Buzu is an Akha woman living in Baan Doi, a Thai village close to Chiang Rai. She is 43 years old. She has 2 daughters and 1 son. One daughter is working, one is studying in Grade 1 and her son is starting school this term. Her birth place is PhaLa in the mountains north of Chiang Rai.

She moved from PhaLa to Baan Doi about 10 years ago. When her new baby was a few months old, she separated from her husband when he took a mia noi (a new, usually younger unofficial wife/mistress). This is accepted behaviour in Thailand but seldom turns out well for either woman. In modern times, more women are refusing the arrangement and will leave. Before she moved, Buzu worked as a farmer. In Baan Doi she was a day laborer until she had to stop work and take care of her baby. Now her family is supported from the income of her oldest daughter.

Historically, it is the duty of the eldest daughter to take care of any family dependents so they are always at risk when money gets tight. It is easy for girls to fall prey to traffickers and there is no shame to working as a prostitute if it means the family is supported.

Izara Arts met Buzu when we needed a trainer to re-introduce the Akha appliqué technique for some of our products. We hope that steady orders will produce enough income to allow her to support her dependent children and take away the pressure on her older daughter.