We are proud to announce that Mrs. Kommaly Chanthavong, Mulberries founder and DARA collaborator, was among this year’s recipients of the Ramon Magsaysay Award. Widely regarded as Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards are Asia’s highest honor. The Philippine government and trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers created the prize in 1957 to commemorate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay’s example of integrity, courageous spirit, and transformational leadership. In the past five decades, the award has been bestowed on over three hundred exceptional men, women and organizations whose selfless service has provided effective solutions to various concerns of human development worldwide.

We can think of no one more deserving than Mrs. Kommaly. As founder of the Mulberries silk production cooperative in Laos, she has changed thousands of lives. She offers courses on the production of high-quality textiles, from growing mulberry trees to weaving traditional patterns. By teaching women in rural areas the traditional art of silk weaving, Mrs. Kommaly enables them to maintain a dependable income and support their families.

In the words of the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation, Mrs. Kommaly is recognized for “her fearless, indomitable spirit to revive and develop the ancient Laotian art of silk weaving, creating livelihood for thousands of poor, war-displaced Laotians, and thus preserving the dignity of women and her nation’s priceless cultural treasure.”

At DARA, our work with artisans around the world is a source of daily inspiration. Many of them are impacting not only the lives of individuals–but also the lives of entire communities. As we strive to cultivate social responsibility alongside the preservation of beautiful design, It gives us great pleasure to celebrate and acknowledge these victories.

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