Project Laos is a not-for-profit initiative aimed at providing rural Lao children with learning resources and opportunities. Towards this end, we fundraise to renovate and refurbish schools in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. We have formed partnerships with the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Vientiane and Xieng Khouang provincial governments, as well as local villages and communities.
By equipping students with computers, textbooks and novels, as well as tables and chairs, we not only make school an enjoyable learning experience, but also invest in each and every student’s passion to grow intellectually.
Project Laos was first founded by a small group of Hong Kong students studying in the United States. Led by Mr. Jackson Tse, the students took a fact-finding trip to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, where they visited primary schools and attended presentations with a cross-section of officials and private sector community leaders. From the trip, Jackson realized that low-cost private initiatives could help complement government efforts to bring basic livelihood literacy and technical skills to Lao students.
After a constructive meeting with Dr. Bountiem Phissamay, Senior Minister for the National Authority for Science and Technology (NAST), and Mr. Somphiene Saiyadeth, President of the Foundation for Promoting Education, Jackson decided to establish Project Laos. The initial aim of the Project was to raise 20,000 USD to set up an English and Computer Learning Center in the Xieng Khouang Province’s Chomthong School. This objective was achieved in August 2009, with the establishment of the Chomthong Center.
Since then, Project Laos has raised more than 80,000 USD toward the construction of the Tha-Ngone Center in the Tha-Ngone School, as well as renovations and refurbishment of the The Somsanga School.
We now look forward to expanding our network of operations to more Lao schools, thereby bringing much-needed education resources to Lao students in the near future.
The Chomthong School is one of the major schools in the Muong Kham District of Xieng Khouang Province. With a student body between ages 12 and 16, the school serves as a secondary school.
We identified the Chomthong School as the ideal setting for its initial project based on two factors: the condition of its classrooms, and the breadth of impact. Although the Chomthong School was the largest in the district, the classrooms were in poor condition due to age and overuse. Moreover, the impact of renovated classrooms and learning resources would be significantly greater vis-a-vis other schools in the area.
Since its establishment, the Chomthong Center has served 900 incoming students annually, who have benefitted from the new resources.
The Tha-Ngone School is a Secondary School in the Vientiane Industrial Province, with a student body between age 12 and 16.
Each year, the school serves around 900 students belonging to lower-income families. Although the school is one of the largest in the province, it is also one of the more run-down schools, with much of the classrooms in poor condition.
Working with the Ministry of Education, the Project identified the Tha-Ngone School as an at-need school. We directed funding towards establishing an English and Computer Learning Center, as well as refurbishing the pre-existing classrooms at the school.
With these newer learning resources and opportunities, the Tha-Ngone school will be better equipped to educate students.
The Somsanga School is a primary school located in the Saysettha District, Vientiane.
Unlike previous years, where we equipped classrooms with computers, we decided to focus more on satisfying students’ basic school needs. To that end, funding went towards building a school playground, purchasing textbooks, as well as constructing and renovating classroom facilities.
Aside from working with the Ministry of Education, we engaged community leaders such as the Village Chief, and teachers in the Saysettha District.
Construction and renovations began in August 2013, and are expected to be completed in September 2014. Our hope is for the Somsanga students to have a more enjoyable learning experience.