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, working in collaboration with communities to couple school builds with teacher training, to ensure that our students are benefitting from access to both educational infrastructure and quality instruction.
PHOU MIENG
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With a population of around 230, this farming community is located within the Chomphet District. Phou Mieng currently serves 168 students, spread throughout four grades. The Hmong language is spoken here. |
Project: Fortuna’s Impact in Phou Mieng
Previously, in Phou Mieng, a number of primary grades were learning in a community-built, wooden structure with bamboo walls, a tin roof and dirt floor. Additionally, the furniture was in poor condition and had to be repaired every year. The previous structure did not provide a positive learning environment for students to succeed. Lessons were often interrupted by weather conditions and structure repairs.
PoP is partnered with the Phou Mieng community to build a new three-unit classroom block! The community contributed 20 percent of the resources and labor required for construction and was devoted to providing a valuable education to its students. The school broke ground in June 2019 and has been completed in August 2019. The new Phon Mieng Primary School provides a high-quality learning environment where every child can reach his or her unique potential.
