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.

The Women’s Collective continues to provide an important market for the women’s groups, and more community groups such as the Mae Tao Clinic and International Women’s Partnerships for Peace and Justice (IWP) are marketing items through the shop. Current members of the Women’s Collective are Chimmuwa (TBCAF), Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand (KWAT), Karen Women’s Organisation (KWO), Lahu Women’s Organisation (LWO). SWAN and SAW are also offering some of their items at the Borderline.