Action with Lao Children
2008, Laos
Action with Lao Children
Chanthasone Inthavong
The Lao civil war and revolution in the late 1970’s forced a large number of refugees to flee the Indochinese Peninsula. Ms Chanthasone Inthavong, from Lao, but then living in Japan, believed that by just accepting the refugees did not solve the basic problems. Thus, in 1982 she established the Association for Sending Picture Books to Lao Children. At first the organization sent Japanese children's books, picture books and stationary to Lao children. Later in 1990 the association started sending goods to support the publishing of Lao books by Lao authors and artists. The activities that had started in Japan spread further in Lao. Now, 25 years later the Association has become a Non Government Organization with the title Action with Lao Children, which promotes literate education and urge rights of children in Lao. Since then, around 620,000 copies of books for children have been published in the Lao language. The project has united the National Library of Lao and the Ministry of Education, which supports the National Reading Promotion Project: one of their national priorities. To accomplish the goals and objectives of the project many reading activities have been developed.
- Publishing picture books and books for children
- Distribution of books to schools
- Support for school libraries, establishing new ones
- Encouraging reading habits by training school teachers
- Enhancing the school education by fully utilizing books and Kamishibai (picture story show)
- Developing human resources for publishing books, such as writers, illustrators, editors
- Supporting the operation of Children’s Cultural Centers (CCC), which are facilities where children come and play together
The project address the environment for children to develop their ability to learn by themselves by implementing these activities.
Vientiane Office
Action with Lao Children
Nouai 4, Bane Saphangmo, Muang Saysettha
P.O. Box 1518
Vientiane, Laos P.D.R.
E-mail: alclao@laotel.com
Action with Lao Children (ALC)
