Lao People's Democratic Republic
Education
Updates from the Field - Help Train and Find Jobs for 30 Laotian Youth
Updates from the FieldUpdates from the Field (or Progress Reports) on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.com by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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Recent Updates from the Field
A Postcard from Help Train and Find Jobs for 30 Laotian Youth
By Clare Rutz - Visitor, October 16, 2009 11:38 AM
This is Clare Rutz reporting from Vientiane, Laos.
The global recession is often a topic of conversation when I meet with various projects throughout Asia. Everyone is cutting back, and the industries that are hurting the most are those which are not necessary, such as Starbucks. Unfortunately, before we cut the cost of our coffee in the morning we often cut the money we give, and the whole world is feeling the truth of this.
“We just have to keep our head above water,” is the response when I ask the director of the Peuan Mit Center about the cutting of costs. “To push through the recession is our only option. If we had to shut our doors where would all these kids go?” Many projects are cutting as much as they can, and the Peuan Mit Center in Vientiane, Laos is no exception.
The center, which works closely with Friends-International, consists of five teams that work with the outreach, prevention, and reintegration of street children. As soon as I arrived we left for the city dump that sits about an hour outside of the capital of Laos. It was hot and sunny so the fumes were a bit intense, but the rain had arrived the day before so we were stationed close to the entrance because the mud prevented any vehicles going too far into the dump. With the help of four-wheel drive we did a small loop honking every once in a while so the children knew we had arrived. “We” were essentially a school on wheels. When we parked the staff made quick movements to transform the truck into a reading center. Water was provided for hand washing, a portable library was thrown over the side of the truck for the children to pick from, and puzzles and flashcards were placed along the simple mats that acted as the classroom floor. One woman left with a first-aid kit and information about sex education for the women who were working that day, while a couple tutors stayed behind to read to the gathered children.
I ask about the children and their stories, but most are new faces so the facts are unknown. The consistency of attendance is difficult because many of the children that work in the dump collecting recyclables live in villages that are sometimes far away. Still, the handful of children that did gather that day was allowed to take off their oversized rain boots for an hour or so to practice counting and eat a healthy snack.
We returned back to Vientiane and to a much different scene, but there is work to be done in city dumps as well as thriving cities. Our next visit was to the Makphet Restaurant where I so gratefully dined. The vocational training program and restaurant is run by teenagers and young adults who learn the trade of waiting tables, culinary arts, and hospitality. The enthusiasm was apparent as soon as I stepped into the restaurant and I was reminded when I had my first couple of shifts as a waitress. Each waiter and cook had different and hard stories of how they arrived at the center, but now all I saw was a bright future rather than a difficult past. The vocational program acts as a living center as well because often they do not have the means to find housing. Because of this the cost to support the large staff is high and more than the restaurant takes in. The help GlobalGiving donors have given has been an important part of the sustainability of the project.
After my lunch that was wonderfully prepared by what tasted like a professional rather than a trainee, we made our way back to the main center. Each room in the three-story building had an important purpose. The orphanage/pre-school/doctor’s office was buzzing with activity. There were kids lined up with soapy hands at the hose at the entrance and even though they were a bit preoccupied I was given a warm welcome with soapy waves. Upstairs a lesson was underway for the younger children in the classroom that transforms into their bedroom every night. The table is moved to the wall and the mats are put down. Like I said before, no space is wasted.
If you wish to look at more photographs of the Makphet Restaurant, learn more about what they’re doing, or donate to the project visit their GlobalGiving page at: www.globalgiving.com/2154 .
When asked what she would tell her friends about this project, Clare said: "Great: They are making a difference."
The global recession is often a topic of conversation when I meet with various projects throughout Asia. Everyone is cutting back, and the industries that are hurting the most are those which are not necessary, such as Starbucks. Unfortunately, before we cut the cost of our coffee in the morning we often cut the money we give, and the whole world is feeling the truth of this.
“We just have to keep our head above water,” is the response when I ask the director of the Peuan Mit Center about the cutting of costs. “To push through the recession is our only option. If we had to shut our doors where would all these kids go?” Many projects are cutting as much as they can, and the Peuan Mit Center in Vientiane, Laos is no exception.
The center, which works closely with Friends-International, consists of five teams that work with the outreach, prevention, and reintegration of street children. As soon as I arrived we left for the city dump that sits about an hour outside of the capital of Laos. It was hot and sunny so the fumes were a bit intense, but the rain had arrived the day before so we were stationed close to the entrance because the mud prevented any vehicles going too far into the dump. With the help of four-wheel drive we did a small loop honking every once in a while so the children knew we had arrived. “We” were essentially a school on wheels. When we parked the staff made quick movements to transform the truck into a reading center. Water was provided for hand washing, a portable library was thrown over the side of the truck for the children to pick from, and puzzles and flashcards were placed along the simple mats that acted as the classroom floor. One woman left with a first-aid kit and information about sex education for the women who were working that day, while a couple tutors stayed behind to read to the gathered children.
