Our local partner is a non-profit organization (NPO) registered with the Department of Education in Vang Vieng District that focuses on sustainable rural development. Our local partner brings together people from around the world to unite, discover, and share experiences and knowledge with the Lao community in order to promote a more sustainable way of life. It is a sustainable development project located in Nathong Village, near the city of Vang Vieng, Lao PDR. The project consists of a small organic farm, a community centre that provides daily English classes, and a volunteer project for international visitors. The project's mission is to establish a comprehensive model for sustainable development, aiming to manage natural resources efficiently, effectively, and equitably. The program is guided by two fundamental principles:

• holistic Sustainability: sustainability entails a multifaceted approach, incorporating sustainable technologies, education, job training, opportunities, and community engagement.
• leading by Example: lasting change is best achieved by setting an example and enhancing community members' lives through sustainable development initiatives.

Our local partner aims to lead the way in sustainable development in Laos. Their approach emphasizes practical economic, social, and environmental projects in Nathong Village, Vang Vieng. Through their pioneering efforts, the project will establish itself as a recognized leader in sustainable living and working practices. Our local partner's work has already received recognition, as evidenced by their selection as the Energy Globe Awards National winner for Lao PDR in 2015. Education is at the heart of our local partner and is what they do best. Their English classes have been the most important part of the project for the community and volunteers since the project opened.
Our local partner's community center currently provides the facilities for English lessons, IT classes, a library, adult skills training, and presentations on sustainability.
One of the main objectives of our local partner is to give the local community the opportunity to learn English for free. They currently hold English classes five nights per week, with over 300 students registered in September 2016! Students are taught by volunteers who are either native English speakers or speak English as a second language. They encourage everyone coming to the project to participate in teaching English classes and to speak English with the staff to help them improve and gain confidence. They support local children and young people in getting educated. The project offers individuals a chance to gain work experience and improve their English by working there, while receiving a fair wage.
Please visit their Scholarship Program page to learn more about the current graduates that our partner sponsor through university. They want to give these students a chance for higher education they wouldn’t receive otherwise. Maybe the volunteers can assist our local partner in providing the invaluable gift of education?

The organic garden is a central aspect of our partner's Project and is important to it’s long-term sustainability. In the long term our partner aim to make their restaurant and the projects entire food consumption 100% sustainable by growing all the fruits, vegetables and herbs in their own garden and buying the rice and animal products from the local community. Our local partner works with ecological methods to make the soil more fertile and use natural resources most efficiently. They recently started to compost kitchen and garden leftovers. In the future they hope to work with field scientists and agriculture students to study the soil and improve farming methods to prepare for future ecological challenges.

If you would like to experience what it is like to be a volunteer and experience teaching English to the local people, sign up for long-term volunteering! Besides that, it looks really good on your resume/CV!

The volunteer will take part in our partner's core missions: teaching English to Lao kids and young adults. we will provide you the materials and a training. We ask that you stay a minimum 2 months and contribute at least 5 hours work each mid-week day, although this depends on the season and the number of volunteers on site. If there is a lot of work to do, most volunteers are willing to do a little more. Our local partner is part of a community and together they contribute to the daily upkeep of the site. Volunteers between 18 and 30 will work alongside other international and local volunteers.
All volunteers teach: this is the main afternoon activity. The volunteer have to let our local partner know if he/she do not wish to teach, as the organization rely on volunteers they have plenty of other volunteering activities to do 🙂
Things you could be involved with:

• helping with sustainable and traditional building ;
• weeding, planting, watering and harvesting our veggie garden ;
• working in the rice fields during the planting and harvest seasons ;
• designing and building furniture for the dorm and community center ;
• project upkeep; as part of a community we all partake in morning chores ;
• involve yourself with your own project idea ;
• marketing and social media ;
• helping with administration ;
• designing decoration for our community center or restaurant ;
• ...

The rest of the time is free for the volunteer to explore the nearby villages and stunning natural surroundings or just to relax in the beautiful project space, reading a book, watching a movie, call with his family and friends, and so on.

Our local partner has a 21 beds dorm on the project site. It has toilet block (that go into the biogas) near by, although they are squat toilets so be prepared ! Its on-site showers have hot water, and there are sinks and a full kitchen (fridge, stoves, etc.) available, along with electricity and even WiFi for emergencies and work purposes (please refrain from playing during the day). Drinking water, mosquito nets, and plenty of food are also provided.

Nathong village in Vang Vieng, Laos, offers a unique culinary experience deeply rooted in Laotian traditions. The local cuisine features an array of fresh ingredients, including vegetables grown in local gardens and fish from nearby rivers. Sticky rice is a staple, often accompanied by dishes like laap (a minced meat salad), tam mak hoong (spicy green papaya salad), and various grilled meats. Fresh herbs, fermented fish sauce, and chili are commonly used to enhance flavors. The simplicity and freshness of the ingredients, combined with traditional cooking methods, create a distinctive and memorable culinary experience for volunteers.

Project location : Nathong Village is situated approximately 7 km (about a 20-minute truck ride) from Vang Vieng, Laos. This serene village is just a 5-minute walk from the popular Blue Lagoon, making it an accessible yet tranquil location. The area around the project site has minimal amenities and lacks nearby ATMs, so volunteers need to bring all essentials, including money and toiletries. Our local partner's project in Nathong Village is committed to sustainable living and environmental conservation, exemplified by their sustainable waste management, organic gardening, and use of eco-friendly building materials. The village and project site serve as a model for sustainable development in the face of challenges such as deforestation, uncontrolled development, and tourism growth.

