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 88 communities in Laos to ensure that our students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing a quality education. To date, PoP has impacted over 61,453 lives 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 88 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 benefitting from access to both educational infrastructure and quality instruction.
Before a PoP School Build
When our team first visited Mok Taneth Preschool, we realized that the local school had classrooms for primary grades 1-5 , but no preschool classroom. Preschool students of Mok Taneth had to walk to a school that was between their village and the village next door. This posed several issues: one being the danger of 3-5 year olds walking along a busy road with vehicles, the other being the time it required of parents to make sure that their children got to and from school safely. As a result, many of the 3-5 year olds of Mok Taneth could not attend school.
Your Impact with a New PoP School
You recognized and responded to the needs of Mok Taneth by helping PoP and the community break ground on a brand new preschool. Teachers, parents and community members were dedicated and committed to the project, contributing up to 20 percent of resources and labor. The village and education office were extremely enthusiastic and helpful throughout the project. After 2 months, we mounted the plaque, concluding tireless work to build a school equipped with formal blackboards, benches, desks, doors, walls and windows. You made this school build possible, creating a safe, strong structural foundation where students in Mok Taneth will be able to learn and realize their potential and promise.
