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 104 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 104 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 the PoP School Build
When our team first visited the school in Som Sanouk, Laos, they found students learning in a small cement structure. The classrooms were heavily congested due to the limited space and subsequent overcrowding, making it difficult for students to focus and concentrate. Additionally, although the community recently renovated the old wooden structure by replacing the deteriorating wooden walls with cement blocks and the dirt floor with a concrete floor, the roofing was old and posed a safety hazard for the students. Overall, the lack of space to accommodate the size of the student body and safety concerns were hindering students’ academic growth.
Your Impact with the New PoP School
You recognized and responded to the needs of Som Sanouk by helping PoP and the community build a new three-classroom school, the Som Sanouk Pre and Primary School. Teachers, parents and community members were dedicated to the project, and committed to providing up to 20% of resources and labor necessary to complete the build. The Som Sanouk community thanks you for your support. They were so proud to work on this project and are so excited for the strong foundation it will provide for their students to learn and to grow.