I ask about the children and their stories, but most are new faces so the facts are unknown. The consistency of attendance is difficult because many of the children that work in the dump collecting recyclables live in villages that are sometimes far away. Still, the handful of children that did gather that day was allowed to take off their oversized rain boots for an hour or so to practice counting and eat a healthy snack.
We returned back to Vientiane and to a much different scene, but there is work to be done in city dumps as well as thriving cities. Our next visit was to the Makphet Restaurant where I so gratefully dined. The vocational training program and restaurant is run by teenagers and young adults who learn the trade of waiting tables, culinary arts, and hospitality. The enthusiasm was apparent as soon as I stepped into the restaurant and I was reminded when I had my first couple of shifts as a waitress. Each waiter and cook had different and hard stories of how they arrived at the center, but now all I saw was a bright future rather than a difficult past. The vocational program acts as a living center as well because often they do not have the means to find housing. Because of this the cost to support the large staff is high and more than the restaurant takes in. The help GlobalGiving donors have given has been an important part of the sustainability of the project.
After my lunch that was wonderfully prepared by what tasted like a professional rather than a trainee, we made our way back to the main center. Each room in the three-story building had an important purpose. The orphanage/pre-school/doctor’s office was buzzing with activity. There were kids lined up with soapy hands at the hose at the entrance and even though they were a bit preoccupied I was given a warm welcome with soapy waves. Upstairs a lesson was underway for the younger children in the classroom that transforms into their bedroom every night. The table is moved to the wall and the mats are put down. Like I said before, no space is wasted.
If you wish to look at more photographs of the Makphet Restaurant, learn more about what they’re doing, or donate to the project visit their GlobalGiving page at: www.globalgiving.com/2154 .
When asked what she would tell her friends about this project, Clare said: "Great: They are making a difference."
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work? 
A Postcard from Help Train and Find Jobs for 30 Laotian Youth
By Clare Rutz - Visitor, August 10, 2009 11:41 AM
Clare Rutz is a student who is traveling throughout Asia this summer and visiting a number of GlobalGiving projects. On July 2nd she visited "Help Train and Find Jobs for 30 Laotian Youth." When asked what she would tell her friends about this project, Clare said: "Great: They are making a difference!"
"This is Clare Rutz reporting from Vientiane, Laos.
"The global recession is often a topic of conversation when I meet with various projects throughout Asia. Everyone is cutting back, and the industries that are hurting the most are those which are not necessary, such as Starbucks. Unfortunately, before we cut the cost of our coffee in the morning we often cut the money we give, and the whole world is feeling the truth of this.
"'We just have to keep our head above water,' is the response when I ask the director of the Peuan Mit Center about the cutting of costs. 'To push through the recession is our only option. If we had to shut our doors where would all these kids go?' Many projects are cutting as much as they can, and the Peuan Mit Center in Vientiane, Laos is no exception.
"The center, which works closely with Friends-International, consists of five teams that work with the outreach, prevention, and reintegration of street children. As soon as I arrived we left for the city dump that sits about an hour outside of the capital of Laos. It was hot and sunny so the fumes were a bit intense, but the rain had arrived the day before so we were stationed close to the entrance because the mud prevented any vehicles going too far into the dump. With the help of four-wheel drive we did a small loop honking every once in a while so the children knew we had arrived. 'We' were essentially a school on wheels. When we parked the staff made quick movements to transform the truck into a reading center. Water was provided for hand washing, a portable library was thrown over the side of the truck for the children to pick from, and puzzles and flashcards were placed along the simple mats that acted as the classroom floor. One woman left with a first-aid k it and information about sex education for the women who were working that day, while a couple tutors stayed behind to read to the gathered children.
"I ask about the children and their stories, but most are new faces so the facts are unknown. The consistency of attendance is difficult because many of the children that work in the dump collecting recyclables live in villages that are sometimes far away. Still, the handful of children that did gather that day was allowed to take off their oversized rain boots for an hour or so to practice counting and eat a healthy snack.
"We returned back to Vientiane and to a much different scene, but there is work to be done in city dumps as well as thriving cities. Our next visit was to the Makphet Restaurant where I so gratefully dined. The vocational training program and restaurant is run by teenagers and young adults who learn the trade of waiting tables, culinary arts, and hospitality. The enthusiasm was apparent as soon as I stepped into the restaurant and I was reminded when I had my first couple of shifts as a waitress. Each waiter and cook had different and hard stories of how they arrived at the center, but now all I saw was a bright future rather than a difficult past. The vocational program acts as a living center as well because often they do not have the means to find housing. Because of this the cost to support the large staff is high and more than the restaurant takes in. The help GlobalGiving donors have given has been an important part of the sustainability of the project.
