SAMUI’S GOOD JOBS Top

SAMUI’S GOOD JOBS Top This Page The Samui Elephant Sanctuary gained inspiration from the Save Elephant Foundation, whose founder Sangduean “Lek” Chailert, is known for being at the forefront for elephant welfare and ethical tourism. From a previous life of hard labour, the elephants now thrive in a caring environment. SAMUI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY An experience not to be missed is Samui Elephant Sanctuary which opened in January this year and already has five adorable elephants in residence. Getting up close to the elephants is a memory you can never forget! According to the founder Khun Pao, “Here at the Samui Sanctuary, we treat our elephants with the dignity and respect they deserve. We do not allow riding or any type of performance; instead we work with our herd through positive reinforcement via food! Our tours follow a very relaxed programme which starts with an introduction to our work, followed by feeding the elephants. Then (it’s) a leisurely stroll through the sanctuary – accompanied by other elephants!” There are two tours each day, from 9am-12pm, 2-5pm. samuielephantsanctuary.org, Tel: +66 95 269 8343, email: info@samuielephantsanctuary.org SOI DOG FOUNDATION Founded in Phuket in 2003, Soi Dog (which means Street Dog) has an excellent animal welfare programme, having efficiently spayed and neutered more than 200,000 dogs since opening its doors. They also work tirelessly providing medical treatment, sheltering, adoption opportunities and sponsorship of dogs. Funded entirely by donations, Soi Dog currently has a mobile sterilisation unit in Koh Samui which neuters many dogs and cats every month. To find out more or to donate, please visit soidog.org. SISTERS ON SAMUI (SOS) Every month, around 50 ladies gather for an informal lunch at one of Samui’s excellent restaurants. Aside from a fun social event, SOS supports local charities and has been the driving force behind several important causes. Its current focus is on raising funds to renovate the Children’s Ward at the government-run Nathon Hospital. In addition to the refurbishment programme, SOS is looking for sponsors and donations to provide new pyjamas for the children and to install bright new cheerfully coloured curtains. Details of the work by Sisters on Samui can be found at facebook.com/ kohsamuicharity. SAMUI CLEAN & TRASH HERO And where there are humans, there is invariably garbage and Samui is no exception. Visitors and locals to the island can see an increasing number of large bins on the beaches that encourage disposal of trash responsibly and help keep the beaches in pristine condition. Decorated with the message Respect Our Beaches and bright sea images, they are the brainchild of local artist Idania Lucia Reiss, who creates the captivating artwork together with other artists. The bins are then distributed by Brent Jones, founder of non-profit organisation, Samui Clean and Samui Bins. Samui Clean, together with another group, Trash Hero, organises beach cleaning sessions every Sunday afternoon at 3pm. They welcome visitors to join them. Samui Clean accepts donations, however small, to finance the bins and the materials needed for the artwork. Details can be found on facebook/samuiclean. DOING MY PART Two years ago, I co-founded Impact Samui with my partners Rodney Waller (an established, award-winning developer on the island), and financial and project manager David Birchall. With a clear focus on responsible development, we do new building projects and we also carve a niche through our restoration of existing, rundown buildings. Rather than demolishing them and adding more development to the island, older buildings get beautified and new life breathed into them. Whenever possible, usable materials get recycled before donating the remainder to various causes on the island – in particular, children and animals. Sometimes our company sells such materials and makes cash donations to worthwhile causes. With our first project, Lavaliere, we sold all sorts of items, and made a donation towards the redevelopment of the Children’s Ward at Nathon Hospital on the island. If you’re just visiting, consider a bit of volunteer or responsible tourism by visiting the organisations or sending a donation. It’s what keeps Samui beautiful. Top Above Respect Our Beaches’ Idiana Lucia Reiss, an artist who paints the cans and Brent Jones of Samui Clean and Trash Hero work tirelessly to keep Samui shores pristine. Left Volunteers for Trash Hero may also be non-Samui residents. Jones says that many tourists ask to help with beach cleaning who directly contact the organisation. 46 47