New village in Laos

We were invited to visit, with the Governor of Luang Prabang,  the new village of Ban Nong Bue Kon, to celebrate their first anniversary.   We donated to the poorest families, on behalf of A Mine Free World Foundation together with Steve  Rutledge from  Adopt a Village in Laos, 80 mosquito nets along with the donation from Bel Air Resort of 100 blankets. 

The Government is in the process of relocating over 300 families from 4 villages in the hills and valleys to this new site.  They are from Mong and Khmu tribes and, to date 100 families have made the move and are awaiting for land to be given to them for purposes of farming. Until this happens the villagers need to travel the long distances back to their farmlands where they have their rice crops.  I am amazed they could move 100 families to an area like this without anything to sustain them, many of the families are extremely poor.   

. 

They have three water tanks in use, although the underground piping has not been completed. Construction of the primary school has started and there are plans to build a secondary school, also hygienic toilets and a market.   The villagers are extremely poor, some worse than others - most do not have latrines of any kind and just go in the bush. Steve said it reminded him of a poster he had seen in a  village showing the Government trying to teach the children not to poop in the middle of the street and directing them to a nearby bush!  Check Steve's blog to see his plans to raise funds to assist these people http://adoptavillageinlaos.blogspot.com.