February 2017
Learning Center
The Pakou Learning Center plays an important role in the lives of the surrounding villages. This small center serves several purposes.
One section functions as a daycare, where several young children are dropped off every morning. This prevents babies from spending the entire day in the rice fields on their mothers’ backs. Two caregivers look after them daily, taking care of diaper changes, meals, naps, and early learning activities.
Another section serves as a library and playroom. Many children come here after school, on weekends, and during school holidays.
For most of these children, this is their only opportunity to access books, games, and English lessons, which are offered there every evening.
Outside, there is a play area with outdoor games, where many activities are organized by the two full-time facilitators.
This learning center was established in 2008 by a small association that has been active in Laos for over ten years. Among its achievements are the construction of five learning centers, as well as schools, sanitation facilities, and dormitories.
Once the buildings are completed, they no longer generate costs for the association (since minor repairs and maintenance are handled by the villagers). However, this is not the case for the learning centers. Salaried staff work there, and school supplies (books, games, etc.) need to be replenished each year.
L'ASAS was informed that the five learning centers were going to close because their founder, who had become seriously ill, could no longer handle the fundraising necessary to sustain each of the association’s structures or cover the operating costs of the five centers.
When we heard the news, it seemed unthinkable that such valuable spaces—integral to the daily lives of hundreds of children and filling such a vital gap in culture, education, and social connection—would shut their doors.
A wave of solidarity arose and through collaboration with several small associations like ours, after a series of discussions, each of the five centers found a partner organization committed to ensuring its continued operation, both in terms of activity management and financial support.
This is how L'ASAS came to hire its first two salaried team members since its creation: Mrs. Boun Hom, who oversees the daycare and activities, and Mr. Hom, an activity leader who also teaches English classes.
Thanks to this effort, the learning center in the Pakou district can now continue its invaluable work serving the mothers and children of the surrounding villages.