BKK Urban Garden Project

Topics: Blog

We don’t usually think about overcrowded slums and packed out apartments when we’re discussing going green. However, ISOS is proud to announce it’s first “green” project to assist the urban poor.

Project Managers: Dwight Turner, Hy Martin

Target: The urban poor (Bangkok’s poorest residents including Thais, refugees, and Burmese migrants).

Goal: Make a garden accessible in poor communities to educate residents, supplement their diets, and instill proper care for the environment.

Benefits: More discretionary income. Gardening is highly therapeutic, educational and the activity will encourage the interaction of foreigners and Thais without requiring much translation.

Potential Sites: Khlong Toey Slum, Bangkok Refugee Center, and if the budget allows we hope to add additional locations.

Activity: “Play In The Dirt Day”

We will arrange a day for volunteers and the local community to join hands and “play in the dirt” by building a garden in an area accessible to the urban poor.
Upon completion everyone will have lunch together and community residents will return home with seedlings to nurture.

Need: Appropriate space for a garden. Materials, gardening tools, and a group of carefully selected species to plant. Also long term community support to insure gardens reach full potential and are properly cared for.

Cost: ISOS events and donations from volunteers will fund this project. Sponsorship is desired. Please contact us to sponsor a garden.

Check out the original Urban Garden Project website and imagine the impact similar activities can have in Bangkok. Thank you for previewing our concept and make suggestions by leaving a comment.

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Posted on 25 April 2009

Tags: asylum seekers, Bangkok, bangkok refugee center, BRC, Burmese migrant workers, Burmese migrants, green, ISOS, Khlong Toey, play in the dirt, poverty, refugees, Urban Garden Project, urban poor

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5 Comments For This Post I'd Love to Hear Yours!

Denis Ethier Says:
27 April 2009 at 4:10 pm
Great initiative, looking forward to get it implemented.
Denis

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Ben Fairfield Says:
27 April 2009 at 11:49 pm
How great is this! We couldn’t be happier to see you rolling this out internationally! Shoot me an email and let’s talk to see if there is anything that we can do to help each other!

Thanks
Ben
oldmankit Says:
12 June 2009 at 2:43 pm
This is great.

I would like to get involved volunteering. I live locally and can communicate in English and Thai. How can I get involved?

Kit
Dwight Turner Says:
19 June 2009 at 5:35 am
Kit, would be great to help you get plugged in volunteering in Bangkok. Please contact me at insearchofsanuk@gmail.com so we can discuss some possibilities. Thanks!

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regan Says:
1 October 2009 at 9:29 am
hey dwight,

wondering if you’ve approached the BMA on this? I know Apirak has made a number of Bangkok greenspace expansion promises and there might be some willingness on their part to contribute…

5 Trackbacks For This Post

Gardening Facts » Blog Archive » BKK Urban Garden Project Says:
April 25th, 2009 at 5:01 am
[...] here to read the rest: BKK Urban Garden Project Share and [...]
Getting Serious about Having Fun and Making a Difference | Thrilling Heroics Says:
July 5th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
[...] the DJ music, and we were able to raise 35,000 Baht (over $1000 US) for In Search Of Sanuk’s Urban Garden Project to put vegetable gardens in the Bangkok Refugee Center and slums. Cody, Pom & Mint at [...]

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Our Very First Bangkok Tweetup for Charity! | Bangkok Tweetup Says:
July 13th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
[...] You’re invited to the first BKK Tweetup for Charity! We’ll share dinner & drinks and meet interesting people from around Bangkok. A portion of proceeds will be donated to our BKK Urban Garden Project! [...]

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My July Projects +2 Free Interview Recordings | Thrilling Heroics Says:
July 14th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
[...] Well this weekend, we had another great event to promote a charity cause here in Bangkok: our July Tweetup attracted about 30 or so great folks from Twitter, Facebook & Couchsurfing. We had some tasty Thai food from a local street vendor, knocked back a few beers, talked about everything from design to microphilanthropy, and contributed a percentage of the bill to Dwight’s Urban Garden Project. [...]

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Building Houses with Hope | Migrationology.com, Why vacation, when you can migration... Says:
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:14 am
[...] that eek out necessities and generate small profits to maintain life (similar to my friend’s urban garden project in Bangkok). Many are taught various trades like home decorating and gardening techniques among [...]