Making these hand-rolled paper beads helps students from Shan State win scholarships to go to university and thereby play a part in building democracy.
The brightest and best of these young men and women from Northeastern Myanmar are selected by their communities to attend the Kaw Dai School, they first spend a year studying in Lashio and then a further year studying English in Yangon. These students work very hard on their studies. Housing and tuition are provided but making these necklaces and earrings helps pay for food and day to day living expenses.
The Kaw Dai Organisation has also formed a collective to include artisans from Northern Shan Communities in order to find a new platform for these artisans. Hla Day works together with them to find new markets for these rual artisans. Artisan groups include pottery and basket weavers.
