Experience and expertise
We organize our programs with a heart for the Laotians, witnessing our fundraising and schools that we have built in Laos.
Thanks to our volunteering program, Let Laos Learn is a must for people looking for small-scale and sustainable tourism with a high impact for the locals. You receive an experience regular tourists never have. |
At a glance ....
- Let Laos Learn was founded as a Belgian non-profit in 2006.
- Over 1,300 children have attended classes in one of the schools we have built.
- In 2012, our local partner organization (called FruitFriends) in Laos was with the aim of improving and expanding the quality of our projects.
- In 2018 Let Laos Learn was recognized as INGO by the Lao government.
- Did you know all Westerners in our team are volunteers?
Mission
- We want to support as many local villages as possible by building and renovating their official schools. We do this together with the local Department of Education who is organizing official education in these schools. By providing quality infrastructure we hope more children attend classes and early school will stop.
- We organize after school activities and classes for local teenagers and children in our own training center. Our students have difficult access to continued education and activities. We cooperate with the local tourist industry and hope that our students have access to a good job in this industry. Besides this we want to provide activities where youngsters can participate. We not only want to provide theoretical knowledge but also provide them other skills that you cannot learn at school, like communication, initiative …
Our volunteers from all over the world
Offcourse we are nowhere without all our volunteers, both in Laos but also in Belgium where a lot of fundraising activities are organized.
In Belgium (main office): Ward Reekmans (chairman) ☯ Rudi Troosters (vice-chairman) ☯ Theo Reekmans (treasurer) ☯ Board members: Ket Vannatham; Lucie Vanderhoven; Roos Truyers; Tim Smolders; Valentijn Vanderlinden ☯ And a lot of symphatisants organizing fundraising activities.
In Belgium (main office): Ward Reekmans (chairman) ☯ Rudi Troosters (vice-chairman) ☯ Theo Reekmans (treasurer) ☯ Board members: Ket Vannatham; Lucie Vanderhoven; Roos Truyers; Tim Smolders; Valentijn Vanderlinden ☯ And a lot of symphatisants organizing fundraising activities.
In Laos (local office): Over 350 volunteers have been volunteering at our projects. Have a look at our facebook page & Instagram to meet them.
Our "volunteering in Laos" team
Ward Reekmans coordinator & MENTOR |
Ket Vannatham COORDINATOR |
Timo Van Acker AMBASSADOR & mentor |
Ella Schuermans AMBASSADOR & mentor |
Volunteering abroad difficult? Not thanks to our experienced volunteering team. They will help you preparing your adventure in detail. You can can contact them if you have further questions or if you want a presentation in your organization or school.
- Originally from Belgium, Ward volunteered for three years on different education projects in Laos. He coordinated the construction of all schools and led a local organization with the focus on education projects. Ward is in the possession of a certificate in “Community-Based Development” and speaks Lao fluently. Ward is also LLL's chairman.
- Born and raised in Vang Vieng, Laos, Ket personally experienced difficult access to quality education, thus instilling the need for education for the current community. Ket is also an LLL board member. Ket is building a bridge between our mentors and local team, she connects with our local team in case if special wishes occur regarding your placement in Laos (e.g. a special diet).
- Timo already volunteered twice at our projects for a couple months. Our youngest students call him "Timo Piba" which means "Timo is crazy", just to give you an idea how loved he is by our students. Timo is an ambassador and the mentor for our volunteering team. You can always connect with Timo if you want a presentation at your organization (at least in the area of Antwerp). He also is a mentor for upcoming volunteers and provides predeparture information for them.
- Ella also was previously a volunteer at our projects in Laos. She also fundraised for tables and chairs for our own education center. You also can connect with Ella if you want a presentation at your organization (area Leuven - Hasselt). She also is a mentor for our volunteers providing predeparture information.
OUR LAO TEAM
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Our Interns in Laos
As an example of providing education to the community, through a scholarship-intern program, we have two local girls on staff at the volunteer house. We pay for their education, and give them an outlet to improve and perfect their English skills by working with the volunteers. In time, we hope that they will become full-time LLL staff.
Mui |
Aumphone |
We are only visitors of this planet.
We are here for no more than ninety or one hundred years at the most.
During that period we must try to do something good, something useful with our lives.
If your contribute to the happiness of others,
you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.
Dalai Lama XIV
Why choose to be part of our adventure ....
Expertise
The experience we have built in Laos cannot be overestimated. We are active in Laos since 2006. Over 1,300 children followed education in one of our schools, volunteer coordinators speak smoothly Laotian and understand the Lao culture in detail. The perfect ingredient to create the perfect experience for you.
Flexible in volunteering
Our programs run all year round. You choose, when and how long you will cooperate in our programs.
Impact
We ensure your stay and effort has a positive impact.
Small-scale
Our small scale makes that everything, from preparation to your stay, takes place in a family atmosphere. An atmosphere that is very important in Lao culture.
Passion
Our passion is Laos, and we want to share this passion with you. We also want to deliver you the Lao “virus”. We will not only show you Laos, but also let you feel, smell and experience the country and its culture. You will be short of senses during this unique experience.
Own projects
With Let Laos Learn we do not believe in “voluntourism”. Our projects are established by ourselves and do not make somebody’s else projects our projects. We continuously cooperate in different fundraising activities for these projects.
The experience we have built in Laos cannot be overestimated. We are active in Laos since 2006. Over 1,300 children followed education in one of our schools, volunteer coordinators speak smoothly Laotian and understand the Lao culture in detail. The perfect ingredient to create the perfect experience for you.
Flexible in volunteering
Our programs run all year round. You choose, when and how long you will cooperate in our programs.
Impact
We ensure your stay and effort has a positive impact.
- Impact on the local community: We work on a sustainable way and have extensive experience in Laos by understanding that the locals know best what is good for them. We believe that bringing together different cultures is a win-win situation for all of us.
- Impact on you: We are a social organization. Living and working with and in the local community gives you the opportunity to grow out of your comfort zone.
Small-scale
Our small scale makes that everything, from preparation to your stay, takes place in a family atmosphere. An atmosphere that is very important in Lao culture.
Passion
Our passion is Laos, and we want to share this passion with you. We also want to deliver you the Lao “virus”. We will not only show you Laos, but also let you feel, smell and experience the country and its culture. You will be short of senses during this unique experience.
Own projects
With Let Laos Learn we do not believe in “voluntourism”. Our projects are established by ourselves and do not make somebody’s else projects our projects. We continuously cooperate in different fundraising activities for these projects.
Foto: Ward & Ket during a fundraising activity, a great example of our commitment.
Transparency
Let Laos Learn strives to be a completely transparent organization, annually we provide our financial statements to the department of justice in Belgium according the law on non-profits. Symphatisants, donors and volunteers can also follow our local operations in detail. You can read more about our transparency by following this link.