Appalachian RC&D had the opportunity to host a Fellow through the State Department and ICMA’s Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (“YSEALI”) program from Sept 15-Oct 15.
We ended up being matched with Saill Raikeunrang, a farmer, community organizer…and so much more!
With his parents, Saill’s family have transformed their rice farm in northeast Thailand into a bustling RKR Farm Stay, an active farm as well as regional community tour hub, merging tourism with agriculture with research with community revitalization. Check out their Facebook feed. “His devotion lies in empowering rural communities rather than policymaking, cherishing the simplicity of rural life over cityscapes. He holds a deep reverence for microorganisms, recognizing their indispensable role in our world and its interconnectedness,” says his bio.
During his 4 weeks in northeast Tenneessee, Sail immersed himself in the ARCD’s programs and the wider agricultural community. He worked and stayed overnight on farms, and toured other operations; he attended programming events. Thank you to SLAP Farm, Rain Crow Farm, A Different Chick, all the area farmers markets, and Washington County NRCS-SCD office, in particular for your hospitality.
Saill also made some amazing “Day In The Life” youtube videos, including his popular spicy peppers hit!
Halfway through his internship, Hurricane Helene hit. Immediately Saill joined Ashley Cavender on efforts on immediate flood relief, and worked at response sites. Being from a farm that has monsoon season and rising sea levels with climate change, Saill is no stranger to natural weather disasters and flooding, and his attitude was a balm to many.
A message from Saill at the end of his fellowship journey from his closeout conference and graduation in Washington DC:
Here at the final YFF-YSEALI Fellow Forum I met many professionals from across Southeast Asia with new perspectives, which has helped me see things in broader and deeper ways. It’s been a reminder that I’m not alone in this journey and that many people are out there striving to make a difference. We synergized with each other, networking and sharing our experiences, and will work together on grant funding.
I truly felt included at ARC&D, and it made me feel like I could be a part of the Appalachian community—one that strives to create a greater impact, support small-scale farming, and bring the food system back to its roots.
Lastly, my thoughts are with everyone affected by the flooding. I’m sending my best wishes for everyone’s safety during this challenging time.
To the ARCD staff, Saill became an international colleague and a friend for life!
Saill’s video of the pop up farmers market for the kids at Johnson City Housing Authority…plus he tries all the spicy peppers he bought there from A Different Chick Farm & Orchard.
Ashley and Saill spend time sorting and distributing at Lamar Elementary, a community relief site in the wake of the Hurricane Helene flooding in Washington County.
Saill’s first day with the ARCD team!