Education is the most powerful....
Since my last trip back in November, the students have continued studying. They celebrated New Year, a traditional Lao boat festival in Pakse, they engaged in social work taking care of the Phonesavanh Talent school’ garden. I kept supporting them remotely with scholarships to allow all this to happen.
In January, Thip* started attending evening English classes in an International School of Pakse. The school is 4 km away from the Phonesavanh Talent school and Thip desperately was looking for ways to get there. Eventually I decided to invest in her mobility and we have purchased a second hand motorbike, which helps her to move around.
In the end of January, Mouse* sent me a message that her father died. She was devastated. Mr L. had diabetes and before Covid-19 era, I used to support his treatment. He was the one who accompanied Mouse when 7 years ago we went to diagnose her and when she underwent a complicated kidney operation. He was a good person, taking care of his family, working hard on the rice fields. At the age of 50 he left behind his wife and four children, including the Mouse and her two younger brothers…. I knew him for so many years and every time I was visiting, he would pick up from the palm tree behind their house, a fresh coconuts for me to show how grateful he was I was supporting his daughter. I was shocked and did not understand what happened. Apparently he was very sick. Nobody alerted me and I was not able to take him out of the island to seek medical advice. It again reminded me that as there are no doctors on the island, the population is extremely vulnerable to any kind of disease or medical condition. If only I could change that ….
In January, Thip* started attending evening English classes in an International School of Pakse. The school is 4 km away from the Phonesavanh Talent school and Thip desperately was looking for ways to get there. Eventually I decided to invest in her mobility and we have purchased a second hand motorbike, which helps her to move around.
In the end of January, Mouse* sent me a message that her father died. She was devastated. Mr L. had diabetes and before Covid-19 era, I used to support his treatment. He was the one who accompanied Mouse when 7 years ago we went to diagnose her and when she underwent a complicated kidney operation. He was a good person, taking care of his family, working hard on the rice fields. At the age of 50 he left behind his wife and four children, including the Mouse and her two younger brothers…. I knew him for so many years and every time I was visiting, he would pick up from the palm tree behind their house, a fresh coconuts for me to show how grateful he was I was supporting his daughter. I was shocked and did not understand what happened. Apparently he was very sick. Nobody alerted me and I was not able to take him out of the island to seek medical advice. It again reminded me that as there are no doctors on the island, the population is extremely vulnerable to any kind of disease or medical condition. If only I could change that ….
Due to lack of medical facilities on Don Khon island, the health component has always been important in my project. Directly saving lives has been possible thanks to doctor Phuc, a Vietnamese doctor, who opened a private clinic in Lao capital - Vientiane (where Mouse was operated) and after visiting the island, a smaller one in Pakse in the south of Laos, 140 km north from Don Khon island. We have been working together since 2016 and the death of Mouse’s father brought us together again.
Doctor Phuc, using the Chinese recently built high speed railway, came all the way to meet me in Luang Prabang, where due to lack of Southern bound flights, I started my visit in Laos. We discussed the medical situation on the island and possibilities for the students. Thip being the smartest and dreaming of being a doctor could qualify for a Vietnamese scholarship for medicine. Each year, Vietnam awards scholarships to students from Laos and Cambodia for a 7 years programme to study medicine. First year is dedicated to a Vietnamese language course, next six to medicine. If Thip got the scholarship, and succeeded the career, doctor Phuc could offer her practice in Pakse clinic. Then we could jointly support her to in going back to the island and opening a small clinic there. To support her, Mouse who is a bit younger, could follow the nursing college and support her. While sipping a coffee on the edge of the mighty Mekong river in Luang Prabang, with doctor Phuc we dreamt of this happening. The next challenge was to check with the girls whet they think of it …
So I took a Lao airlines internal flight to Pakse to meet the students. I had a lunch with Thip and Mouse* to discuss the ideas for their future. The girls seemed interested. First we visited a nursing college in Pakse, to allow Meo discuss the programme with the director. Then we went to a dr Phuc’s clinic in Pakse, where we met doctor Phoukky – a young Lao doctor who did the Vietnamese scholarship programme. She could explain to Thip everything. They talked for a while and Thip left a bit confused. It is not an easy decision for a 18 years old girl to take. She would need to leave her country, her family for 7 years and make an- substantive effort to succeed. I let Thip to take her time to discuss with her family and reflect before making a final decision.
Then we went to Phonesavanh Talent school to meet other students. On the way we stopped in a bookshop and bought school materials. Girls’ eyes were shining when choosing colourful pens, crayons, rulers, erasers, sharpeners and copybooks. Thip also bought a Lao-Vietnamese dictionary J In the school, I distributed the scholarship for next two months and checked if all was fine. It is always a pleasure to meet these talented youngsters fighting for their future.
