GAPE staff Somphet sings examples of Heuny and Jrou traditional music as a warm up for the primary students.

At the end of March, GAPE sponsored and organized two writing workshops for primary and secondary students. The major focus of the workshops was non-fiction writing, with the goal of students using their new skills to explore and write about topics related to indigenous cultures and livelihoods. Altogether the workshops reached 20 primary students, 30 secondary school students eight teachers and school administrators, and three district education representatives who gathered in Paksong for the event. Students now are writing short essays on topics ranging from collecting broom grass to Katu funeral ceremonies.

District officials and teachers listen intently to new methods for teaching writing they hope to incorporate into their own work.

In March, district education representatives from Paksong Pathoumphone and Bachieng Districts joined two GAPE staff members on a trip to Luang Prabang to attend the Literacy, Library and Books seminar organized by Big Brother Mouse Books. Participants from Laos, Nepal, Bhutan, East Timor, Australia and the United States  gathered to learn more about distributing books to rural areas and different activities to get people engaged with books. Other topics included tips on reading aloud to others and how to encourage illiterate parents to use books with their children. In addition to attending the seminar, the group sponsored by GAPE had the chance to visit the Luang Prabang Provincial Library and a private library called @ My Library.

Somphone of the Pathoumphone District Education Office practices reading aloud to a group of children in Ngoi District, Luang Prabang.

District education representatives were thrilled with to learn new activity ideas and excited for an opportunity to see a new part of their country. GAPE plans to incorporate the experience gained from the trip to Luang Prabang when distributing books throughout school reading rooms in target villages within the next year.

Assistant leader Keobounthanh Keopakasith explores methods of announcing with participants.

Community broadcasters from six villages came together in Pakse last week to hone their announcing skills. Freelance media consultant and writer Bounthanh Phongphichid lead the training, guiding participants to reflect on the importance of audio media and their role as communicators. During the training villagers developed skills related to presentation and production. Each village received a tape recorder in order to integrate pre-recorded segments, interviews, and music into broadcasts.

Training participants practice announcing over a PA system during a visit to a village in Paksong.

Although broadcasts present segments related to local cultural practices and incorporate musical interludes, the primary focus is on local news from surrounding villages. In particular, GAPE encourages announcers to investigate relevant land issues and use broadcasts as a tool to raise villagers’ awareness of their rights in relation to these. The thirteen workshop participants are now implementing their new skills over public address systems provided by GAPE.

GAPE has joined with over 200 other organizations from 51 countries in expressing concern and alarm at the World Bank’s draft Operational Policy 9.00 Program for Results (P4R) Financing. The letter sent to the World Bank Executive Board states in part:

P4R is a new form of financing which could undercut decades of efforts to establish strong social and environmental standards and accountability mechanisms at the World Bank. Under the laudable rubric of providing governments with more flexible financing for health,education and other programs, P4R actually would allow the Bank to fund potentially harmful projects and activities that specifically would be exempt from complying with most World Bank safeguard policies, including those related to Indigenous Peoples, involuntary resettlement, natural habitats and dam safety, as well as other important policies, including those related to transparency, project supervision and monitoring. 

Further information and comments can be found at www.p4rcomments.org

The book “Land of the Sky” (ດິນຂອງຟ້າ) has been published in Lao, is currently being distributed, and an English translation is underway. It contains twenty short stories written by secondary students in Paksong District, Champasak Province. The work was guided by Mr. Bounthanh Phongphichid.

Many of the stories address serious problems the students and their families are now facing. Land concessions, illegal logging, chemical-intensive agriculture and other factors are threatening both their environment and their livelihoods. Some of the stories highlight agents of change and positive role models who are looking for a better way of life for themselves and their communities. They are striving to improve their lives while standing on their own legs.

It is hoped this book will play an important role in raising awareness among urban and international populations on these critical land, environment and development problems. Journalists, other writers, lawyers, program planners and policy makers can learn from its content. The book can also be used as resource material in trainings and other educational activities.

Land of the Sky

Content is slowly being added. Your continuing patience is appreciated!