Phone Ngeun Primary School, Vang Vieng Laos

Three of us set-up a one-week trip to Laos PDR from 28 Oct to 3 Nov 2010 with very little expectations but full of hope & excitement beacuse it was our first time exploring Laos.

We decided to cover 3 places instead of 2 viz. Vientiane, the capital, where Air Asia lands, Vang Vieng to have a break in the long bus journey, and Luang Prabang, a not-to-be-missed Heritage Site. We'd take a Bus from Vientiane to Vang Vieng after 2 Nites in chill-outed Vientiane. The VIP Bus took 3 1/2 hours with one stop for a journey of only 17okm. We'll suppose to spend 2 nites on Vang Vieng and then onwards to Luang Prabang. And from Luang Prabang, we'd fly back to Vientiane via Lao Airlines.

It was the best decision we have made. On our first day of arrival in Vang Vieng, backpackers town, we stumbled upon a retired Canadian school teacher - Daniel Bedard - asking him which is the best restaurant in town. And, as they said, the rest is history.

Daniel was helping our a Primary School teaching English to approx 60+ children everyday from Mon to Fri in a rural Primary School called Phone Ngeun Primary School, about 3 km from Vang Vieng town. He was there since Sep 2010 & would be there till Mar 2011.

We offered to help the school build a mini-Library and viola, I just got an e-mail from Daniel to say that the mini-Library - 1 large bookshelf, 1 large table with benches for the kids and 2 teachers' desks and chairs would be completed by 18 Feb 2011. The local furniture maker managed to do it for US$300. Felicia & Kenny, my travelling companions to Laos, have agreed to sponsor the book shelf, tables and chairs.

Daniel will be in Vientiane from 20 Feb to 25 Feb 2011 to get some books for the Library from Big Brother Mouse (http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/) a not-for-profit Laos Organization which publish and supply books to rural villages.

We also realized that the Phone Ngeun Primary School lack school supplies (they ran out of pen in mid 2010!?) and I made another trip in Nov 2010 with 8 boxes of school supplies but that will be another story.



Signboard to Phone Ngeun Primary School

Top: The School Building with only 4 classrooms

L-R: Daniel Bedard, Felicia, Kenny & Jeffrey

The School, built 6 years ago, did not have doors, windows or

cement floor previously?!

Harvest Centre

Book Haven & the Dram Projects donated 300+ books to the Harvest Centre.

Harvest Centre, founded by Rev. Elisha Satvinder and his wife Petrina Shee in 1999, Harvest Centre began reaching out to the local poor community in Sentul through the provision of medical/health care, home improvement, food supplies and counselling. In 2003, Harvest Centre began to direct its main efforts towards education.

Harvest Centre is located in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. Through Harvest Centre, Dignity for Children Foundation has also helped to establish learning centres in other areas in Malaysia.

Kindergarten children look smart in their little dresses


Kindies busy with their projects


Lots of teacher-student interactions


At the canteen cum library

Petrina Shee addressing the students


Harvest Centre is a learning centre operated by Dignity for Children Foundation providing and advocating quality education for underprivileged children.
At Dignity for Children Foundation we they passionately believe that quality education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty. In Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, Harvest Centre provides high quality educational programmes from preschool to secondary level for the underprivileged community, while also assisting other communities to develop and operate learning centres for underprivileged children. Over the years they have been privileged to have served more than 1,000 children through various educational programmes provided for a number of communities throughout Malaysia.

Opening of mini-Library at Pusat Penyayang Tuisyen KSKA

Pusat Penyayang Tuisyen KSKA is sponsored by SSMC and is located at Sungai Kayu Ara, Petaling Jaya.

One of the church members, Mr Richard Tan, generously sponsored the mini-Library. The monies were used to purchase books, book cabinets and tables/chairs.

Books were obtained with the assistance of Volunteers - Julie & Catherine - from 3 sources viz Scholastics, Roving Books & Book Xcess.

Lam, Richard & Jeffrey during the Opening of Pusat

Penyayang Tuisyen KSKA's mini-Library

L to R: Catherine, Anne and Julie with lovely picture books from Roving Books

Julie, Catherine & Lam with the selected books

Julie & Catherine busy selecting suitable books for the new KSKA mini-Library

at Book Xcess

The Book Cabinets & the mini-Library

YKPM

January 2010:

Book Haven supplied 200+ books and 2 Book Cabinets to YKPM Prima Selayang, an NGO which take care of the urban poor community in Prima Selayang. Most of the residents live in the flats around that area.

YKPM has rented a space in one of the ground floor flats to run computer & reading classes.