Local community : most people grow food for themselves without using chemical fertilizers. When they have an excess they travel to the market in Vang Vieng, 7km away along a bumpy road, having to pay for their petrol and for the market stall that they set up. As part of promoting environmental practices and increasing incomes for the local community, our local partner buys locally grown, organic food from suppliers in Vang Vieng and people in the neighboring villages.
Our local partner has advertised in the local village that they will buy the food from them for the same price they would get at the market. Additional transportation is then not required. This creates more income for the community and provides our volunteers and staff with fresh, local, organic food.

Exploring the surrounding area, the volunteers can enjoy the natural beauty of Vang Vieng, including trips to the nearby Blue Lagoon and other scenic spots. The village's proximity to Vang Vieng allows for weekend excursions to the town, where volunteers can experience local markets, cafes, and cultural sites. These activities offer a comprehensive experience of Laotian culture, sustainable living, and community engagement.

Some suggestions for what to pack :

• clothes for working (please bring clothes you do not mind getting dirty) ;
• hat and suncream ;
• towel or sarong ;
• light sleeping bag (November – February) ;
• warm jacket / jumper (November – February) ;
• flip Flops / sandals that come off easily ;
• all toiletries including insect repellent ;
• washing powder ;
• torch ;
• padlock ;
• money ;
• basic first aid kit / medicines ;
• things to share – like games, cards, recipes ;
• if the volunteer has spare space in his/her backpack our local partner is always in need of tools, drinking water testing kits, water testing kits (pH, O2 etc.) soil testing kits, books, teaching materials, pens, whiteboard markers and much more. Or email our local partner to ask them for specific things they might need at the time.

Note : the volunteer will be working with the Lao people, the Lao culture is modest about dress, so nothing too short or too low cut!
Languages : English
Our local partner is happy to accept interns from all around the world, for a minimum of 8 weeks. Please contact them to discuss your internship.

The volunteers must try to arrive in Vang Vieng at least one day earlier and make their way to our partner founder’s guesthouse where our partnering organization will arrange transportation to the site of the Project at 9am on a Sunday morning. If the volunteers are in the centre of Vang Vieng, just head South down the main road and after about a 5 - 10 minute walk from the center they will come across 'Sengkeo (Bob) Guesthouse' on the right, just past the Wat (or temple) on the left with the snake sculptures ! Alternatively, the volunteers can catch a tuk-tuk from Vang Vieng to the Blue Lagoon, which is located next to the site of the project. Tuk-tuks are quite expensive and cost about 150,000 kip for a whole group (approximately $20). Whether the volunteers are travelling from Vientiane or Luang Prabang (or having to pass through there to get to us) they can easily get a bus to Vang Vieng from the bus stations or by booking through a travel agent once in the city. In Vang Vieng, there are plenty of hostels to choose from to stay a night or two before heading to the project. The organization only conducts its orientation once a week, which is on Sunday morning. Therefore we would advise the volunteers to apply for a date, which is on Sunday only.

Some projects the volunteers will contribute to during their stay are ongoing, so while they may not see something fully completed, our local partner hopes that the volunteers will be able to see how valuable their contribution has been. Our local partner ask that the volunteers are careful not to do any tasks that their travel insurance does not cover.
Please note that many activities and projects are weather/ season depending. If the volunteers contact our local partner about volunteering, they can give them more information on activities that will be undertaken at the time they are within the project and also see where their personal interests and skills may be most beneficial. There may not always be English classes or traditional handicrafts, such as bamboo weaving, for example.
Participation : our local partner has been self-sufficient since its creation thanks to the volunteers participation. In order to keep the Project running and expanding our local partner charge a small fee from volunteers. The fee is mainly used for buying food to feed everyone involved with the project (volunteers, staff and our partner's wider family who live at the site ), paying wages for the local staff, and if the organization still have some left it goes towards buying materials and tools – for building projects, teaching, sign painting etc. This equates to $10 per day. Our local partner requires that the volunteers pay at least the 2 weeks minimum on their arrival and than the rest within the first week if they are staying longer than 2 weeks. Refunds will only be made under exceptional circumstances. Our partner just wants to ensure that the volunteers are fully committed to them, just as they will be committed to the volunteers. The volunteers are welcome to pay by bank transfer before arrival but our partner will charge an additional 5% due to associated fees. Please contact our local partner before hand if you would like to do a bank transfer.
For groups over 6 people, please contact our partnering organization, as we they will calculate your costs differently on a case-by-case basis.
The price covers the following:

• free lift out to the site of the project (return lift is possible but exact times cannot be guaranteed);
• three delicious meals a day, fruit and drinking water;
• accommodation;
• 20% discount when stay at Sengkeo’s guesthouse in Vang Vieng;
• a safe box available but the volunteers must bring their own padlock.

Visa : for most countries it is very easy to get a one month visa on arrival. Just remember to bring a passport photo and around $30 - $45 American dollars (depending on your nationality).

• the volunteers must make sure they have a pen for filling in the forms;
• if the volunteer arrives on a weekend, early in the morning, late at night or he/she hasn't got a passport photo, make sure to bring some spare dollars as they will charge $1 extra for all the above;
• in case the volunteers will stay within the project longer than one month, our local partner is glad to assist to extend their visa.

More information on : https://www.laos-guide-999.com/laos-visa-on-arrival.html

The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).

What do we provide ?

• training before and after the project ;
• health insurance during your project ;
• round-trip travel reimbursement ;
• accommodation and food ;
• pocket money ;
• language course ;
• return Week-end ;
• Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport.
  

Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.