occur with regularity around the world, and the visibility of these events has as much to do with where the event occurs as it does the extent of damage. Although overshadowed by news developments of the past week, flooding in Thailand appears to be threatening the country's long-term economic health.  The after-shocks of the flooding in Thailand, described as the worst in years, will certainly be felt in farmer’s pockets. 

 Fifty-eight of seventy-seven Thai provinces have flooded, twenty-five severely. These provinces provide rice to Thailand, one of its major export crops. A very versatile crop, rice, can be exported in addition to sustaining a growing family. With major crop growth derailed by unexpected flooding, the Thai economy may suffer. Flooding has damaged a prominent Buddhist temple, an established World Heritage site, and other infrastructural damage is expected. The cultural and economic fabric of Thailand is at stake. 

Current flooding in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Credit: Getty Images

A Global Friendship’s mission aims to develop economic sustainability and self-management with its partners abroad. AGF’s contacts in the field have reported that the recent natural events in Thailand are preventing artisans from working. We hope that the Thai government and its partners are able to aid the population as quickly as possible in the coming weeks, and we at AGF hope to lend our support as well by continuing to invest in the artisans we work with there and future community development projects.

Please keep Thailand in your thoughts this week, including AGF artisans! If you are as touched by the recent events in Thailand as we at AGF are, there are a number of ways to ally with those in Thailand. Consider becoming a CSA member through AGF, or purchase AGF products – profits go to our artists and their growing businesses. You can help the people AGF works with recover through your support for our organization, as your activism can make a legitimate difference in the face of infrastructural damage and economic pressure.