In Laos, access to education and Socio-economic status are closely related. This is due to a lack of free education in Laos and is exacerbated for rural students, who do not have access to schools in the villages. As a result, many young students leave their families and move to larger cities for access to education. This is a very difficult thing for many of these children/teens as they have no way of covering the costs associated with studying and living whilst there.

This project is working directly towards the indicators of UNSDG #4, Quality Education, by increasing the number of scholarships available for Lao students. This helps to achieve increased access to education. Our aim is to assist locals in gaining opportunities to continue and further their educational journey by supporting fees and associated costs for male and female students who may otherwise not have the chance to study, ultimately contributing towards tackling SDG 10- Reduced Inequalities.

One report shows only 4% of college/uni grads in Laos live below the poverty line as opposed to 47% who didn’t have access to education. We aim to improve students’ ability to increase their socio-economic status and their capacity to contribute to the development of their communities and country. Ultimately, we aim to provide equal access to education, scholarships and employment opportunities for men and women so that they can meaningfully contribute towards the development of Laos.

Through a thorough interviewing process, conducted by local staff, we identify youth in need of support. In addition to providing access to English education and skills development through our other programs, should the individual be deemed in need of assistance, we seek to provide a scholarship to increase their access to educational opportunities. Students with sponsorship are less likely to drop out due to economic pressures and therefore more likely to succeed in the long term.