(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Youth Vocational Training Center, located in Vientiane, is the only Salesian center in Laos. It started in 2004 with five past pupils who were graduates of the Don Bosco Technological College in Bangkok, Thailand. They wanted to start a small training center for youth in need and created the school based on their school in Bangkok.

Under the guidance and financial support of Salesian missionaries from the Saint Paul Province of Thailand, the past pupils started training courses in auto mechanics, electricity and motorcycle repair. The center gradually developed and became known to the Lao Youth Union for Youth Development, the youth wing of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the ruling party in Laos.

A Salesian noted, “Appreciating the work done for Laotian youth, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the Don Bosco Foundation of Thailand. Students are selected from the 18 provinces of Laos according to the parameters established by the Don Bosco Youth Training Center and the Department of Youth Union. Local government officials have expressed appreciation for the great help that has been given to poor families.”

To date, more than 1,500 youth have been trained. Statistics from the Lao Youth Union for Youth Development indicate that 75% of graduates have a job, which has been an important factor in helping families get out of conditions of poverty. The training courses offered are free, but the resident students are required to contribute to meals.

Poverty in Laos, formally known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, has been on the decline for the last decade, according to the World Bank. Despite improvements in the economy, the poverty rate in Laos is at 18.6%. Poverty in Laos tends to be higher in underdeveloped, mountainous areas of the country. People who live in these isolated areas are often left without access to electricity, schools and roads.

Many of the ethnic minorities in Laos live in underserved, rural areas. The minority groups are further isolated by barriers in language, customs and religion. These factors, combined with geographic isolation, contributes to a higher rate of poverty for those who live in rural communities.

The economy in Laos has been rapidly growing. The growth can be attributed to the fact that Laos is home to a bounty of natural resources including water, minerals and forests. Additionally, construction, and services have expanded and contributed to an increase in tourism and foreign investment.

###

Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS) 

ANS – Laos – Salesian commitment to the holistic development of poor youth

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Laos

The post LAOS: Only Salesian center in country has educated 1,500 youth first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) For the last four years, Salesian missionaries in Vientiane, Laos, have been distributing meals and gifts on Christmas Day to poor people who live in the waste dump on the city’s outskirts. Most recently, it was a collaborative effort of Salesian missionaries and sisters, along with staff and students from the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center.

The Don Bosco Vocational Training Center has been recognized by the Laotian Youth Union Department. In 2008, the collaboration with the Laotian Youth Union was ratified by a contract for five years, renewable every five years.

Currently, the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center educates about 150 students each year who come from every province in the country and who are mostly poor. According to the contract, the Laotian Youth Union, together with Salesian missionaries, selects the students who will attend. Priority is given to those living in challenging economic situations and those with insufficient school preparation, such as having dropped out of school just after elementary school. Students are selected after completing a written test and an interview.

“Once admitted to the center, youth are able to choose from a wide range of courses, all aimed at helping them gain professional skills,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Courses for mechanics and electricians last one year and accommodate about 40 students per discipline. Courses on welding and motorcycle repair last six months. This education enables youth to find employment soon after graduation.”

The Don Bosco Vocational Training Center is a vital resource for the poorest families in Laos. Government agencies and local authorities often express their appreciation for the center. According to data from the Laotian Youth Union Department, about 75 percent of the boys who completed their studies there have found work.

Poverty in Laos, formally known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, has been on the decline for the last decade, according to the World Bank. Despite improvements in the economy, the poverty rate in Laos is at 18.6 percent. Poverty in Laos tends to be higher in underdeveloped, mountainous areas of the country. People who live in these isolated areas are often left without access to electricity, schools and even roads.

Many of the ethnic minorities in Laos live in underserved, rural areas. These minority groups are further isolated by barriers in language, customs and religion. This, combined with geographic isolation, contributes to a higher rate of poverty for those who live in rural communities.

The economy in Laos has been rapidly growing. The growth can be attributed to the fact that Laos is home to a bounty of natural resources including water, minerals and forests. Additionally, construction and services have expanded and contributed to an increase in tourism and foreign investment.

