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GRANTS AWARDED, 2007
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Congratulations to our grant winners! Below we have reproduced the winning grant proposals.

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Name: Wit Sukhsamran                            

Total amount awarded: $1,000                      

Timeframe of project: 4-5 Years

Project Proposal:

First, I would like to express my gratitude to Tao Mountain and all of the contributors to the Shivago Fund for making such a grant possible.  It is still hard for me to believe that there are so many interested in Traditional Thai Medicine (TTM) in the West.  Up until very recently, I had no idea people were even aware of TTM in America, other than Traditional Thai massage.  It was a pleasant surprise for me to find an organization of people equally enthusiastic about the methods and science of TTM. 

My unique and enriching opportunity to study and submerse myself in Thai culture has prepared me for this course of study.  At the age of 13, I began my studies in a local Thai Buddhist temple.  At that time, I studied Buddhism, chanting, meditation and Thai language along with other aspects of the culture.  Around the age of 15, I began living in the temple as an Upasaka (Lay disciple following the 8 precepts).  From that time forward, I was immersed in the deeper aspects of Buddhism and Thai culture.  I learned, from my primary teacher, aspects of spiritual and medicinal healing.  I was practicing as a novice monk when I made my first trip to Thailand.  During this time, I gained exposure to elements of magic, divination and additional medicine practices.  Because of these experiences, I embarked on a new life path.  I was constantly being introduced to or taught by practitioners of Traditional Thai Medicine.  My life, henceforth, has been devoted to the practice and study of TTM.  I feel that my background along with proficiency in the Thai language leaves me uniquely qualified for the task of becoming a Traditional doctor.

Using this knowledge as my foundation, I have set out to accomplish three goals.  My main, and most important goal, is to gain expertise in TTM allowing me to treat people with a comprehensive system of medicine.  The more exposure I have had to medicine, both Western and Traditional, the more I find that medicine in the West is not being practiced as a complete system.  The practitioners have knowledge of only one or two aspects of what I consider a “complete system of medicine.”  This is preventing comprehensive care when a patient comes to a practitioner with a complex disease. For example, a Chiropractor will treat any patient that walks in his door with adjustments regardless of his ailment.  An MD will treat his/her patients with pharmaceuticals and perhaps surgery.  This same problem applies to Massage Therapists and Physical Therapists, perhaps to a lesser extent.  Traditionally, practices such as bone-setting, stretching, massage and the use of medicines were practiced conjointly, so that the different methods would supplement one another and the ailment could be treated from all angles.  The way in which healthcare is practiced today causes limitations to the practitioner and makes it unnecessarily expensive for the patient.  For example, Western doctor might see gas, joint pain and dizziness as three completely unrelated issues, therefore prescribing three separate forms of treatment for each symptom and never addressing the root imbalance.  On the other hand, a doctor of TTM could easily identify these symptoms as a wind imbalance and treat it as such, effectively eliminating all of the symptoms.  People need and deserve treatment with this type of medicine and the medicine deserves a chance to be practiced, not just studied in labs.   I'd like to help to clear up the confusion about TTM and it's relation to other methods such as Ayurveda and TCM.  I'd like to demonstrate how TTM is a complete system unto itself and can stand on its own without the need to supplement theory or concepts from other systems of medicine. Finally, by practicing this medicine, I will be able to “give back” by apprenticing with one of my teachers, a doctor who provides free treatment to the people of the Akha and Karen villages in the north.  As their primary form of healthcare, we are not only providing medicine to those who do not have access to other forms of medicine, we are also revitalizing TTM by proving its effectiveness as a medical system.  Perhaps one day, TTM will no longer be seen as an alternative to Western medicine but as the first choice in healthcare.

Obviously, a goal as involved as this cannot be accomplished in a short time.  I expect the entire process to take approximately 4 to 5 years.  My first year of study will be in pharmacy.  Once I have completed that successfully, I can start the next 2 to 3 years of medical theory and practice.  Finally, my last year will consist of internships and apprenticeships with various doctors throughout Thailand.  During this time, I plan to take at least one trip a year back to the US in order to visit family and friends as well as to share my experience with those who are interested. 

Throughout my stay in Thailand, I plan to act as a guide, aide and resource for any of the TM members who will be coming to Thailand.  Of course, I will have a busy schedule but if people need a guide, to be greeted at the airport, have translation needs, emergencies or just need someone to talk to; I want to offer my services in these areas.  I know that Thailand can sometimes be overwhelming when one is not used to the country/culture.  I hope that I can make it a smoother transition.  In addition, for those who have already made the journey, perhaps I can help them in other areas.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone who made this grant possible.  It is truly amazing that such a thing exists.  I am very lucky to have found Tao Mountain and to have met many of the members.  As I have said before, I stand behind Tao Mountain and all that it means.

