Report from BHW Laos Partnership Facilitator

I spent two days in September 2017 with the Lao Vida team. English classes had just begun that week with each class full. This means that every space available is occupied with students Monday to Thursday nights! Lessons have started off really well with a complete team of volunteer English teachers available to take all the classes. It is great to see the facility not only used during the day, but buzzing with students each Monday to Thursday night.

Recent Events

Summer School

Prior to the beginning of the new term there was six weeks of Summer School which ran throughout July and into August. A large group of 41 students were involved (37 who came to stay from neighbouring villages, plus 4 Lao Vida students) and 12 Lao staff. Two visiting teams were able to help out for some of the time and this eased the workload. During the times there were not additional helpers it was a great opportunity for Lao staff to gain experience as they led different aspects of the program as well. It was a hugely impacting time with some significant decisions made by the many of those who attended. These relationships and connections will continue to grow over time as the Lao Vida team is intentional about keeping in touch to encourage and support these young people as and where they can. Many of them face quite challenging circumstances and the opportunity to spend time at Lao Vida over summer is a precious time. 

High School and College Students

Mr Sitha successfully completed his level five exams mid year and Onvi and Orlakeo also sat their final lower secondary exams. All achieved good results. Mr Sitha has really grown in his ability to face challenges and did better in his exams that expected. The girls are both back at school again as the new school year started in September. They are still living with Karen and Andrew and are continuing to work hard at their studies. 

Vocational Training

The three girls (Matha, Khammany and Phonevilay) who began their training in the housekeeping program last September are progressing well. One of the training requirements is that they gain practical experience cooking meals for others. I can personally attest to the quality of the skills being acquired in this area after eating a delicious dinner prepared by two of them! 

The cooking component of the housekeeping program is now largely led by Lao staff members. Phetsamone teaches the cooking theory and Jot trains the girls in the practical aspects. This requires these staff to have gained not only the necessary proficiency themselves but also the confidence required to teach others. It’s so encouraging to see them having progressed to this level of maturity to see them proving such effective trainers.

Bakery Apprenticeship 

Although the bakery apprenticeship generally begins in September every second year, this year the intake is being delayed. This is to allow for renovations in the bakery. A second story is to be added to the bakery to provide a large classroom upstairs and a small additional room. The plan is to do the renovations in such a way as to allow the bakery to remain functional enough to continue supplying the cafe each day but this is obviously challenging. It is not possible to also have new apprentices needing to use the space at the same time. A new apprenticeship program is planned to begin next year (March 2018) once the renovations are complete. In the meantime, Paul, who manages the Bakery Apprenticeships, is working with four of the Lao staff to bring them up to the level of skill and confidence necessary to teach the practical aspects of the program. In the future, as they master these aspects, they will also be trained to teach the theory component as well. The long-term goal is to have a number of Lao staff who can teach the complete apprenticeship program.

The plans for the renovations have been drawn up by an architect and are being undertaken in seven stages. An expat builder, who has moved to Pakse with his family to serve at Lao Vida, is managing the project. The Lao Vida team would welcome any help with labour, expertise, or finance!

Cafe

The cafe is going really well and despite it being a 'low' season for tourists, the Saturday morning I was there for breakfast there was a steady stream of customers, both regulars and tourists. The menu is undergoing a review to freshen up what is offered and a local expat friend of Lao Vida will be assisting with this. The staff continues to grow in their confidence in interacting with tourists in English and the speed and efficiency with which they can produce food. The cafe is a great place for training staff in customer service and providing employment for graduate bakers who supply the cabinet food and bread items on the menu. They have also begun supplying small restaurants and cafes in the Pakse area. The picture on the left shows one of the staff members about to deliver some bread rolls. 

Comments

The influence and impact of Lao Vida continues to expand and it is exciting to see the intentional steps being taken to grow and equip local young people to take increasing levels of responsibility for the work.