Smiles matter: Bamboo School Project in Laos

As I was riding a bicycle by Mekong riverside on Don Som, one of the 4000 islands in the south of Laos, I run into a group of kids and one of them had a Croatian football joursey on him! I was so surprised that I instinctively stopped and then I noticed I was actually standing in front of a small bamboo construction with a modest sign: Bamboo School Project.

Right away I was welcomed by a small team: Manon, Laora and Johnny from France and Pedro from Brasil. They explained they were teaching English to the local kids and helping Khamla in daily activities.

Khamla Vongsawang, the initiater of the project, greeted me with such a broad and warm smile that I felt encouraged to ask more about the school and, completely unexpectedly, the result was the first interview for this blog. Khamla loved the idea, so here comes what he shared with me.

Khamla, how did you come up with the idea for the Bamboo School Project?

I used to work as a full-time teacher trainer in the capital Vientiane, but then I decided to return to 4000 Islands – it’s where I grew up and I wanted to contribute to the community here. I wanted to help the local kids to learn English in order to have better opportunities to get scholarships abroad or jobs in tourism. I first started the English school on the bigger island, Don Khong, where my family lives and runs a restaurant, but the needs on Don Som are bigger. So, I decided to use a terrain I own here and build a school.

I see that you’ve done quite a progress. When has the project started and who are your helping hands?

The project started over a year ago, in 2017, and I get help from the volunteers. I promote the project on HelpX and the project’s website. Actually, we are now constructing a dorm to fit more volunteers in upcoming years.

Do you teach English?

I used to teach more but now the volunteers are helping me with that – they have a better accent (laughing).

What are the biggest stumbling blocks for the local kids in terms of English and education in general?

The biggest problem is that most of the kids can’t afford going to highschool because they have to travel to bigger islands or mainland and there is no public transport. If they knew English, at least they could go to some of the touristy islands and get a job in tourism. Unlike  children in the capital, kids here are less exposed to English and they get only one or two hours of English per week. That’s not enough. With higher levels of English, after finishing the primary school, they could get scholarships to study abroad in other Southeast Asian countries.

How many kids currently attend the school?

Now we count more than thirty children attending the school, although the number varies depending on the day. For example, today we don’t expect a lot of them because there is a religious festivity in a village nearby.

When do the classes start? What are the kids’ English levels?

Normally, the kids come in the afternoon, around 4pm, after their school is finished, for an hour or two. Some of them also stop by in the morning to play. They are slowly picking up. I’m sure that with the time they will only get better.

What do the parents and the locals think of the school?

The parents like the idea of the school. Local people ask me: ”Why are you building a school at your own cost? Are you crazy?”. I tell them I build it because I get smiles in return. If the children are smiling and they are happy – what more could I ask for?

That’s really admiring. I truly hope that the project keeps on growing. Do you get any help from the government?

From the government? Not really (laughing)! I get donations, mostly from the restaurant my family runs on the bigger island. That’s also why at the moment I unfortunately can’t provide food and accommodation for the volunteers.

I would love to promote your project! Do you have any message for me to pass on?

Thank you very much! Please share news about the project and our contact. Everybody is welcome!

By the time we wrapped up the interview, we had already built a part of the wall for the future dorm, had a deeeelicious curry that Khamla prepared, painted a new school name panel and although only a couple of kids showed up, we had a great time in the afternoon class teaching pronunciation.

Mr Khamla also offered me to stay for the night but unfortunately I had to leave. However, I left a very important promise behind – that I will publish this interview and spread the word.

So, if you plan or just happen to be around 4000 islands, please don’t hesitate to contact Khamla (or simply stop by like I did) and lend a helping hand. There are plenty of things you could contribute with and Khamla happily accepts new ideas, like Pedro’s (see below). The school would also benefit a lot from more teaching materials (flash cards, toys), in case you can make or bring some. At the same time, you can enjoy the peace and quiet of Mekong riverside and get fully immersed into the local rural culture (see photo gallery at the end)!

For more info about the project and the volunteering, visit the project’s website Bamboo School Project or FB page!

Thank you, Khamla & the volunteers, for your hospitality and smiles! Best of luck for the Bamboo School Project! 🙂