"After my lunch that was wonderfully prepared by what tasted like a professional rather than a trainee, we made our way back to the main center. Each room in the three-story building had an important purpose. The orphanage/pre-school/doctor's office was buzzing with activity. There were kids lined up with soapy hands at the hose at the entrance and even though they were a bit preoccupied I was given a warm welcome with soapy waves. Upstairs a lesson was underway for the younger children in the classroom that transforms into their bedroom every night. The table is moved to the wall and the mats are put down. Like I said before, no space is wasted.
"If you wish to look at more photographs of the Makphet Restaurant, learn more about what they’re doing, or donate to the project visit their GlobalGiving page at: www.globalgiving.com/2154 ."
"This is Clare Rutz reporting from Vientiane, Laos.
"The global recession is often a topic of conversation when I meet with various projects throughout Asia. Everyone is cutting back, and the industries that are hurting the most are those which are not necessary, such as Starbucks. Unfortunately, before we cut the cost of our coffee in the morning we often cut the money we give, and the whole world is feeling the truth of this.
"'We just have to keep our head above water,' is the response when I ask the director of the Peuan Mit Center about the cutting of costs. 'To push through the recession is our only option. If we had to shut our doors where would all these kids go?' Many projects are cutting as much as they can, and the Peuan Mit Center in Vientiane, Laos is no exception.
"The center, which works closely with Friends-International, consists of five teams that work with the outreach, prevention, and reintegration of street children. As soon as I arrived we left for the city dump that sits about an hour outside of the capital of Laos. It was hot and sunny so the fumes were a bit intense, but the rain had arrived the day before so we were stationed close to the entrance because the mud prevented any vehicles going too far into the dump. With the help of four-wheel drive we did a small loop honking every once in a while so the children knew we had arrived. 'We' were essentially a school on wheels. When we parked the staff made quick movements to transform the truck into a reading center. Water was provided for hand washing, a portable library was thrown over the side of the truck for the children to pick from, and puzzles and flashcards were placed along the simple mats that acted as the classroom floor. One woman left with a first-aid k it and information about sex education for the women who were working that day, while a couple tutors stayed behind to read to the gathered children.
"I ask about the children and their stories, but most are new faces so the facts are unknown. The consistency of attendance is difficult because many of the children that work in the dump collecting recyclables live in villages that are sometimes far away. Still, the handful of children that did gather that day was allowed to take off their oversized rain boots for an hour or so to practice counting and eat a healthy snack.
"We returned back to Vientiane and to a much different scene, but there is work to be done in city dumps as well as thriving cities. Our next visit was to the Makphet Restaurant where I so gratefully dined. The vocational training program and restaurant is run by teenagers and young adults who learn the trade of waiting tables, culinary arts, and hospitality. The enthusiasm was apparent as soon as I stepped into the restaurant and I was reminded when I had my first couple of shifts as a waitress. Each waiter and cook had different and hard stories of how they arrived at the center, but now all I saw was a bright future rather than a difficult past. The vocational program acts as a living center as well because often they do not have the means to find housing. Because of this the cost to support the large staff is high and more than the restaurant takes in. The help GlobalGiving donors have given has been an important part of the sustainability of the project.
"After my lunch that was wonderfully prepared by what tasted like a professional rather than a trainee, we made our way back to the main center. Each room in the three-story building had an important purpose. The orphanage/pre-school/doctor's office was buzzing with activity. There were kids lined up with soapy hands at the hose at the entrance and even though they were a bit preoccupied I was given a warm welcome with soapy waves. Upstairs a lesson was underway for the younger children in the classroom that transforms into their bedroom every night. The table is moved to the wall and the mats are put down. Like I said before, no space is wasted.
"If you wish to look at more photographs of the Makphet Restaurant, learn more about what they’re doing, or donate to the project visit their GlobalGiving page at: www.globalgiving.com/2154 ."
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work?
Vocational Hospitality Training in Laos - update July 2009
By James Sutherland - Grants Manager, August 06, 2009 11:55 AM
Makphet restaurant is a vibrant and vital part of the Friends-International Peaun Mit program in Lao PDR.
Offering vocational training in the hospitality field to marginalized youth including young people who lived and worked on the street, it assists in enabling them and their families to break free from the cycles of poverty which forced them onto the streets. It also works with those who are at risk of becoming street youth.
In the last 18 months, five young men and four young women have graduated from Makphet restaurant with donor support for their tuition, education materials, food and accommodation.
Without that support these young people would almost certainly have faced an uncertain, difficult and dangerous life on the streets without the opportunity to train for a better future.
