fairly traded gifts from poor communities around the world Created is marketing fairly traded products from poor communities in the developing world fairly traded gifts from poor communities around the world

Welcome to McKean Christian Leprosy Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Chiang Mai This is a well recognised centre of excellence in treating leprosy patients and rehabilitating both ex-leprosy patients and people with other disabilities

The centre covers a 320 acre site that forms an island in a river The centre covers a 320 acre site that forms an island in a river. There is a hospital, an out-patients clinic, a chapel, a handicraft centre, a wheelchair workshop, a hostel for the elderly, a series of single storey cottages in a village where rehab patients live, kitchen gardens and even a small coffee plantation.

McKean has been caring for people in the name of Jesus for over 100 years

Created have been marketing their crafts for about 20 years. Training is given at the centre, then many of the crafts are made in the home villages of former patients

Heather Smith has been running the handicraft side of the rehab work for many years. She deals with orders and exporting to organisations like Created and The Leprosy Mission (TLM)

For those who still need treatment or who are unable return to their original homes, small village areas have been created –each house has it’s own garden. This gives people the opportunity to practice self sufficiency in a supportive environment.

The occupants are expected to tend the gardens and grow vegetables and fruit

They are taught how to construct a raised pond using plastic sheeting and bags filled with husks so that they can manage a simple fish farm. Raised sides enable people with disabilities to feed and catch the fish easily.

Poultry rearing is encouraged too.

They are experimenting with growing coffee bushes – these can be grown in the shade of other trees

Longstanding Created Sellers and customers might remember the story of Mr Dee who was taught to make spatter painted cards. He was due to leprosy, an outcast, a refugee who had lost his family, his home and his health. After he was cured, as part of his rehabilitation he learnt how to make spatter painted cards, which were sold through Created. The change in his self esteem once he was able to earn his own living was marked. Later he met and married a fellow sufferer, Rabihap whose hands are badly affected by leprosy. Now they have two lovely daughters. The family live on site and Mr Dee is employed making soft linings for patients’ shoes.

Rabihap runs the embroidered card section and does other work at the main site.

Part of the site is prone to flooding from the river and Heather is pointing out the height to which the water came during one flood.

Created has donated money for flood defences to be built Created has donated money for flood defences to be built. The area along the river has been raised with sandbags filled with concrete then covered with earth, Plants and bushes will quickly cover the mounds so that they will look natural.

Oripin has made products for the Created catalogue in the past Oripin has made products for the Created catalogue in the past. She lives on site because it is not possible for her to live with her family. They live in a mountainous area and she is confined to a wheelchair so would be unable to get around. Although McKean’s aim is to support disabled people in their village community and through education try to break down the stigmas that exist around disabilities for some it is not practical. She speaks a little English and was busy making some beaded jewellery which is a new product that McKean are hoping to try to market.

McKean are very keen to encourage communities to find simple ways to help disabled people live within their villages rather than impose solutions which the local people have no part in. Naree comes from the Hmong Hill Tribal people and is being cared for at McKean. She has amazing embroidery skills.

She lives with Kau from the same ethnic group who is also a very talented embroiderer

One of the products that Created has sold for several years is the holding cross. Here they are being marked out on the wooden blocks ready for carving by Wana who has been at McKean for more than 30 years

The wood is initially very rough so a lot of carving and sanding is required to achieve a smooth finish

There is a showroom on site where tourists can come and buy gifts

Siriporn comes in from her village to bring some products for Mc Kean Siriporn comes in from her village to bring some products for Mc Kean. Theses are peace and joy bookmarks. They are made by punching a pattern into thin sheets of tin. Siriporn cares for her daughter, Gengiraporn who has cerebral palsy. It really helps her to be able to do this work in her home.

She is a lady of many talents –this is another of her products

Created sellers, David and Avril were visiting Mckean at the time of her visit, they bought the vase and were able to take a picture of the producer and partner to help tell the story.