Below report shares Laos Projects on school & education and disaster reliefs works from 2013 to 2018. We have successfully built 14 schools in a short span of 6 years. Each school that we build symbolizes a little dot of light, a light of hope for a brighter future for the children of Laos… together we light up the world.
Background –
Firefly Mission (FFM) made its first recce trip to Laos in Jan 2013, where we met our local coordinator, Peter Tan, who has been working and living in Laos for more than 18 years. We visited several rural areas and noticed the very poor conditions of the schools.
Laos has a population of 6.5 million, and is one of the poorest countries in the world. Although the Laos government recognizes the importance of education, lack of the financial resources is a major stumbling block to providing facilities for good quality education, especially in the rural areas.
Immediately after the first trip, FFM planned and built the first school and it was completed in November 2013. That was a significant milestone for FFM in Laos.
From 2013 to end 2018, FFM has built a total of 14 schools in Laos, generously supported by FFM’s volunteers, supporters, family and friends. Each school that we build symbolizes a little dot of light, a light of hope for a brighter future for the children of Laos… together we light up the world.
Laos school project full sponsored completed – Total 14 schools
- Na Saat Village Lower Secondary School
- LaoKham Primary school
- Pa Bong Primary school
- Na Saat IT School & Library
- Na Kang Primary School
- HinHerb Tai Secondary School
- Nam Sad Village Primary School
- Huay Ileud Nursery School
- Nong Luang School
- Kon Keo Secondary School
- Vieng Kham Lower Secondary
- Na Sum Primary School
- Nonmixay Upper Sec School
- Meuang Chanh Lower Sec School
In 2013 & 2014, FFM were also approached by local communities to help them to complete the partially completed school
Laos school project partial sponsorship
1) Pong Song Primary Schoo
Building: 2 classrooms
Sponsorship : Electrical works
Cost : US$3,000
Sponsors: FFM
Completed 2013
2) Na’ Saat Primary School
Building : 5 classrooms
Sponsorship: Electrical works
Cost: US$3,000
Sponsors: FFM
Completed 2014
3) HinHeub Neua Nursery School
Building: 3 classrooms & 3 toilets
Sponsorship: Toilet and electrical works
Cost: US$9,400
Sponsors: FFM
Sponsorship: Concrete fence/iron gate/flooring
Cost: US$10,800
Sponsors: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery
Completed 2014
4) Ban Khaloop village
The village has 14 households with a population of 101 (36 females & 65 males) in 2018 and had been living
with no electricity and access to clean water supply.
This is the only village in Meuang Chanh Municipality without electricity and access to clean water supply.
Cost: USD 10,570.48
Project 1 – Na Saat Village- Lower Secondary School
- Building: 5 class rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity and lightings
- Benefit: 138 students
- Cost US$35,070
- Sponsor: Tenzin Quek & family in memory Mr Quek Hing Ting
- Project handover: 23 September 2013

Before

New School
Project 2 – LaoKham Primary school (Meuang Feuang District, Vietiane Province )
- Building: 7 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefit 174 students
- Cost: US$44,944
- Sponsors: Mr & Mrs Lim Jun Han
- Project handover: 13 Feb 2014

New School

New school Handing over celebration with villagers
Project 3 – Pa’ Bong Primary school (HinHeub district, Vietiane Province)
- Building: 7 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefit 65 students
- Cost US$46,299
- Sponsors: Francis & Noi
- Project handover: 1 Sept 2014

Before

After
Project 4 – Na Saat IT School & Library (HinHeub District, Vientiane Province)
- Building: 5 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Cost US$35,772.88
- Sponsor: FFM
- Handover project: Nov 2016
Project 5 – Na’Kang Primary School (Pa Bong, HinHeub District, Vientiane)
- Building: 7 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefits: 113 students
- Cost: US$47,030.88
- Sponsors: Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, FFM
- Project handover: 2 Dec 2015

Before

After
Project 6 – HinHeub Tai Secondary School (HinHeub District, Vientiane)
- Building: 6 classrooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefit: 935 students
- Cost: US$43,490.44
- Sponsor: Kong Meng San PKS Monastery, Ngee Ann Poly Team 1, NUS Project Hak’ 16 , SUTD Project Lego Ngee Ann Poly LSCT
- Project handover: Nov 2016

Under construction

After completion
Project 7 -Nam Sad Village Primary School (Pa’Bong, HinHeub, Vientiane)
- Building; 4 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefit: 83 students
- Cost: US$37,437
- Sponsor: ANS Import & Export Pte Ltd
- Project handover: Nov, 2016