Then I decided to accompany Thip to the English class in the International School. Since January she has made a tremendous progress and can really communicate in English. While my Lao after Covid-19 is more than rusty, it is a huge relief to be able to communicate with Thip in English. We took with us Mouse to see if she can join the classes as well. She was all excited. I followed a class led by a Philippine teacher and was amazed how she made the kids speak. Meanwhile my partner stayed with the school director, a young gentleman from Turkmenistan, who explained him challenges in running an International School in the South of Laos.
Day after I headed to Don Khon island. I visited Maisi, whose grandparents definitely forbade her to leave, even for three months. Feeling hopeless, I brought her a sewing kit and told her that she can count on me. Then I went to see Mouse’s mother. She was there, alone with her two younger sons. She took up some additional jobs to be able to survive. Now, without Mr L. life is much harder. I left her some money, hoping it will alleviate the pain. She was moved, she cried, I hug her telling her she was string, but deep in y heart, I wish I could do more …
On the island, I visited further befriended families and ex-students, of whom some by now have their own kids. I stepped into a school where I used to teach English and the teacher told me she is alone with three classes, hence with no further thinking I stepped in and spontaneously gave an English class. The kids were super exited and ended up signing and clapping. After the class we checked that the bathroom I built in 2013 is still working. It was the first bathroom, the beginning of the project!!! The kids washed their hands and were equally thrilled to learn that it was me who built it years ago… This way, I finally closed the circle, broken by Covid-19.
**the real name was changed to protect the girls' identities
Doctor Phuc, using the Chinese recently built high speed railway, came all the way to meet me in Luang Prabang, where due to lack of Southern bound flights, I started my visit in Laos. We discussed the medical situation on the island and possibilities for the students. Thip being the smartest and dreaming of being a doctor could qualify for a Vietnamese scholarship for medicine. Each year, Vietnam awards scholarships to students from Laos and Cambodia for a 7 years programme to study medicine. First year is dedicated to a Vietnamese language course, next six to medicine. If Thip got the scholarship, and succeeded the career, doctor Phuc could offer her practice in Pakse clinic. Then we could jointly support her to in going back to the island and opening a small clinic there. To support her, Mouse who is a bit younger, could follow the nursing college and support her. While sipping a coffee on the edge of the mighty Mekong river in Luang Prabang, with doctor Phuc we dreamt of this happening. The next challenge was to check with the girls whet they think of it …
So I took a Lao airlines internal flight to Pakse to meet the students. I had a lunch with Thip and Mouse* to discuss the ideas for their future. The girls seemed interested. First we visited a nursing college in Pakse, to allow Meo discuss the programme with the director. Then we went to a dr Phuc’s clinic in Pakse, where we met doctor Phoukky – a young Lao doctor who did the Vietnamese scholarship programme. She could explain to Thip everything. They talked for a while and Thip left a bit confused. It is not an easy decision for a 18 years old girl to take. She would need to leave her country, her family for 7 years and make an- substantive effort to succeed. I let Thip to take her time to discuss with her family and reflect before making a final decision.
Then we went to Phonesavanh Talent school to meet other students. On the way we stopped in a bookshop and bought school materials. Girls’ eyes were shining when choosing colourful pens, crayons, rulers, erasers, sharpeners and copybooks. Thip also bought a Lao-Vietnamese dictionary J In the school, I distributed the scholarship for next two months and checked if all was fine. It is always a pleasure to meet these talented youngsters fighting for their future.
Then I decided to accompany Thip to the English class in the International School. Since January she has made a tremendous progress and can really communicate in English. While my Lao after Covid-19 is more than rusty, it is a huge relief to be able to communicate with Thip in English. We took with us Mouse to see if she can join the classes as well. She was all excited. I followed a class led by a Philippine teacher and was amazed how she made the kids speak. Meanwhile my partner stayed with the school director, a young gentleman from Turkmenistan, who explained him challenges in running an International School in the South of Laos.
Day after I headed to Don Khon island. I visited Maisi, whose grandparents definitely forbade her to leave, even for three months. Feeling hopeless, I brought her a sewing kit and told her that she can count on me. Then I went to see Mouse’s mother. She was there, alone with her two younger sons. She took up some additional jobs to be able to survive. Now, without Mr L. life is much harder. I left her some money, hoping it will alleviate the pain. She was moved, she cried, I hug her telling her she was string, but deep in y heart, I wish I could do more …
On the island, I visited further befriended families and ex-students, of whom some by now have their own kids. I stepped into a school where I used to teach English and the teacher told me she is alone with three classes, hence with no further thinking I stepped in and spontaneously gave an English class. The kids were super exited and ended up signing and clapping. After the class we checked that the bathroom I built in 2013 is still working. It was the first bathroom, the beginning of the project!!! The kids washed their hands and were equally thrilled to learn that it was me who built it years ago… This way, I finally closed the circle, broken by Covid-19.
**the real name was changed to protect the girls' identities