Charlotte Halligan finds out first hand how poverty is affecting the children of Laos, and meets one organization dedicated to making a difference
Imagine sending your child to school everyday without breakfast, and most likely, without any food other than a bowl of rice the night before. Imagine your child walking along a dirt track with no bag for books or a packed lunch, because they have neither. Imagine them sat on a dirt floor, with nothing to write on or with, no desks or chairs, and a teacher stood in front of them with nothing but a broken blackboard propped up against a falling down wall.
Imagine that every day you know your child is being let down, that their future is lost already, and that there is nothing you can do about it.
Imagine life for a parent in Laos.
Breaking the cycle of poverty
The Social and Economic Developers Association (SEDA), Laos, is trying to do something about the shocking state of education in the country. The Civil Society Organization is dedicated to finding a long term solution to poverty in Laos, and improving education is a key strategy in the ongoing battle.
“The future of Laos depends on the next generation. Without proper education, how can we expect people to create sustainable incomes and contribute to the social and economic development of the country?” asks SEDA Chief Executive, Souly QuachAngkham. “Poor education contributes to the vicious cycle of poverty. We want to put a stop to that cycle now.”
Since 2008 SEDA has been working with local communities in Laos to make improvements to education. But the problems are huge, and SEDA is small – currently, they are only slowly generating enough funds to tackle one school at a time.
A success story that can be repeated
SEDA was recently involved in improvements to the Ban Phao School near the capital, Vientiane. Renovations to their elementary school building have made a huge difference to the children, who now have a clean and safe place to learn, with desks, chairs and blackboards. And SEDA’s involvement didn’t end there; they also placed a voluntary English teacher in the school to help improve educational standards.
School in need of renovations
But there is so much more to be done. On a recent trip to the South of Laos, SEDA identified three schools that are desperately in need of renovation. The schools are in a shocking state of disrepair; the buildings are seriously dilapidated, to the point where walls are falling down and roofs are leaking badly; they lack furniture and equipment; have no electricity; and are unsafe for children to be in.
Fundraising has just begun to raise the $50,000 dollars necessary to make the renovations that are so badly needed. SEDA is asking for donations to make a real difference to the education of children in Laos, and to help stop the cycle of poverty. As little as $20 can pay for blackboards and chalk; $100 will provide a desk and chairs.
To find out more about SEDA’s education projects please visit the SEDA website; http://seda-laos.org/welcome/?page_id=15
To donate to this cause, please visit Global G
For more information, contact info@seda-laos.org. Keep up to date with SEDA on Twitter; http://twitter.com/sedalaos.
