Child Club helping a school girl find her passion

“The child club activities taught me a lot about ways to improve my life skills. What do we do in the club? We learn traditional Lao dances, child rights songs, and ways to protect ourselves from traffickers and how to use cameras to take photos. We also play sports and games,” said 10-year-old Toukta, a grade 5 primary school student.

Toukta is the group leader’s assistant. “My role is to inform the members of each club meeting and gather everyone when each session starts. I help the leader organize the activities because it takes a lot of work teaching 30 children,” Toukta said.

She lives in World Vision Atsphone programme area with her 4 siblings and parents who are farmers. Like many people in their district, rice plantations are their main source of food and income.

“I was very happy to join the child club because the activities help me work on my confidence, show my talents and skills. I was able to perform a traditional Lao dance during the opening ceremony of a new bridge in my village and during the National Teacher’s Day celebrations. I was happy and proud of myself,” Toukta added.

Before attending the child club, Toukta was very shy and quiet. “I hope the child club in my village will continue because it really helps children develop their life skills faster, especially for shy children like me,” she shares.

“Before having child club activities at the school, children in our village did not really see the importance of education and did not pay attention when necessary. Some students even dropped out of school in the middle of the year and parents didn’t intervene. However today, parents and children are interested in education and encourage each other to continue learning. Nowadays, 100% of the children of school age are receiving an education,” said the village Education Committee staff.

“In 2014, World Vision implemented education programs in our school, built a secondary school and facilitated child club activities. I was very surprised with the changes I saw in my students as they went from being quiet and shy to confident and focused on their studies,” said Phoukung Sengsisoulath, the primary school’s principle.

“I dream to see my school even more beautiful, with playgrounds for students to play on together during recess. I think that would help students find interest in school and be excited about learning,” Toukta adds.

“When I grow up, I want to become a doctor to help cure sick people,” she says. “I am so happy to have the chance to join this child club at my school, where I can build confidence and make good friends."