Programmes

Our Strategy, How we work

Our strategic goal is to contribute to the measurable improvement in the well-being of the most Lao vulnerable children and to improve the quality of life for their households and communities.

We aim to empower the communities we serve to take part in building a “fullness of life” future for their children, and the will to carry out the work that transform community members, making families stronger.

By focusing primarily on Nutrition and Education, our Projects seek to improve the whole community access to those life’s basic essentials.

Our Projects emphasize:

  • the needs of the most vulnerable children
  • long-term viability and sustainability through community engagement and ownership
  • gender equality
  • disability inclusion
  • advocacy
  • transformational development

We are committed to best-practice governance processes, to efficiency and effectiveness, to preventing the exploitation of the people we serve, and to engaging the Government, civil societies, corporate sector as well as the public.

While we might initiate a project or be invited, our work is always dependent on the consent of the communities involved. We are only a partner in this process: we provide a safety net, technical support and finance. It is people themselves working towards their own development.

What we do

Nutrition

The most damaging effects of under-nutrition occur during pregnancy and the first two years of a child’s life. These damages are irreversible; hence dealing with malnutrition in the first two years is crucially important. We seek to address the causes of malnutrition with special focus on children below 5 years, pregnant women and mothers with specific interventions for each target group.

Our nutrition response is focused on

  • Improving access and utilization of health care services to all families, especially pregnant women
  • Improving the knowledge and practices of families on appropriate child care, nutrition and care seeking
  • Improving access and investment on nutritious food through economic development, agriculture and  food security activities
  • Reducing incidences of water, sanitation and hygiene related illnesses linked to malnutrition
  • Improving gender-equitable relations in decision-making and workload distribution
  • Strengthening multi-sector coordination and support for nutrition (nutrition governance)

Related Projects:

  • Accelerating Health Agriculture and Nutrition (AHAN) (2018-2022) - Savannaketh, Salavan, Attapeu
  • Building Secure Livelihood (2018-2021) - Luang Prabang, Savannaketh, Khammuane, Champasak
  • Timed and Targeted Counselling (2018-2021) - Luang Prabang, Savannaketh, Khammuane, Champasak
  • Farming for Nutrition (2016-2018) – Luang Prabang
  • Animal Gift (2016-2019) – Luang Prabang, Savannaketh, Khammuane
  • Health in ADPs (2010-2018) – Luang Prabang, Bolikhamxay, Savannaketh, Champasak, Khammuane
  • Livelihood in ADPs (2010-2018) – Luang Prabang, Bolikhamxay, Savannaketh, Champasak, Khammua

Education

We work along with communities and children, including the most vulnerable, access quality education and attain functional levels of literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. When children can read, they can better advocate for their rights and help provide for their families.

We use a lifecycle approach that focuses on the needs of children at all stages of development.

Our goals for children:

  • Children read, write and use numeracy skills
  • Children make good judgements, can protect themselves, manage their emotions and communicate ideas
  • Adolescents are ready for economic opportunity
  • Children can access and complete education

A holistic approach to Education

We work with parents, teachers, community members and local partners to ensure that:

  • Teachers know how to make learning effective and fun
  • Caregivers are equipped to help their children learn in the home
  • Community volunteers are trained to host after-school activities
  • Whole communities get the opportunity to create learning materials for children that reflect their traditions, values and language
  • The Education Governance system is strengthened and supported

We also promote school environments where children’s rights are protected, including through sound infrastructure and proper water and sanitation system. This ensures children have the best foundation for learning. 

Related Projects:

  • Unlocking Literacy (2019-2021) - Savannaketh, Champasak
  • Fit for School (2019-2021) - Savannaketh, Champasak
  • Seuksa Soumzon (2019-2020) - Luang Prabang
  • Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR (2016-2018) – Khammuane
  • Education in ADPs (2010-2018) – Luang Prabang, Bolikhamxay, Savannaketh, Champasak, Khammuane

Child Protection and Participation

We work with all actors in children’s lives to address child protection issues across the continuum of care. We do this to help plan interventions that:

  • Prevent the issues from happening
  • Respond to issues and protect children when they occur
  • Help restore children who are affected by such issues to a state of well-being

At the centre, World Vision’s Child Protection programming seeks to protect girls and boys from all forms of violence (as defined by United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child) as a critical contribution to child well-being. We are committed to being a safe organization for children and we promote child safeguarding amongst our partners.

We believe that child and youth’s meaningful, safe, and appropriate participation is a key strategic priority for ensuring sustained child well-being and creating democratic societies with informed and engaged citizens.

Related Projects:

  • End Violence against Children-Youths and Prevention of Trafficking project (2016-2019), Savannaketh
  • Samaki Project (2018-2021)
  • Promoting and protecting social and cultural rights (2016-2019), Savannaketh
  • End Trafficking in Person (2012-2016), Savannaketh

It takes a world to #ENDviolence against children campaign

World Vision’s global campaign (www.wvi.org/ittakesaworld) commits the organization’s full weight behind the goal of ending violence against children, building on the lessons learned from local programmes in more than 60 countries. In Laos, we joined the #ENDViolence against children campaign launched by the Government of Lao PDR and we will join the international campaign from 2019- 2021. Specifically, we will seek to do this by:

  • igniting movements to catalyse changes in attitudes among all our partners
  • raising awareness and driving courageous and effective action;
  • strengthening prevention, response and restorative measures to address violence against boys and girls;
  • increasing long-term, targeted funding and
  • ensuring greater accountability for the implementation of existing and new commitments to end violence.

Humanitarian Emergency Assistance

When an emergency happens in Lao PDR, we have been there responding to the immediate needs of those affected, and we aim to stay for the long run to help rebuild their lives.

We are investing in building community resilience so that the communities where we work will be prepared to face any disaster. In particular, we have been integrating Community-Based DRR in our Livelihood and Nutrition Program.

Our ultimate goal is aimed at preserving life, preventing and alleviating suffering and strengthening resilient communities affected by any kind of disaster including slow onset.

Some of the major emergencies we have responded to in the recent past are:

  • Tropical Storm Son-Tinh Flooding in Khammuane and Savannaketh (2018)
  • Flash Flooding in Attapeu (2018)
  • Flooding in Northern Provinces (2016-2018-2019)
  • Flooding in Bolikhamxay (2015)
  • Typhoon Wutip (2013)