Country Profile

Laos is one of the world's few remaining communist states and is also one of east Asia's poorest countries. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 it has struggled to find its position within a changing political and economic landscape.

CRWRC has been involved in Laos since 1997 and received official registration in 2003. Through this relatively new venture, CRWRC is strengthening communities and helping community members improve their lives through programs in agriculture, community development, health, clean water, education, and literacy. CRWRC in Laos is somewhat unique as they are directly involved in implementing projects rather than working in an advisory or capacity building role among a variety of local partners as in most other countries where CRWRC works. The reason for this is that the government in Laos does not yet permit the formation of local non-government organizations (NGO's).

Fast Facts

Population: 6,521,998 (July 2007 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly larger than Utah
Literacy Rate: 68.7%
Life Expectancy: 55.89 years
Population below the poverty line: 30.7% (2005 est.)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: $2,100 (2006 est.)
Religions: Buddhist 65%, animist 32.9%, Christian 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.8% (1995 census)
Languages: Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Ethnic Minorities: Officially 47 ethnic groups, but estimated to be over 138 unique minority groups.
Infant Mortality Rate (national average): 85 deaths/1,000 live births
Populations without access to safe water: 63%
Children under weight (at age 5): 40%

(From the World Factbook 2005 and Global Human Development Report 2003. For more information on Laos, click here.)

CRWRC Partners in Laos

Concern and Unity For Development (HHP)
HHP is the acronym from the Lao name for CRWRC which the Project Management staff have recently selected. CRWRC is hopeful that as the situation in Laos changes that HHP can become its own local NGO. Currently HHP is implementing one project in northern Laos:

a) Khoun-Kham Community Development Project (KK-CDP)
Through the KK-CDP, CRWRC works with 20 mainly Hmong communities in Xieng Khouang Province (site of the famous Plain of Jars) in northern Laos. Together, they help improve lives and communities through programs in:

• Agriculture
  Farmers are trained on improved techniques to produce, store and market cash crops. Key inputs such as improved varieties of seeds, tree seedlings, materials to improve drying and storage are provided. Small scale irrigation systems and small village access roads are designed and built together with the community.
• Community Development
  Members of communities form Village Development Committees (VDCs). VDCs develop a vision for their community based on their needs. Project staff then provide the VDC’s with appropriate training.
• Health
  Project staff help communities identify people who could become Village Health Volunteers (VHV’s). These men and women are trained in basic components of health care. They then return to their communities, where they conduct training on hygiene, sanitation, family planning, and immunization throughout their village.
• Education & Literacy
  Teachers and parents are trained on how to more effectively monitor students’ progress throughout primary school. Project staff also organize literacy classes for adults.

Relief Projects

CRWRC is implementing a CFGB funded project that is providing food for work for the construction of rural infrastructure- in particular, footpaths and roads. This project takes place in an isolated area with marginalized people groups.

This is one part of the larger project outlined above which seeks to provide effective community development for 20 Hmong and Khmu villages totalling about 4000 individuals. The entire project will improve family incomes, provide opportunities for elementary school education, train village health volunteers and traditional birth attendants, and help development good community organizations.

CRWRC Staff in Laos

Mike Fennema (from Canada): Program Consultant/Team Leader
Mike joined CRWRC in Laos in January 2005. He has focused on agricultural and integrated development project management since 1993, both in Laos and Cambodia. 

EMAIL: crwrclao@gmail.com

James Zwier (from the US): Program Hope! Intern
James joined the CRWRC Laos team in September 2006.  He was in language study for about six weeks before getting settled in Xieng Khouang where he has been immersed in Lao culture.  Currently James is researching the impact of the project on the very poorest of the poor in target villages in order to improve project activities and increase community concern for the poor. In addition, James focuses on how we as an organization can incorporate values transformation in our project work to enhance the impact of our development activities. James will be joined in November 2007 by his wife, Sarah, who will teach English to adults in Xieng Khouang.

Contact Information:
PO Box 4224
Vientiane
LAO PDR
tel:  856-21-313-071
email:  crwrclao@gmail.com
http://blog.metikos.com

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