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 97 communities in Laos to ensure that our students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing a quality education. To date, PoP has impacted over 67,000 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 98 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
Previously, there weren’t enough classrooms to accommodate the large number of Kindergarten and primary school students enrolled at Houay Khing Preschool and Primary School. The pre-existing structure for the primary students was in fair condition; however, the majority of Kindergarten students attended class in poorly lit classrooms made of wood and bamboo. Additionally, due to the issue of overcrowding, students were only allowed to attend school for half the normal amount of instructional hours. The combination of the lack of space and large student body created a challenging learning environment for the students of Houay Khing Preschool and Primary School.
Your Impact with the New PoP School
You recognized and responded to the needs of Houay Khing Preschool and Primary School by helping PoP and the community break ground on a five-classroom build. Teachers, parents and community members remained actively engaged and committed to contributing up to 20% of resources and labor necessary to complete the build. The new construction expands the size of the school, providing sufficient infrastructure to support the large population of students. Your generosity also allows for students at Houay Khing Preschool and Primary School to attend school for the full school day, in contrast to the school’s previous half-day policy due to the overcrowding. Through your support, you’ve made a quality learning environment possible for the students of Houay Khing, and created a strong foundation from which they may realize their full potential and promise.