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Name: Kelly Bornt Kidson

Total amount awarded: $1,000                      

Timeframe of project: 1 year

Project Proposal:

“Improving health care is one of the greatest challenges facing the people of Laos. A better understanding of the body and how it functions is an important part of addressing that challenge.”- Big Brother Mouse

I am writing a book for Children ages 9-12 on Kid’s Health. I am focusing on the basics of balanced nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits as they would pertain to a young reader living in rural Laos. The book is to be published by Big Brother Mouse located in Luang Prabang, Laos PDR. (website: http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/index.html)

For an example of a recent book published by them please see:
http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/eattooth.html

I am providing the text for the book, which will be then illustrated by a local young artist in Laos. The book will be bi-lingual with simple Lao and English on each page. The book is approximately 6,000 words, 32 pages printed with a high quality 4 color printing. I have already contacted Big Brother Mouse and they are very interested in the book. My deadline is to have the final version written and revised by December 07. I will then return to Laos in Jan / Feb. 2008 to offer any additional assistance. Publishing will depend on raising enough financial support for the book.

About Big Brother Mouse:

Big Brother Mouse is a publisher started in Laos by a retired American publisher, Sasha Alyson working local Laotian college students. Sasha was Publisher of the Year by the New England Booksellers and moved to SE Asia in 2002. As of 2007 Big Brother Mouse has published 24 books. Traditionally, books have been rare in Laos. The number of children who go to school is slowly but steadily improving, yet many children have never read a book outside of school textbooks. Published Lao books are scarce and exciting books for Lao children even scarcer. By offering high quality books at affordable prices, Big Brother Mouse seeks to spread the love of reading and to create greater access for Lao readers to the realms of imagination and knowledge that can be conveyed through books.

Project Goals:

I visited Big Brother Mouse on my trip to Laos in December 2006. Being an avid reader, I had already been struck by the lack of books to be found in Laos. I was warmly welcomed by the staff at Big Brother Mouse and my purchase of books there has planted the seeds that has grown into this project. I wrote to Sasha upon my return with my book ideas and willingness to volunteer anyway I could. I learned that they were looking for more authors to write books for Kids and one of the topics they were interested in is Kid’s health. My own personal experience with the culture, health and children found a good match!

Each new book costs about $3,000-$5,000 to print, but some of that is earned back within the first year, from sales to NGO's in Laos. So a sponsorship of just $1,500-$3,500 is all that's needed to bring a book to press. Since Shivago Association grants are up to 1000.00 that’s why I am asking for that amount. The additional amount will be paid from my personal out-of-pocket expense. The final retail cost of each book is about 15,000 kip. ($1.50 US) I will point out there is NO profit in this for me personally. My request for a Shivago grant is solely to fund publishing my book thru Big Brother Mouse.

One comment in discussing this project with others was made to me that perhaps the book could be self-published less expensively in Laos. I want to mention that the request for this grant is support an organization committed much like to Shivago to giving something back to SE Asia. Perhaps things could be done less expensively in some other means, but I think it’s important to show the support to those who have been already trying to make small differences and work collectively, not independent of each other.

How this relates to Shivago Association:

I strongly believe that teaching others to help themselves is one of the most important things we can do to better the quality of life in rural Laos and SE Asia. By writing a book geared towards children in a simple easy to read fun format, we can help start healthy habits early in life. A book also can reach a larger audience than just one project, effecting one small group of people. It can get shared amongst a community… passed on to the next kid, shared with other villages, exchanged for another at a Big Brother Mouse book exchange. For me personally, I see this as a great way to “give back”. I spend hours every week treating Westerners with techniques I have learned from the traditions of SE Asia and make a living off doing so. Therefore I feel it’s extremely important and a moral responsibility to use any talents or resources I have access to hopefully contribute to making the life of someone in Laos at little healthier and happier. Complete the circle of giving.

Additional fundraising:
Even if I am granted the $1,000 thru Shivago, I need to raise an additional minimum of $500.00. One way I intend to do this is thru the sales of a Lao Herbal Compress Blend I have formulated based off a formula from Wat Sok Pa Luang and my own studies with local herbalists in Laos. The formula is rather complex having 32 ingredients, to represent the 32 parts of the body. Half of the proceeds from the sales of this formula will be donated to projects in Laos, such as Big Bother Mouse. In addition sales from products offered at our herbal classes will be put towards this endeavor. It is my personal goal to match the Shivago grant thru sales from Mango. All the project’s financial records will be open for review at any time.

About Kelly Bornt Kidson
Kelly Bornt Kidson researches Traditional Southeast Asian Herbal Medicine with a focus on Laos & Thailand. She is currently studying the Lao language through the Center for Southeast Asian Studies online program at Northern Illinois University. She is the founder of The Mango Grove, LLC a Southeast Asian Herbal Apothecary. She lives in Rhode Island were she maintains a small private herbal medicine practice.
She will be returning to Laos in 2008 to further her studies and finish her forthcoming book on the medicinal plants and healing traditions of Laos. In addition she is working on a Lao / English bi-lingual children’s book.

Professional Affiliations:
Kelly is a member of the Shivago Association, Tao Mountain Network, the American Herbalist Guild, the Northeast Herbal Association, the Thai/Lao/Cambodian Studies Group (TLC) which is an affiliate of the Southeast Asian Council (SEAC) of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) and the Lao Heritage Foundation.