###

Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Laos – Distribution of food to the poor for Christmas

Salesian Missions

World Bank – Laos

The post LAOS: People in need receive food and gifts first appeared on MissionNewswire.

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries in the capital city of Vientiane, Laos, bring gifts to the poor who live in the waste dump on the city’s outskirts. On Dec. 24, Father Paul Trung, together with students from the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center, delivered supplies and gifts for people as a token of Christmas spirit.

Salesian missionaries began working in Laos in 2004 when an Italian Salesian missionary, Father Tito Pedron, a teacher and five past pupils from the Salesian vocational training school in Thailand launched the Laos Project. The educational project started with 12 students and doubled enrollment by the second year. Inspectors from the Ministry of Labor were impressed by the professionalism of the teachers and the level of student learning.

The Don Bosco Vocational Training Center has been recognized by the Laotian Youth Union Department, a youth organization of the Communist party, which showed great interest in the education provided. In 2008, the center moved to its current location and the collaboration with the Laotian Youth Union was ratified by a contract for five years, renewable every five years.

Currently, the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center educates about 150 students each year who come from every province in the country and who are mostly poor. According to the contract, the Laotian Youth Union, together with Salesian missionaries, selects the students who will attend. Priority is given to those living in challenging economic situations and those with insufficient school preparation, such as having dropped out of school just after elementary school. Students are selected after completing a written test and an interview.

“Once admitted to the center, youth are able to choose from a wide range of courses, all aimed at helping youth gain professional skills,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Courses for mechanics and electricians last one year and accommodate about 40 students per discipline. Courses on welding and motorcycle repair last six months. This education enables youth to find employment soon after graduation.”

The Don Bosco Vocational Training Center is a vital resource for the poorest families in Laos. Government agencies and local authorities often express their appreciation for the center. According to data from the Laotian Youth Union Department, about 75 percent of the boys who completed their studies there have found work.

Poverty in Laos, formally known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, has been on the decline for the last decade, according to the World Bank. Despite improvements in the economy, the poverty rate in Laos is at 23.2 percent. Poverty in Laos tends to be higher in underdeveloped, mountainous areas of the country. Those that live in these isolated areas are often left without access to electricity, schools and even roads.

Many of the ethnic minorities in Laos live in underserved, rural areas. These minority groups are further isolated by barriers in language, customs and religion. This, combined with geographic isolation, contributes to a higher rate of poverty for those who live in rural communities.

The economy in Laos has been rapidly growing. The growth can be attributed to the fact that Laos is home to a bounty of natural resources including water, minerals and forests. Additionally, construction and services have expanded and contributed to an increase in tourism and foreign investment.

###

Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Laos – Salesians bring gifts to the poor of the landfill

World Bank – Laos

The post LAOS: Missionaries and students share gifts with poor first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Salesian missionaries first began working in Laos in 2004 when an Italian Salesian missionary, Father Tito Pedron, a teacher and five past pupils of a Salesian vocational training school in Thailand launched what they called, the Laos Project. The project began with 12 students and by the second year, enrollment had doubled. When inspectors sent by the Ministry of Labor visited, they were impressed by the professionalism of the teachers and the level of student learning.

The Don Bosco Vocational Training Center has been recognized by the Laotian Youth Union Department, a youth organization of the Communist party, which showed great interest in the education provided. In 2008, the center moved to its current location and the collaboration with the Laotian Youth Union was ratified by a contract for five years, renewable every five years.

Currently, the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center educates about 150 students each year who come from every province in the country and are mostly poor. According to the contract with the Laotian Youth Union, the union, together with Salesian missionaries, select the students who will attend. Priority is given to those living in challenging economic situations and those with insufficient school preparation, such as having dropped out of school just after elementary school. Students are selected after completing a written test and an interview.

Once admitted to the center, youth are able to choose from a wide range of courses, all aimed at providing the professional skills and vocational preparation that will allow them to enter the workforce. Courses for mechanics and electricians last one year and accommodate about 40 students per discipline. Courses on welding and motorcycle repair last six-months.

