Sop Moei Arts

Sop Moei Arts is a non-profit organization which has been working with the Pwo Karen in Sop Moei district of Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand for the last 30 years. The aim of Sop Moei Arts is to provide income generation for an ethnic group who have long faced problems such as poverty and malnutrition. Living both in the remoter parts of the highlands and the surrounding lowlands, Karen communities are held together by a strong set of beliefs, culture and a unique way of life. They often face disadvantage in the labour market due to their ethnic identity, poor fluency in the Thai language and lack of education. By employing skills such as weaving and basket-making at which they already excel, Pwo villagers are able to earn an income which can make a significant difference to their lives. At the same time, the preservation of age-old skills in Sop Moei district ensures that these traditional skills continue to flourish. Thirty years later, Sop Moei Arts is now a self-supporting organization with two retail outlets; one in Chiang Mai and one in Bangkok.