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Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard Pattaya
2011 Laos Project Stage 1

Laos & Wrap Up A Child.                                                                                            Carl R Dyson, October 2011

On the 7th October 2011, having completed a water project with our club RCES, Joy and I crossed the border from Thailand into Laos at the small southern town of Chong Mek. As this is nearing the end of the rainy season we are greeted with mud, red Khmer mud, everywhere. The rice crops are almost ready for harvesting and there is a bustling atmosphere as people ready themselves for the oncoming Buddha festival, Aopensah.

 

We are here on behalf of RCES to do a survey on Joys school to see if we can do anything to help them and also to hand out 65 Wrap up a child blankets to the children here who have so very little.

 

The school has just been rebuilt beside the village Wat on a plateau overlooking the mountains. It is a wooden structure with a corrugated tin roof, mud floors and no electricity or water. This small village primary school takes care of over 70 children and lately has only two loyal teachers the three classrooms now condensed into two.

The following morning, through the mud and the rain the local village head man and the head of education arrived at the Wat to help present the children with their blanket.

Lined up School style, boys and girls with the smallest in front, we explain to them what we are doing and told them about RCES and Swiss International Airlines who generously donated these blankets. Coveting their Swiss International Airline first class cabin blankets they headed back to their classrooms where we discussed with the head of education and the teachers as to their needs for the school.

 

The power company was persuaded to bring a supply to the school but it is up to the school to provide the final connection. This is understandable as there is no power system or cables etc. within the building.

The primary desire is for fans, as the heat from the tin roof is extreme, second is lighting but according to them not essential. The children are used to the gloom.

Connection and installing the following is estimated at 19,500Baht

Two ceiling fans per classroom. Cable, switches, power board, Lighting one fluorescent fitting per class room, Cable and light switches

 

Water.

The villagers have offered to undertake the installation of a water supply if they are supplied with the materials, ie. plastic pipe. Costs being advised at 5 - 6,000 Baht

After the water is installed it may be possible to arrange toilets. (None at present)

 

The school has nothing!  Pencils, Paper, Posters, World maps (where is Switzerland?) Alphabet posters, Laos and English, Posters/pictures of animals, fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers etc.

 

 

With Many thanks to Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard, Pattaya, Thailand and the generous donation from Steve Ryser’s friend Gabi Bamatter, Electricity and water has now been installed .