Published 24th March 2020
LUANG PRABANG, Laos: For Laotian boys, joining the temple at a tender age means that they will have their education heavily subsidised and receive better opportunities in the future. For the girls, however, their reality tells a different tale.
Girls from remote villages are instead forced to work or get married at a young age – and very few receive education at the secondary school level.
It was this inequality that inspired Mr Sithong Sokphonexai to launch Lala Laos, a social enterprise that provides girls from the countryside with the opportunity to pursue higher education in the city some three years ago.
“When I became a novice monk, we did not pay for anything, and people from the village offered everything to us. That is what I want to do for the girls as well,” he said.
“I now provide the girls with everything from shoes, clothes, uniforms and pay for their education fees,” Mr Sokphonexai, 28, added.
Through LaLa Laos, Mr Sokphonexai donates 50 per cent of the profit earned from selling handmade items, including t-shirts and accessories, to fund the girls’ education.
Currently, he cares for five girls from different villages, aged between 13 to 15 years old. Apart from funding their education, he also shelters them in a home away from home: a dormitory within cycling distance from their respective schools.
This allows the girls to have their lunches at home before returning to school after their one-hour break is over.
At the centre, the girls are also taught various handcrafting skills such as jewellery making, as well as the basics of entrepreneurship from Mr Sokphonexai, which gives them a sense of achievement outside of their studies.
For one of the girls, 15-year-old Sent Maitekhone, the handicrafts she makes have become a source of pride for her.
“I love LaLa Laos because we get to make things like jewellery and reusable bags. I am proud of making these bags out of old newspaper and not plastic. I take them to school and show it to my classmates,” she said.
“I really enjoy it. I like working with (Mr Sokphonexai). We are like a family, we work together,” Sent said.
Mr Sokphonexai believes that girls like Sent can contribute greatly to their own village once they complete their education.
“In Laos, boys like me are lucky, we can go to the temple, become novice monks and then everything is free,” he said.
The youngest of seven children, Mr Sokphonexai was the only member of his family who was given the opportunity to study in the city, after he was sent to a temple to become a novice monk at the age of 12.
And while he was grateful for the opportunity, the founder was upset that his sisters could not pursue their education further, he said.
“My eldest sister is a very good artist, she can draw anything from memory. My other sister is very good at math too.”
“Everyone told my parents that they should send them to school in the city but they simply could not afford it,” he said.
His sisters’ plight fueled his desire to provide a better life for his family, and at the same time, the ability to give girls like his sisters a better chance at receiving a proper education.
Mr Sokphonexai then began working at a hotel restaurant to earn enough money to continue his studies at a university.
During his time working at the restaurant, he came across two American tourists who then decided to sponsor his college education – giving him the head start to sell his first t-shirt prints.
Today, seeing Mr Sokphonexai’s efforts and vision for LaLa Laos, the two women continue to support LaLa Laos by being significant donors.
“Every time they come to LaLa Laos, they tell me how proud they are of me because they can see that LaLa Laos is doing better year after year,” he said.
“They also cry because they feel lucky to be able to support LaLa Laos with a fund set aside for us every year.
Ultimately, Mr Sokphonexai hopes that tourists travelling to Laos will visit his shop, see what goods they have to offer and strike up a conversation with the girls, which allows them to practise their English language skills.
“My family is very happy and proud that I can continue my education with the LaLa Laos organisation. They are waiting for me to finish school so I can have a better life and help provide for them as well,” said 13-year-old Sommai Lorvanin.
“I am also happy to continue my education in Luang Prabang because my goal is to become a nurse. I want to help others and help them get better when they’re sick,” she added.
“I want more girls to come to LaLa Laos, stay at the dormitory, experience the city and have an education just like us,” said Sent.
To support Mr Sokphonexai's efforts in giving young Laotian girls a brighter future, please visit dothekindness.org/donate. Your contribution will be much appreciated. ∎
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