‘I stayed on the street (Vientiane) since 2004 after my parents divorced. I begged and worked in the streets ….I did not go to school… I started using drugs when I was 15…then we made a gang. We used to steal and beg at the same time… Finally, I met Parn (Peuan Mit outreach worker) on the street then I came to join activities and sleep in the Peuan Mit center .I was very happy at that time, I had a place to sleep, I had food to eat and I was studying there… In 2007, I decided to study in Makphet Restaurant… now I am 19 years old; I got a work that I like… ‘
Graduates have gone on to employment in local restaurants, some in the canteen of an International School, and two young women have decided to open their own restaurant, with support from their families and Peaun Mit.
The current crop of students also have their own dreams of a brighter future, which your support can assist them to achieve…
‘I like (my) friends and teachers here, I have learned many things I have never gotten in my community - my parents could not support me because they are poor and sick…I want to work in a hotel as a waiter or cook assistant’ (male student, 21)
‘I have a good chance to study in Makphet restaurant, (At) first I don’t think I will stay here long, there are many things changed and different from my village where I live…finally, I like this training - I have learned from very kind teachers and they help console me when I feel bad because of my drug addict parents. …I want to get a good work and big salary after I finish here.’
We’d love to hear your comments or feedback on our project, so please do get in touch.
On behalf of the young students of Makphet restaurant, a sincere thank you to all our donors for your support.
Kopchai lai lai!
Offering vocational training in the hospitality field to marginalized youth including young people who lived and worked on the street, it assists in enabling them and their families to break free from the cycles of poverty which forced them onto the streets. It also works with those who are at risk of becoming street youth.
In the last 18 months, five young men and four young women have graduated from Makphet restaurant with donor support for their tuition, education materials, food and accommodation.
Without that support these young people would almost certainly have faced an uncertain, difficult and dangerous life on the streets without the opportunity to train for a better future.
‘I stayed on the street (Vientiane) since 2004 after my parents divorced. I begged and worked in the streets ….I did not go to school… I started using drugs when I was 15…then we made a gang. We used to steal and beg at the same time… Finally, I met Parn (Peuan Mit outreach worker) on the street then I came to join activities and sleep in the Peuan Mit center .I was very happy at that time, I had a place to sleep, I had food to eat and I was studying there… In 2007, I decided to study in Makphet Restaurant… now I am 19 years old; I got a work that I like… ‘
Graduates have gone on to employment in local restaurants, some in the canteen of an International School, and two young women have decided to open their own restaurant, with support from their families and Peaun Mit.
The current crop of students also have their own dreams of a brighter future, which your support can assist them to achieve…
‘I like (my) friends and teachers here, I have learned many things I have never gotten in my community - my parents could not support me because they are poor and sick…I want to work in a hotel as a waiter or cook assistant’ (male student, 21)
‘I have a good chance to study in Makphet restaurant, (At) first I don’t think I will stay here long, there are many things changed and different from my village where I live…finally, I like this training - I have learned from very kind teachers and they help console me when I feel bad because of my drug addict parents. …I want to get a good work and big salary after I finish here.’
We’d love to hear your comments or feedback on our project, so please do get in touch.
On behalf of the young students of Makphet restaurant, a sincere thank you to all our donors for your support.
Kopchai lai lai!
Pictures:
Want to support this project's continued work?
Project update: Lao PDR
By Toni Palombi - Grant Manager, December 30, 2008 05:20 PM
7 students graduated from training at Makphet restaurant in Vientiane in 2008. These young people who previously lived on the streets, now have the skills and confidence to work in the hospitality industry in Laos.
Our donors help these young people by providing funds for education materials, hospitality tuition and meals- essential support to ensure students succeed with their studies.
All 7 graduates have been assisted to find employment in Laos. They are now able to contribute to improving the lives of their families and supporting their younger siblings to go to school, which will significantly reduce the risks of younger siblings ending up on the streets.
Bee, a recent graduate of Makphet is looking forward to his future:
“I love cooking. The studying is hard and the teachers make us work hard, but I really enjoy learning how to prepare meals, not only Laotian food, but also international dishes. I can’t wait until I graduate and start my first job as a chef. I really want to help support my family, especially my younger sister who is still in school. She wants to become a chef like me now!”
Our donors help these young people by providing funds for education materials, hospitality tuition and meals- essential support to ensure students succeed with their studies.
All 7 graduates have been assisted to find employment in Laos. They are now able to contribute to improving the lives of their families and supporting their younger siblings to go to school, which will significantly reduce the risks of younger siblings ending up on the streets.
Bee, a recent graduate of Makphet is looking forward to his future:
“I love cooking. The studying is hard and the teachers make us work hard, but I really enjoy learning how to prepare meals, not only Laotian food, but also international dishes. I can’t wait until I graduate and start my first job as a chef. I really want to help support my family, especially my younger sister who is still in school. She wants to become a chef like me now!”
