In rural communities in Laos, there is no shortage of challenges in school education. But having proper floors shouldn’t be one of them.
Maiphouan is 14, and today looks forward to going to school, even though she wasn’t always a motivated student. “It was hard to focus,” she says, explaining that she and her friends used to have coughing fits during lessons. Their classroom, an open bamboo hut with dirt floors, didn’t have the infrastructure to support their wellbeing. “A cloud of dust would appear every time someone walked by or when we cleaned the classroom.”
Maiphouan’s school, located in a rural community in Houaphanh Province, was in urgent need of renovations. The roof was leaking, and the building was cramped and dilapidated. The school lacked basic learning equipment and resources.
To help improve the learning environment for children like Maiphouan, and make sure they continue their education, ChildFund in Laos constructed five new, fully furnished school buildings in Houaphanh Province. These buildings were designed to create a safe and supportive learning environment and encourage all children, regardless of their background or circumstance, to pursue higher education.
Barriers to learning
For many children living in rural communities in Laos, factors such as poverty, accessibility and traditional beliefs have long prevented them from going to school. Families live in isolated, mountainous areas, far from schools and without vehicles or public transport. Poverty means that children sometimes need to work, instead of going to school, to support their families’ income.
Children in these areas who do attend school learn in overcrowded classrooms without adequate equipment and learning materials. There is also often a shortage of teachers and poor school facilities. These are just a few of the challenges children face accessing a quality education.
Restoring students’ focus
ChildFund and local partners helped to build four new classrooms, enabling children in Houaphanh Province to enjoy a cleaner, safer, and more comfortable learning environment. Maiphouan says that her old school building made it impossible to study. It had no windows and a dirt floor that became muddy and slippery when it rained. The roof was also full of holes.
With their new classrooms, Maiphouan and her friends can now breathe a sigh of relief. “I like the new school building, especially the concrete floors,” she says. “We can now breathe fresh air. We don’t get wet when it rains and, in winter, the classrooms aren’t freezing. We can concentrate on our studies all year round.”
New dormitory improving school attendance
ChildFund transformed Maiphouan’s old school building into a dormitory. Nouanthong, the school director, says that having an option to stay on campus instead of spending hours commuting each day, has had a positive impact on student attendance. “Last year, there were only 70 to 80 students, but now there are 115 students,” he says. This includes 72 students from ethnic minority groups, mostly the Hmong.
Student engagement has also increased thanks to the new school buildings’ modern amenities and facilities including unisex toilets, a well-stocked library, and classrooms complete with chairs and desks. Nouanthong says the support of ChildFund has improved children’s attitudes towards learning. “The students are now highly motivated to attend school and look forward to lessons.”
Do Good. Feel Good. Gifts for Good.
If you’re looking to give a meaningful and lastinggift that also gives back, you’ve come to the right place. From charity birthday gifts to Easter charity gifts, ChildFund’s Gifts for Good catalogue is packed with a variety of life-changing items that support the wellbeing of children, families and communities living in poverty around the world.
With our range of gifts that also benefit charity, you are giving meaningful presents for your family members, friends, loved ones, and work colleagues while also making a difference in the world. Whether it’s charity Christmas gifts, birthdays, anniversaries, Hanukkah, Eid or Diwali, you’ll bring greater meaning to the gesture of giving with Gifts for Good. A gift of a dozen chickenscould make a great charity Easter gift, or donate life-saving birthing kits for mums for Mother’s Day or for baby showers.
Long-time ChildFund Australia supporter Carol Vleeskens buys Gifts for Good several times a year as Christmas and birthday presents. “I buy a whole heap and keep the Gifts for Good cards in my cupboards because they don’t go off and get eaten like my chocolates!”
Not sure where to start? Here’s everything you need to know about giving Gifts for Good – the perfect gift for any occasion.
What are some other great occasions for gift-giving?
Gift-giving isn’t limited to the holiday season. There are numerous occasions throughout the year when you can express your appreciation, celebrate milestones and make a positive impact with Gifts for Good. Here are just a few suggestions:
Birthdays: Celebrate another trip around the sun with a unique and thoughtful Gift for Good. Whether it’s supporting education, healthcare, or community development, a charity birthday gift not only brings joy to the recipient but also contributes to making the world a better place.
Work Anniversaries: Mark the dedication and hard work of your colleagues or employees by acknowledging their hard work with a meaningful Anniversary charity gits. Gifts for Good offer a special way to recognise milestones, creating a culture of appreciation and shared values within the workplace.
Weddings: Instead of traditional wedding favors, say I do to making a lasting impact by gifting your guests with wedding charity gifts or donations. Charity wedding gifts not only add a meaningful touch to your special day but also contributes to causes that resonate with you and your partner.
Retirements: Celebrate the culmination of a career with a retirement gift that goes beyond the ordinary. A charitable donation in honor of the retiree allows them to leave a lasting legacy of kindness and compassion.
Special Achievements: Whether it’s completing a degree, achieving a professional milestone, or reaching a personal goal, commemorate special achievements with a gift that reflects the recipient’s values. It’s a thoughtful way to acknowledge their hard work and dedication.
Mother’s or Father’s Day: Express love and gratitude with our Mother’s day charity gifts that can be found in our Gift for Good catalogue. Choose a cause that aligns with their interests, creating a heartfelt and impactful way to celebrate their role in your life.
Company Milestones: When your company reaches a significant milestone or achieves a noteworthy goal, consider marking the occasion with a collective contribution to a charitable cause. It’s a meaningful way to celebrate success while giving back to the community.
What are Gifts for Good?
A range of charity, life-changing gifts that help support children and families living in poverty around the world. The items listed represent some of the many tools and resources that form part of our child-focused development programs.
Where do the gifts go?
We pool all gift donations to maximise the impact you make, allocating your contribution when and where it is needed most. For example, we would never give a community more chickens than they could possibly need. Once your donation is processed, 100% of the funds are sent to our country offices overseas to purchase and deliver the gifts you have chosen.
While gifts relating to education, health care and livelihoods are regularly included in the catalogue, we added some great new items in 2023:
Help support children and their families all year long with these life-changing essentials!
How can I choose a Gift for Good?
It’s easy! All you need to do is choose your charity gift from our Gifts for Good catalogue and you’ll receive beautiful postal or printable e-cards that you can personalise and give to the person you’re buying for. This card also explains the life-changing gift you’ve given on their behalf.
Your Gift for Good will go to where it’s needed most, supporting children, families or communities living in poverty or facing conflict or disaster.
Add a personal touch to your gift
With more than 40 impactful Gifts for Good items available, you can find a unique gift to suit the interests of your friends, family, colleagues or loved ones. For Carol, choosing the perfect Christmas gift means finding one that’s meaningful for both the donor and the recipient, and benefits the wider community.
“I will try and match the gift to the person,” she says. “For example, I have a friend who works in public health so I gave her the gift that provides children with mosquito nets. And if I know someone who is passionate about gardening, I might give them one about seeds or trees.”
Gifts for Good is where Carol goes to buy all her presents. “Gifts for Good is fantastic because I don’t have to think!” she says. “I don’t have to go to the shops and spend time thinking about what someone has or doesn’t have, or if something is in their colour scheme. I don’t have to don’t do any of that.”
A gift of a lifetime
No matter what the occasion, you can give a charity gift with our Gifts for Good. After all, the real magic of any celebration is spreading cheer and kindness and giving to those in need.
Whether you choose to donate a dairy goat or bright future bundle, you can bring deeper meaning to your presents and deliver lasting impact to the lives of thousands of children and their families.
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