Secondary and Post Secondary Students head back to school…sort of!
It has been a challenging year for our students in Laos. Most students didn’t graduate until July or August due to various shutdowns and lockdowns, as the government tries to control the outbreak of new infections. It worked well for almost a year but eventually the virus has wreaked havoc in the country. Most shops, restaurants, hotels etc., are shut down. Travel from one District to the next and one province to the next have been blocked too.
Our coordinator Siphan was able to connect with each of our students to take them shopping for clothes, uniforms, backpacks, school supplies and funds to pay for tuition. It wasn’t easy due to heavy rains and so many muddy roads. Despite getting stuck in the mud and delaying for extra days while two of the students waited to safely travel by river to the meeting place, there was success. The schools collected the annual fees and everyone was set to go back to school…that was until the schools were ordered to stay closed for now. Currently, they remain at their home villages waiting to be called back. With rice harvesting right around the corner, it is a bit of a blessing in disguise so that they can help their families in the the fields.
It is hard to believe that some of these students have been sponsored since they were 6 or 7 and will be graduating high school at the end of the school year
Mr. Tung receives a bicycle from his donor. He travels 9km to school each day from Nong Ein to Nong Khiaw and is entering his last year of secondary school
This year it was decided to ask the students to introduce themselves and thank there sponsors. Siphan has kindly translated their words for us. Please click on this link to see the short video;
The post secondary school students were also provided with everything they needed. This year there are two university/college students under full scholarship and three more supported with a partial scholarship. Unfortunately, their dormitories are covered but because the schools are closed, they have nowhere to go in the city, with no possibility of employment during the lockdown. As such, some have returned to their villages for the time being. Our team will endeavor to take individual video clips when classes resume.
On the fundraising side, it is hoped to complete one main water project in the rural village of Kachait, a second smaller water project in the village of Sommeun, and two banks of four toilets for Nambak Ethnic Boarding School…plus lots of water filters of course. There is a target of 500 this season and we are about 60% there. Please take a peek at our current projects tab.