Welcome to Chom Jieng, Laos

You’re Making a Difference Here

WHY LAOS?

In Laos, a lack of educational infrastructure is one of the greatest barriers to accessing quality education _{(BBC News Asia)}. 15% of people in Laos are illiterate, with even higher illiteracy rates amongst ethnic minorities _{(World Bank 2015)}.

Pencils of Promise works with 126 communities in Laos to ensure that students overcome these, and other, barriers to accessing quality education. Currently, PoP is impacting over 38,000 students and teachers in Laos.

LUANG PRABANG

Luang Prabang Province, located in northern Laos, sits at the intersection of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers. 

PoP has built over 120 schools in Luang Prabang Province and is currently working in collaboration with communities to support teachers and provide quality infrastructure to ensure that students have access to quality education.

Chom Jieng

	With a population of around 1,471, this community is located within the Phon Xay district. Here, members of the community engage in upland rice farming and other agricultural- and livestock-related activities. The Khmu language is spoken here.

The Takle Family’s Impact in Chom Jieng

Chom Jieng Preschool and Primary school is one of the biggest schools in the Phon Xay district. Although it is the biggest school, students still occupied over-crowded classrooms due to lack of space. Scarce resources force the community to repair the school annually to maintain a standing structure for the returning teachers and students. Students in years 2 and 3 were learning in wooden, community built school houses. These structures were in extremely poor conditions, as the walls were made of broken bamboo, the roof is made of rusting old shutters and the classroom floors are broken or filled with dirt and sand.

The previous school did not properly shelter students from environmental elements. The classrooms were over-crowded and poorly lit and allow for distraction and ineffective learning environments. 

With your generosity and support, PoP partnered with the Chom Jieng community to build a new two-classroom structure. The community is committed to providing higher-quality education to its students, and contributed 20% of the resources and labor required for construction. The new Chom Jieng Preschool and Primary School will provide a high-quality learning environment where every child can reach his or her unique potential.