Laos
We have formed a link with a Laos based company with the aim of providing an opportunity of international school students visiting this wonderful country. In the past, we organized project work focusing on school improvements in the south of the country. This year we have ‘moved’ to the north to communities around the city of Luang Prabang.
Your Destination!
Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, is situated on the Mekong River – one of the world’s great river systems – and is the center of northern Lao arts and culture. The town has rightfully been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Easily accessible with direct flights daily, Luang Prabang and the natural beauty of the Seuang River Valley, create the perfect living-classroom for schools, universities and educational groups seeking to enhance their core curriculum through creativity, action and service.
Seaung River Community-Based Tourism Project
The Seuang River Community-Based Tourism site provides a new and exciting service-oriented learning opportunity for international students to tackle one of our world’s most pressing problems – poverty!
The potential for tourism to play a significant role in the alleviation of poverty is increasingly recognized by international bodies and national governments. Its geographical expansion and labor intensive nature support a spread of employment and can be particularly relevant in remote and rural areas where many of the poor live.
The signing of the Seuang River Community-Based Tourism agreement applies ‘Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty’ principles to a cooperative venture between 12 villages and our company under the auspices of provincial government agencies.
The Seuang River Community-Based Tourism site urgently requires your school’s help to assist villagers develop local eco-tourism infrastructure.
Currently the villagers are too poor to invest in such infrastructure. Large tourism companies typically want to ‘own’ land and resources before investing. Nor will banks lend money to the poor. The result is, while they live close to one of our world’s popular tourism destinations, the rural communities receive virtually no benefits.
Participating schools providing donations and volunteers are directly assisting the Seaung River communities become independent stewards of their own tourism resources.
This Year’s School’s Project
In discussions with the Village Head and leaders it was decided the most urgent need was to improve the housing of the 6 poorest families in the Hua Keng village. Currently, these families have no capacity to improve their housing. Three of these families are headed by single-women.
Each house will cost approximately $500. Villagers provide land, labor and some local materials. The local tour operator provides project management and tourism expertise. Participating schools provide donations and volunteers.
We are delighted that two schools from Hong Kong have started this project this year.