Urban Social Issues, Laos

Boy learning carpentry. Photo: CWS

CWS-Laos

Some 500 children and 800 parents are participating in a community-based CWS-supported program in Donkoi and Nahay villages, in Vientiane Municipality.

When Laos opened its economy in the early 1990s, many social problems began to emerge -- child labor, drug use, prostitution, trafficking (abroad) of women and children, juvenile delinquency, etc. Most of the problems were first seen in the urban areas of Laos. Through this project, CWS is able to impact the Lao Government thinking in dealing with urban social issues, which it is ill-equipped to handle due to lack of experience and personnel.

The goal of the project is to address social problems and child rights issues through: establishing and implementing pilot community-based after-school activities and community centers; training civil servants to address urban social problems in their work; fostering social and medical extension activities; and advocating for children’s and women's rights.

Support for Church World Service helps make this program possible.

Updated 1/16/2008

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