If you google “Phoukhuone Laos”, not much information appears. There are a couple of posts by intrepid travellers who have to cross the town on their way somewhere in this landlocked country, bordered by Myanmar and China (north), Vietnam (east), Cambodia (south) and Thailand (west).
One post talks about a milkshake stop, one talks about there being flies everywhere.
In a Wikipedia posting about Laos, explaining that it is made up of so many districts, if you click on the Phoukhuone link, it comes up empty. Airbnb however seems to have a couple of listings in this remote town in Laos, located in the Province of Luang Prabang.
Phoukoune, Laos: Three hours’ drive from Luang Prabang.
Phoukuone (also spelt Phou Khuon) is a three-hour drive from Luang Prabang, the much-visited World Heritage Site attraction. The ancient capital of Laos is a charming place that’s largely been preserved for tourists. In the morning, you wake up to watch the monk ceremony and in the day, you spend your time walking and exploring the town (which possibly has the best free wifi network in South-east Asia), and having cool Lao beer by the Mekong River. It’s a wonderful place to spend a couple of days, as I have done a few times over the years.
Of Phoukuone though I know very little – the only thing I am certain is that it doesn’t have free wifi like Luang Prabang – and it’s one of those times when I say “I wish I was there” and really mean it – because yesterday morning, something special happened in this village. It was the official opening ceremony of Pakheng Noy, the first school and dormitory for young girls in the district.
Traditional dances to celebrate the official opening of the first school and dormitory for girls in the district.
Yes, nearly two years after WIT raised funds for Project Hammer – US$60,000 of which went to the Sok Sabay organisation led by nurse Marie Cammal for this project in Laos – the school and dormitory which will give young girls in the district a chance at a future is finally opened.
Nick Gundry of Project Hammer, the organisation which WIT supported during its Charity Auction of 2014, was there and he told me that nearly 500 people showed up for the ceremony.
The village chief made a speech about how important it was to give young girls an education and the headmistress who will be living in the school and looking after the students said, “It’s important that men protect young girls and ensure equal opportunity.”
Said Gundry, “It was very moving. Some of the parents were so happy they were crying. Their daughters now have a chance at a future.”
This is a poor and troubled area of Laos. Young girls are susceptible to trafficking – there are no education opportunities. They have to walk long distances to schools and because of that, their parents don’t send them to schools. A child in school is also one pair of hands less for the farmer parents and parents opt to send boys rather than girls.
Marie Cammal in class with the first batch of students who come from three different ethnic tribes
The first intake comprised 64 girls, aged 12-17, from three ethnic groups – Hmong, Khmou and Lao Loum – coming from 12 villages. The capacity is for 200 students eventually.
It was always Cammal’s dream to return to Laos – to finish where she started. The French-born registered nurse first came to Asia when she volunteered to work in a Lao refugee camp in Ubon, northern Thailand in 1980.
That trip changed her life. She never returned to France and instead spent the rest of her life working in Asia. In 1983, she worked in Singapore for the United Nations and for the last 27 years, she’s been in Cambodia, dedicating her life to helping children, through her organisation Sok Sabay.
“I started with Laos and I will finish my life’s work with Laos. It’s my dream,” she told me in an earlier interview.
Thank you to everyone who contributed towards the WIT Charity Auction in 2014. You’ve made many dreams come true and given young girls a chance at a future.
From left, Marie Cammal, Le Noy, the Lao official who helped Marie on the ground, the headmistress and Nick Gundry of Project Hammer.
