About Us
The GreenHeart Foundation
The GreenHeart Foundation is dedicated to Lao cultural preservation through the promotion of Lao textile arts. It is our goal to economically and socially benefit Lao rural mountain artisans and thereby contribute to the wider community.
We provide training, initiate new production and assist in the marketing of textiles from six villages in North Eastern Laos.
We are committed to using locally grown natural fibers and dyes and maintaining traditional techniques.
The GreenHeart Foundation also supports community education at all levels, with special emphasis on the preservation of Lao cultural heritage through the textile arts. This enables local women to build a sustainable livelihood in an area plagued by child trafficking and opium production.
We recognize also the priority of unexploded ordnance (UXO) bomb removal, and actively promote an awareness campaign and promote safe UXO bomb removal.
GreenHeart launched its first textile gallery in January 2006 at Chan-a-Mar.
The founder of The GreenHeart Foundation, MarkO Bartholomew, has consulted on the following projects:
- Lao America Project
- Lao Women's Union
- Consortium/LEAPSS (Lao Economic Acceleration Program for the Silk Sector)
Chan-a-Mar Resort
Your hosts are MarkO Bartholomew a published author, Bhutan and Lao textile expert and cultural anthropologist (see www.bhutantextiles.com). His wife Chan is a Lao chef and textile designer.
MarkO and Chan live at Chan-a-Mar in Ban Sophuon with their three daughters. A visit to the resort would be incomplete without meeting the children, dogs, cats and sampling Chan's "world class" cooking.
Their combined skills and knowledge, the resort's luxury bungalows (a rarity in the less touristed areas of Northern Laos) along with the local attributes of five mountains, two rivers and truly spectacular scenery has enabled guests to leave with an experience of "The real Lao" they can treasure forever.
MarkO is the founder of The GreenHeart Foundation which has made its home at Chan-a-Mar along with the GreenHeart Textile Gallery launched in January 2006.
A portion of all proceeds go to The GreenHeart Foundation.
and family