Capital: Vientiane
Area: 236,800 km²
Population: 6.2 million (July 2005)
Ethnic groups: Lao Loum, Lao Theung, Lao Soung, Hmong (Meo), Yao (Mien), Vietnamese/Chinese
Official language(s): Lao
Religion(s): Buddhist, Tribal religions, Christian, Muslim
Currency: 1 kip = 100 at
SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country
Decades of fighting and destruction brought the country to an economic standstill, resulting in catastrophic social conditions. Therefore, once the political situation had calmed down in 1993, SOS-Kinderdorf International decided to bring Hermann Gmeiner's idea to the country and to build SOS Children's Villages there. With the active support of the Minister for Social Affairs at that time, Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith, it was possible for a government agreement to be signed that same year. The first children were able to move into SOS Children's Village Vientiane in the capital of Laos in 1995.
Because there is no social welfare system in the country and to give children in need as much assistance as possible, SOS-Kinderdorf International decided to build more SOS Children's Villages in Pakse, Xiengkhouang and Luang Prabang. The SOS Kindergartens and SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools attached to these SOS Children's Villages are also open to children and youths from the neighbourhoods. The youths who have outgrown the SOS Children's Villages move to SOS Youth Facilities where they are prepared for living on their own and helped in finding jobs. Since 1997, the SOS Children's Village mothers and co-workers are trained in the SOS Vocational Training Centre Vientiane.
The SOS Kindergartens have day-care facilities for children of working mothers, offer mother-and-child counselling and general support for the needs of the people from the neighbourhood. Construction work on the sixth SOS Children's Village Savannakhet was completed in March 2008 and the first families were able to move into their new family houses shortly thereafter.
At present there are six SOS Children's Villages in Laos, four SOS Youth Facilities, six SOS Kindergartens, five SOS Hermann Gmeiner-Schools, one SOS Vocational Training Centre and five Social Centres.
Contact:
SOS Children's Village of Laos
POB 3503, Ban Sivilay, Muang Xayth.
Hom 02, Km 6, Kaysone Phomvihane Rd
Vientiane
Laos
tel. +856-21-710544
fax +856-21-710163