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 113 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, the students of Long Nya were learning in a provisional wooden structure with bamboo walls and dirt floors. Because of the high number of students and low number of classrooms, the fourth and fifth grade students were using a community meeting hall as a makeshift classroom. These conditions were posing a hazard to student safety and wellbeing, as well as to engagement and learning.
Your Impact with the New PoP School
You’ve recognized and responded to the needs of Long Nya by helping PoP and the community complete construction on a new two-classroom school. The students now have safer classrooms and a quality learning environment. 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 this process. You’ve made this school build possible and helped create a safe, strong foundation where students will learn and be able to realize their full potential.