Child sponsorship update from Vientiane, Laos

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Vietiane, Laos from October 2008

Dear Friends, Dear Sponsors,

It is our pleasure to send you our deepest thanks and great gratitude for your generous support to our SOS Children’s Village Vientiane / Lao PDR. May we take this opportunity to present our progress report during the second half of year 2008 to you.

The total number of children is at the moment 189 ( 68 girls and 121 boys) including 20 boys staying at youth house, 16 girls and 34 boys living at boarding schools and hostels. 4 of them were newly admitted in July into the village: 2 siblings into family house No 01 and 2 siblings remained into family No 10.

In August we moved 6 boys from village to youth house and 6 eldest boys from youth house to boarding schools and hostels too.

In June 2008 eight children ( 4 boys and 4 girls) completed their education: 3 girls “ Toun” from FH No 03, “Noy” from FH No 05, “Pamy” from FH No 07 obtained a certificate on cooking and Hotel administration branch for 2 years and are working now at some restaurants. One active girl “Sone” from FH No 04 enjoys with her job at one computer shop after finishing the IT Branch for 2 years. We are very proud of our well- behaved boy “ Choy” from FH No 03 who finished an Architect-Engineering branch for 5 years and is working now at one private construction company; the 3 remained boys are looking now for a job such as “ Phanh” graduated as a bachelor degree of English, “Keota” obtained a Diploma on Agricultural branch and “Vone” on It branch .

Children growing up with love

The new academic year 2008-09 started since 1st September 2008, 188 children are enrolling in various schools: 10 in Nursery School, 50 in primary level, 19 in lower secondary, 32 in upper secondary, 46 in colleges and 31 in University.

As usually during their school holiday from June to August, our children joined the special activities programme: some weak children had a tuition course, some part of them participated in a training work outside; some boys from youth house came to join the village maintenance. The children who have just finished the high school had to work hardly for the entrance to university and vocational school. The most popular thing for them is an excursion at water fall followed by a funny picnic there; but some boys preferred to be priesthood.

The village mothers and aunts take care of their children with love and respect to each other; all of our children are growing up with love and security in the warm atmosphere of the family life. They joined a refreshed training with other mothers and aunts from different villages in last June.

On behalf of children, village mothers-aunts and all of us here, may we take this opportunity to express our deepest thanks and warmest regards to you. Your generous support and your kind help mean so much for our children. We pray in every evening for you to have a good health and peaceful life. We would like to send you our very special wishes for the soon coming Greetings Seasons

“ MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009”
Yours Sincerely,

Mr. Soumata DENGCHAMPA, National Director & Mr. Boonmee SEEPELOM, Village Director