Journey to Akha Ama Coffee: Lee Ayu Chuepa at TEDxChiangMai 2013

Summary

The speaker, born in 1985 in a Thai village, recounts his humble beginnings in a stateless family and lack of access to formal education. Despite these challenges, he became the first in his village to graduate university, driven by his parents' support and the community's hard work. He founded Akha Ama Coffee in 2010 to empower farmers and improve coffee quality, collaborating with international partners to enhance the global perception of Thai coffee. His story emphasizes the importance of passion, motivation, and community support in overcoming adversity and achieving success.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker was born in 1985 in a village called Mae Chan Tai, and their family was stateless until the Thai government registered them.
• 🏠 They grew up in a beautiful, starry house powered by solar energy, and learned both Akha and Thai languages.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The speaker's family and village life were simple yet full of happiness, with limited material possessions but a rich community spirit.
• 🎓 Despite the lack of formal education in the family, the speaker was the first from their village to graduate from university, highlighting the importance of education.
• 🌱 The family's livelihood transitioned from growing subsistence crops to cash crops like coffee to support the children's education.
• 🏫 The speaker attended a temple school due to financial constraints, which provided free education and住宿.
• 🌐 After university, the speaker worked with the Child's Dream Foundation, focusing on helping children in village camps and migrant learning centers.
• ☕ The speaker founded Akha Ama Coffee in 2010 to address the discrimination and issues faced by farmers in the coffee industry.
• 🌍 Akha Ama Coffee collaborates with local and international partners to improve coffee quality and promote fair trade practices.
• 🏆 Akha Ama Coffee has been recognized internationally, being selected for World Coffee events in London, The Netherlands, and Austria.
• 🤝 The speaker emphasizes the importance of passion, motivation, and collaboration in driving social change and community development.

Q & A

What is the significance of the year 1985 in the speaker's life?

The year 1985 is significant because it is when the speaker was born in a village. It's also the year the Thai government sent a team to document their family into the house registration, which is important as the speaker was born into a stateless family.

What is the Akha language to the speaker?

Akha is the speaker's mother tongue, indicating it is the first language they learned and the language spoken in their family.

How did the speaker's family gain Thai citizenship?

The speaker's family gained Thai citizenship when the Thai government sent a team from the district office to do house registration and documented their family into it.

What is the name of the village where the speaker was born?

The speaker was born in a village called Mae Chan Tai.

What was the speaker's daily routine like during their primary education?

During primary education, the speaker would walk 4 kilometers to school and 4 kilometers back home every day.

Why did the speaker's parents have to work harder as the speaker pursued higher education?

The speaker's parents had to work harder because the cost of higher education was significant, and the income generated from their simple crops and plantations was not sufficient.

How did the speaker's education continue after high school?

The speaker joined a temple school for primary and high school education, where they could stay and study for free, due to the lack of financial support.

What was the speaker's motivation for starting Akha Ama Coffee?

The speaker started Akha Ama Coffee to address the discrimination and problems between farmers and middlemen, and to create an organization that could support the community.

What is the purpose of the Coffee Journey organized by the speaker?

The Coffee Journey is organized to bring people who share the same ideas of helping and studying the community from the town back to the village, to see and understand the farmers' lives and work.

How does the speaker's cafe contribute to sharing knowledge and experience?

The cafe shares knowledge and experience with customers, both local Thai people and those from different countries, by providing an environment where they can learn about and taste different types of coffee.

What recognition has Akha Ama Coffee received?

Akha Ama Coffee was selected by World Coffee events in 2010 in London, England, in 2011 in Maastricht, The Netherlands, and in 2012 in Vienna, Austria.