You’re Making a Difference Here
LAOS
In Laos, one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia, a lack of educational infrastructure is one of the greatest barriers to accessing a quality education (BBC News Asia). 27% of people in Laos are illiterate, with even higher illiteracy rates amongst ethnic minorities (World Bank 2014).
Pencils of Promise works with 101 communities in Laos to ensure that our students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing a quality education. To date, PoP has impacted over 13,000 students in Laos.
LUANG PRABANG
Luang Prabang Province, located in northern Laos, sits at the intersection of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers. Although a beautiful area, Luang Prabang lacks sufficient educational infrastructure.
PoP has built over 103 schools in Luang Prabang Province, working in collaboration with communities to couple school builds with teacher training, in order to ensure that our students are benefiting from access to both educational infrastructure and quality instruction.
Before the PoP School Build
Previously, students in Hat Sa Ngone, Laos were learning in two structures, both with unfavorable conditions. The first was a formal, but overcrowded, three-classroom school; the second, an aging one-classroom provisional structure made of bamboo, dirt floors and a thatched roof. In both structures, classrooms were heavily congested due to overcrowding, making it difficult for students to focus and concentrate. Despite the community and district’s desire to improve the conditions of the previous Hat Sa Ngone Preschool and Primary School, they lacked the resources necessary to fund a construction or repair project. Hat Sa Ngone is a very high-need community, and without prior support they’ve been unable to remedy the poor conditions of their school environment that are presently hindering student learning and engagement.
Your Impact with the New PoP School
You recognized and responded to the needs of Hat Sa Ngone by helping PoP and the community build a new two-classrooms at the Hat Sa Ngone Preschool and Primary School. Teachers, parents and community members remained dedicated to the project and contributed up to 20 percent of resources and labor necessary to complete construction. The build broke ground on May 25th, and was complete in July. It marks the beginning of a legacy that will provide a safe and strong foundation where students will be able to learn and realize their full potential. The community is so excited knowing their students and teachers now have access to a higher quality learning environment.