Before

After
Project 8 – Huay Ileud Nursery School (HinHeub Tai, HinHeub, Vientiane )
- Building: 2 Large rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefits: 60 students
- Cost: US$36,883/S$52,743
- Sponsor: Q’son Kitchen Equipment Pte Ltd
- Project handover: Nov 2016

New Nursery school

New Nursery classroom
Project 9 -Nong Luang School (Nong Luang Village, Pa’ Bong, Vietiane )
- Building: 5 classrooms & 1 staff room fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefits: 232 students
- Cost: US$43,554.25, or S$65,400
- Sponsor: FFM
- Project handover: Nov 2017

New School
Project 10 -Kon Keo Secondary School (Phone Kham Village, Kon Keo, Vientiane)
- Building: 7 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefits : 663 students
- Cost US$57,663 or S$83,600
- Sponsor: CE74 S$60,750 and co-sponsor FFM
- Project handover : Nov 2017

Before

After
Project 11 – Vieng Kham Lower Secondary School(Vieng Kham Village, Na Sum)
- Building : 4 rooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefits 275 students
- Project Cost U$39,246.50 /S$57,000
- Sponsor: Q’son
- Handover : Nov 2017

Before

After
Project 12 – Na Sum Village Primary School (HinHeub District, Vientiane Province)
- Building: 5 Classrooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefit: 141 students
- Cost : U$42,485/S$59,500
- Sponsor: FFM
- Project handover: Nov 2018
Project 13 – Nonmixay Village Upper Secondary School (Phalaxay District, Savanakhet Province
- 4 Classrooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings
- Benefits: 146 students
- Cost: $47,234.25/S$66,200
- Sponsor: Q’sonKitchen Equipment Pte Ltd
- Project handover: Nov 2018
Project 14 – Meuang Chanh Village Lower Sec School (Sepon, Savannakhet Province)
- Building: 5 Classrooms fully complete with furniture, electricity & lightings and water tank facilities.
- Benefit: 69 students
- Cost $52,239/S$73,200
- Sponsor: Tan Siok Ha, Jasmine. Teo Li Yee, Teo Li Mei, Teo Li Fang
- Project handover: Nov 2018
Laos Dam Immediate Disaster Relief Works
On the 23 July 2018, Saddle Dam D, part of a hydroelectric dam system under construction in southeast Laos’s Champasak Province collapsed, leading to widespread destruction and homelessness among the local population in neighbouring Attapeu Province.
Firefly Mission working with our Singaporean Laos coordinator; Christopher Yeo and the local partner Lao Foundation for Assisting Poor People Of Lao PDR brought immediate relief to the people in Attapeu Province. Items like blankets, mosquito net, food and water were distributed at the disaster sites. Part of the money were also used to make coffins to bury the dead.
Campers’ Corner from Singapore approached FFM to donate 24 6-men tents and 300 pieces of blankets shipped from Singapore to Laos.
Laos Dam Mid term Disaster project works
A 50m x 50m (2,500m2 ) plot of land has been set aside to build temporary homes for each family to build their new home . The government will give each family 20m x 20m ( 400m2) for temporary accommodation as their original houses are covered in mud ( about 2-3metre deep ) and there is the fear of UXO ( unexploded Ordinance ) that are been washed down from affected areas .
Permanent housing will take about another 24 to 36 months to complete . FFM will provides some funding to Laos for their effort to build temporary houses , toilets and common kitchens for the victims of the Attapue Dam Disaster Victims.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Firefly Mission would like to express its deep gratitude and thanks to all the people who have made this partnership project possible.
- H. E Mr Dominic Goh, Singapore Ambassador to Laos
- Bro Peter Tan, FFM Coordinator in Laos
- Bro Christopher Yeo, Coordinator in Laos
- Bro William Yeoh, FFM Laos Coordinator
- Foundation for Assisting Poor People of Laos
- All donors for Laos Projects
- Volunteers of Firefly Mission Singapore
- Other well-wishers and volunteers, too numerous to be named
CONTACT INFORMATION
For further information related to this report, please contact:
Bro William Yeoh
Vice-President & Chief Coordinator, Laos
Tel: +65-9567 6698 ; Email: yeohwilliam38@gmail.com
Firefly Mission
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FireflyMissionSG
- Website: http://www.fireflymission.org
- Email: enquire@fireflymission.org
萤火之光
… together we light up the worl