You’re Making a Difference Here
WHY 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 113 communities in Laos to ensure that our students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing a quality education. Currently, PoP is impacting over 14,000 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 a PoP School Build
Previously, the students of Thong Tai were eager to learn but lacked the appropriate space necessary to thrive in class. The third graders were learning in a makeshift classroom inside of a hut, while the first and second grade students did not have access to formal classrooms. The conditions for the third graders were unsafe, while the lack of classrooms for the first and second graders severely hindered their learning potential.
Your Impact with the New PoP School
You’ve responded to the needs of Thong Tai by helping PoP and the community complete a new three-classroom school build. Teachers, parents and community members were dedicated and committed to the project, contributing up to 20 percent of resources and labor. The Ministry of Education was also supportive throughout the build process. We held an inauguration ceremony in April of 2019, concluding the tireless work required to build a school equipped with all the necessities to help the students of Thong Tai grow. You are creating a safe, strong foundation where Thong Tai students will be able to learn and realize their full potential and promise.