Handicraft Shop

Borderline Women’s Collective handicraft shop, located in Mae Sot, Thailand began with three women’s organizations seeking to establish a shared marketing space for women from Burma and living along the Thai-Burma border to sell their hand made items. The women’s groups also hoped that by having a collectively managed market they would build their capacity for running income generation projects with the communities with which they work. In May 2004, the Borderline Women’s Collective handicraft shop opened.

Borderline had four women groups’ members and now in 2008 Borderline has grown to ten member groups from different ethnic groups along Thailand-Burma border. For most of the members, income generation supports their goals of community development and women’s empowerment.

Borderline 10 member groups are Chimmuwa - Tak Border Child Assistance Foundation (TBCAF), Chin Women Group (CWG), Community Forest Support Group (CFSG), English Speaking Course (ESC), Kachin Women Association of Thailand (KWAT), Karen Women’s Organisation (KWO), Lahu Women’s Organisation (LWO), Mon Women Organisation (MWO), United Lahu Youth Organisation (ULYO), and Women Development Group (WDG).

Also Community Based Organisations (CBOs) working along the border are selling their reports, videos, music, postcards, t-shirts and other materials that help to publicize and support their work.