Can't beat a good book in Laos
Children from a remote mountain community in Laos are now receiving a better education as Editor Maureen Bathgate, from Oxfam Austrial, discovered during a recent visit.
It can be tough trying to get a good education when your school has no roof, walls, desks, chairs, blackboards or books. Even tougher, when you reach Grade 3 and have to spend up to two hours walking over a mountain to the nearest village just so you can continue going to school.
But that was daily reality for the children of Nong Por village, in northern Laos, until recently, when their new school opened its doors ”” the result of a partnership between Oxfam Australia, the district government and the local community.
Not only does the new school have five classrooms, complete with blackboards, desks, benches and teaching materials, but also a toilet block, sporting equipment, and a library filled with new books ”” something which has made Grade One student, Sa Pa Wang, particularly happy.
“I like learning; best of all I like reading books in the library,” she says. “I don't have a favorite [book], I like them all. When I finish school I want to be a doctor so I can help people.”
Bigger and better resources mean the school can now offer five grades, instead of two, and reach a greater number of local children. Student numbers have risen from 40 to 157, including 68 girls, and its Grade One class is ranked second in the district.
“Before we had this school, children would go to the fields with their mother and work, or look after younger children at home while their parents go to the field,” village leader Gia Gio La says. “Now about 95%”“96% of children come to school. The number of girls coming to school has especially increased.”
Nom Si Song, who has four children attending the school, believes it's important for her children to get a good education rather than work at home.
“We come from the Hmong ethnic minority group. We need our children to read, write and learn the Laolum language, so that they are equal with other children. If they get the same education as others, they can see everything and do everything that other children can do and get good jobs.”
A better resourced school, with teachers' houses and training also means that difficulties in attracting and keeping good quality teachers are things of the past.
“We now have a house for the teachers to live in, a good water supply system, toilets and solar power,” School Director Kham Luang says. “It is very easy to get teachers here now. Teachers from other villages now want to come here to teach.”
Our work in Nong Por extends beyond education. Since our program began here in 2001, we have worked with the community to install gravity-fed clean water and irrigation systems, establish a development fund, support poultry and pig raising projects, and build a road to access local markets and health services.
“Our community now understands how to work together to get things done,” Gia Gio Loa says. “Before Oxfam started working here, it was very difficult to get the community to participate in activities, but Oxfam provided us with training in community participation and gender equality and now we understand that it is easier, and better for the community, to work together.
"Most importantly, the lives of people in our village have improved. Children can attend school, villagers can access the district market and hospital, livelihoods have improved and people have enough rice to eat. We are very happy."
