Press Release
Public Affairs Office
Embassy of the United States of America
Rue Bartholonie, P.O. Box. 114
Vientiane, Laos.
Tel: (856-21) 267229
Fax: (856-21) 267160
Website: http://laos.usembassy.gov
November 7, 2008
Ambassador and Deputy Governor of Khammouane visit schools receiving “Food for Education” and UXO clearance aid
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U.S. Ambassador Ravic Huso and Mrs. Barbara Huso standing with primary school students at Ban Kouan Khouai, Mahaxay District, Khammouan Province during a recent visit. |
Ambassador Huso and Mr. Oday Sudaphon, Deputy Governor of Khammouane Province, accompanied by local officials from the responsible sectors and senior members of donor groups, visited three schools on November 4 receiving support from the Humpty Dumpty Institute (HDI). Thanks to a two-year, $5.86 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), HDI is currently assisting 13,000 students in 110 schools and villages in Mahaxay, Boualapha, and Ngommalat districts in Khammouane Province. The HDI project is carried out by two local NGO partners, International Relief and Development (IRD) and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG). The first part of the program involves providing food to students. Since 2006, 1.3 million nutritious mid-morning snacks of corn soy blend and more than 45,000 take-home rations have been distributed to children and teachers who maintain a monthly school attendance rate of 80%. The food for this program has been donated by the USDA under the McGovern-Dole Program. As a result of this school feeding program, school enrollment is up 21 percent for girls and 13 percent for boys. In addition, during the first year of project implementation, MAG removed more than 2,220 items of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and cleared approximately 100,000 square meters of land and roads. This land is now safe for agriculture and travel. During the second year, an additional 100,000 square meters of land will be cleared.
This project has the support of the district, provincial and national governments in Laos. Members of the various communities volunteer their time to implement the school-feeding component. Mothers of students take turns cooking the mid-morning snacks and villagers have volunteered their time, labor and other resources to ensure the successful completion of the school renovation projects. MAG has also hired and trained approximately 300 locals to assist in clearing UXO.
The project is also producing results that will last well beyond the project’s life:
Over 300 teachers have received training so far, with another 150 teachers scheduled for training.
School gardens have been planted at 50 schools during year one and 60 more gardens will be planted in year two;
School rehabilitation projects have been undertaken in 50 schools so far. Another 60 are planned.
Health-education programs were implemented in 49 schools during year one with another 60 planned for year two.
School kits, containing items like pencils and notebooks, were distributed to students in 50 schools during year one. These kits will be distributed in 60 schools during year two;
Water and sanitation projects are underway in nearly three-quarters of the schools during year one.
Ambassador
2008 Press Releases
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