Feed the children - the smart and Lao way

We do have numerous NGOs here and consultants, spending tens of hundreds of overpaid well paid hours on project plans and concepts how to ensure that school kids have good food. And then, sometimes things just happens while people take their faith in their own hands and just act.

This happend in a school in Sokpaluang. The kids from a secondary school (so I was told) just didn't like the lunch the school was providing. They complained the food was bad. So they went to a nearby restaurant and talked to the owner. This place isn't a very cheap place, and usually is has a lot of falang guests. Not the first place school kids might choose.

In Fact, they did, maybe because they though if Falang eat there the food must be better than in their school. But there was this budget problem: they just can't afford the dishes from the menu. "No problem" said the owner, a very smart Lao women. Since her shop has a focus on fried chicken, she talked to her supplier if he could deliver smaller chicken wings. He confirmed, and she created a menu for the school kids: Chicken wings, rice and a healthy fruit shake. The dish is sold for 10.000 KIP.

You may think this is too much, and chicken wings aren't the most healthy food. That might be right, but: It is way better than what they get at school. They will spend the money anyway, but maybe for chips, chewing gums and sweets. And: they learn that something good has a value. You pay a bit more, but you get something better.

The kids go there everyday, with permission of teachers and parents. They behave well - or better learn how to behave in a restaurant - and they enjoy the school break and can take a rest. No institution involved, no consultant. Somethings good things just happen.

Emergency exits in Children Hospital locked

Careful parents when visiting the Childrens Hospital at the Mitthapap Hospital. The doors at the main entrance facing the street are locked, although they are emergency exits. I also found emergency lights pulled off the power plug.
The childrens hospital, constructed with the support of Korean taxpayers, seems to be another example that Lao authorities don't care about these gifts, they just let it run down as any office here and then beg for a new one.

This main door is locked with a padlock.

Power is plugged off.

In this particular case they even risk the death of tens if not hundreds of people in case of a fire, because when I was there only a small backdoor in the ground floor was open. There is no excuse for that, everyone should be aware of such security risks and act. For me, publishing it in my blog is may way of acting.

I saw this once in Vietnam at Medical Family Care, when doors were locked as well and fire exits blocked. A day after I mentioned this, the problems was solved and the management apologised.  Unfortunately I couldn't find a website for the Korean-Lao Childrens Hospital.

Child labor in Laos

You don't have to go far to see child labor in Laos. It is sometimes right in front of you. Two days ago, suddenly some people showed up in our street and started digging a small rift on both sides of the street. When I asked my Lao neighbors what they do I was told they renew the fresh water pipes. So far so good. A short time after I took a closer look, and saw actually kids digging the dirt up. They were not more the 10 year old. The whole crew seemed to be Hmong people. My neighbors explained to me it is a family business which was contracted by the village chief office.

This opens the question how far a family business can go. It is school break now, so maybe the kids just helping out. But is hard work the right thing to do? How about other family businesses? Where does helping out ends and when does exploiting starts? It is a difficult question to answer. Personally I would say: Hard work isn't for kids unter 16 years, and school always comes first.