January 18, 2023 – Office of Academic Service, Khon Kaen University (OAS KKU) and the Elderly School of Sila Municipality held a workshop for occupation building and making products for selling and building income after retirement. The workshop is under the Project for promotion and development of the quality of life of the elderly in Sila Municipality, 2023. The activity was organized at the Center for Development of the Quality of Life and Occupation for the Elderly, Sila Municipality, Muang District Khon Kaen. There were 80 elderly trainees from the 4th class attending the training.
Assoc. Prof. Chuchat Kamollert, Ph.D., D.V.M., Director of the Office of Academic Service, who presided over the opening session explained about the Office’s mission in academic service. OAS carries out this mission by supporting KKU personnel to apply their knowledge and expertise to assist the community academically. This mission is carried out under the strategy: Creating Shared Value (CSV), by transferring appropriate technology for social development and upgrading of the quality of life pf people in the community in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sila Municipality is a community close to Khon Kaen University. On this occasion, the Municipality executives, including Mr. Surin Laha, Deputy Mayor of Sila Municipality and Mrs. Orajit Laha, Director of the Elderly School along with officers of the Municipality and the 80 elderly students welcomed the team from Khon Kaen University.
This activity was aimed at extending the handicraft works from grass flowers, by adding values to the products of flowers in different forms. The raw materials were from grass flowers or weeds. The design has been planned by taking into account the physical limitations of the elderly to make the products. This was done by using light materials and few pieces of tools. The initial cost was low, and the work was flexible to enable the elderly to do it with fun. In addition, the outcomes can be sold and raise incomes for the elderly during their school time. The workshop emphasized training in forming the products, and the participants were divided into 5 groups: multi-colored brooms, reed flowers, grass, flower bouquets and garik flower.
The trainers from Khon Kaen University, under the coordination of the Office of Academic Service, included Assoc. Prof. Duangjan Nachaisin, Ph.D., from the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts; Miss Manee Tansriprasert, Manager of Siam M Handicraft, Co. Ltd. The purpose of this training was to promote the selling of the products made by the elderly trainers, and thus the sustainability of the Elderly School of the Division of Social Welfare, Sila Municipality. The products are planned to be sold at the Isan Agricultural Fair, which is scheduled on January 27 to February 5, 2023 at Khon Kaen University.
News / Photos: Center for Social and Academic Service, Office of Academic Service and Challe Prom-in
