Xam Nua

Country information

SOS Kinderdorf International started its work in Laos in February 1993, when an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Social Welfare and Labour and the organization to build SOS Children's Villages in the country. A year later the foundation stone of the first SOS Children's Village in Laos was laid in the capital city of Vientiane. The new SOS Children's Village was officially opened in December 1995. The country's first SOS School was built in Vientiane. Soon after the opening of the first SOS Children's Village, construction of the second one started in the town of Pakse, in the south of the country. Another SOS School was built there, too. More SOS Facilities, such as SOS Youth Houses, SOS Kindergartens and new SOS Children's Villages have been established in several parts of the country. SOS Kinderdorf International also sees to it that its employees are trained well. Therefore an SOS Mother and Staff Training Centre was constructed in Vientiane in 1997. The province of Houa Phanh, which borders Vietnam, is one of the poorest of the country. Per capita income of the province's 300,000 inhabitants is about one third of that of the whole country. In many places, one can still see the destruction caused by decades of war with France and the U.S. Due to a lack of government resources, there are hardly any facilities for the support of children in need, with the exception of one residential school for ethnic minority children. The SOS Children's Village in the province capital of Xam Nua is the fifth one in the country. It will consist of ten family homes, a community house and the necessary administrative buildings. There will be an SOS Kindergarten for 120 children from the SOS Children's Village as well as from the neighbourhood. By looking after their children during the day, SOS Children's Villages enables local mothers to work full time and to earn some money for their families. Since the local inhabitants lack basic medical care and training, an SOS Social Centre will be set up. This centre will provide pre and post-natal care to women and their babies. There will be skill training in traditional arts and crafts especially for women and there will be adult education courses.