The Don Bosco Vocational Training Center has proved to be a vital resource for the poorest families in Laos. Government agencies and local authorities often express their appreciation for the center. According to data from the Laotian Youth Union Department, about 75 percent of the boys who completed their studies there have found work.

Poverty in Laos, formally known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, has been on the decline for the last decade, according to the World Bank. Despite improvements in the economy, the poverty rate in Laos is at 23.2 percent. Poverty in Laos tends to be higher in underdeveloped, mountainous areas of the country. Those that live in these isolated areas are often left without access to electricity, schools and even roads.

Many of the ethnic minorities in Laos live in underserved, rural areas. These minority groups are further isolated by barriers in language, customs and religion. This, combined with geographic isolation, contributes to a higher rate of poverty for those who live in rural communities.

The economy in Laos has been rapidly growing. Not only is the country the fastest-growing economy in the East Asia and Pacific region but also in the world. The growth can be attributed to the fact that Laos is home to a bounty of natural resources that include water, minerals and forests. Additionally, construction and services have expanded and contributed to an increase in tourism and foreign investment.

###

Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Laos – Concrete help to young people and families in difficulty

World Bank – Laos

The post LAOS: More than 1,000 youth have received an education from the Don Bosco Vocational Training Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.

Kasanya is a young, energetic and determined 23 year old student at the Don Bosco Center. His father is a retired medical doctor who completed his studies in Vietnam and his mother is a farmer. He, his eight siblings and his parents are from a small village in the Northern province of Laos, close to the Vietnam border and about 700 km from Vientiane.

Due to a family situation, Kasanya lived in a small rented house close to the school he attended since he was 12 years old. He attended high school but did not finish or receive a diploma. His elder brother studied at the Don Bosco Youth Vocation Training Center in 2010 and introduced Kasanya to its programs. Since then, Kasanya has chosen to take courses in the auto mechanic department since he already had a job working in a mechanic shop.

“I’m happy and satisfied and love to be at Don Bosco because the whole group of trainees makes a family environment. This atmosphere is conducive for our growth and helps to get some skills needed in my future life,” explains Kasanya. “After graduation, I will try to find work to earn money and start my own life. I would prefer to start in Pakse, a city in southern Laos, since there is more work than in the north and also the weather is not very cold.”

Kasanya adds, “In my homeplace in northern Laos, there are very few cars and not many job opportunities. My dream is to live a simple life with my future wife and three children. I would like to succeed to earn enough for the life of my future family. I have no expectation to become rich. I would like to live just as an ordinary citizen and help give a good education to my children.”

Salesian missionaries first began working in Laos in 2004 when an Italian Salesian missionary, Father Tito Pedron, a teacher and five past pupils of a Salesian vocational training school in Thailand began what they called, the Laos Project. The project began with 12 students and by the second year, enrollment had doubled. When inspectors sent by the Ministry of Labor visited, they were impressed by the professionalism of the teachers and the level of student learning.

Poverty in Laos, formally known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, has been on the decline for the last decade, according to the World Bank. Despite improvements in the economy, the poverty rate in Laos is at 23.2 percent. Poverty in Laos tends to be higher in underdeveloped, mountainous areas of the country. Those that live in these isolated areas are often left without access to electricity, schools and even roads.

Many of the ethnic minorities in Laos live in underserved, rural areas. These minority groups are further isolated by barriers in language, customs and religion. This, combined with geographic isolation, contributes to a higher rate of poverty for those who live in rural communities.

The economy in Laos has been rapidly growing. Not only is the country the fastest-growing economy in the East Asia and Pacific region but also in the world. The growth can be attributed to the fact that Laos is home to a bounty of natural resources that include water, minerals and forests. Additionally, construction and services have expanded and contributed to an increase in tourism and foreign investment.

###

Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Laos – Laotian life dreams are becoming reality in Don Bosco

World Bank – Laos

The post LAOS: Poor and marginalized students receive vocational skills training at Don Bosco Youth Vocation Training Center first appeared on MissionNewswire.