To be active in the Khongdistrict?

It is possible!

Basic principles:

Always contact Adrie de Koning first. He is chairman of the Stichting Vrienden van het Khongdistrict. He will do the intake and together with volunteers will make a temporary plan, considering all parties involved.

A growing number of volunteers are helping our projects. This is very good. In a relaxed way the population is introduced to new ideas and viewpoints. They decide themselves what ideas to work with.

The activities of volunteers ask a lot of attention, time and energy of our committee members. They are the key figures of our organization and therefore have many other tasks. They also have their families vying for their attention. Up until now the committee has been able to coach all volunteers. We have to take in consideration, however, that not all volunteers can be met in their chosen period of time.

Together with all concerned, we have to plan more. If possible present yourself as soon as possible and let us know what your favourite time schedule is. We understand it is not possible to plan a world trip in days. Often it will present no problems and  the people in the Khong district can adapt to this. Only  more and more applications reach us and our people over there need time in between various groups of volunteers. Do have consideration for this!

Our foundation does not have an official status yet (that is why so much is possible). This means that volunteers are responsible for themselves.  Our organization can not take responsibility for the wellbeing of the volunteers yet. Of course the people within our organization will help you where they can, but this is the clear principle. This situation can change for the better soon, out local committee is busy registering themselves.

We don not charge extra because you help us. Naturally you pay for your board and lodging. This is possible in a guesthouse nearby or you can do a homestay. Transportation, an interpreter and possible project costs may be paid by our foundation. Of course consulting beforehand is a must. 

When you are in the Khong district:

If you can and will drive a motorcycle, we suggest to hire one, this will give  you much freedom and will make it easy for the KDC. 

Gifts:

(Children’s) clothing, school materials, soap, toothpaste and Laotian books are suitable things to offer.  However, do not hand out gifts without consulting the KDC. So, no balloons, money or sweets! This is very important!

We do not want to start a culture of begging. Unfortunately here in Laos there are some bad examples of this.  The committee promise that help will reach the people who really need it. Of course you will be fully involved in this. 

Costs

Do not pay anybody before consulting KDC. Of course, this does not include costs you make for yourself e.g. the guesthouse, your food and possible rent of your motorbike. 

Telephone

Most contacts with Ging&Dong and the Netherlands are via e-mail. When you actually are in the Khong district a mobile phone is preferable. When there are language problems for instance, a short phone call with Dong may  prevent of solve many problems.

When you are active on a project, realize  that you cannot mail daily. If you have a motor bike you can drive to Khong island, where you can mail. 

Interested?

We will show  you a possible script for volunteers starting in the Netherlands; this could be different for everybody, for if you are already on your way, you still can apply. Unfortunately then we cannot fill you fully in.

Step 1

Volunteers are getting interested

Step 2

People contact the chairman (Adrie@helplaos)

Step 3

Adrie reacts and asks for more information: why do you want to help? Do you have any ideas yourself? What is your background? What did you learn and what are your experiences? Do you want a clear plan beforehand of do you like to react to local circumstances? When do you expect to be in the Khong district? Is it possible to pay a visit to us in Nootdorp and talk about the possibilities together?

Step 4

The volunteer(s) read all available information. Read the info on the website carefully and  the reports of people who have already been there. Then you make a temporary plan and discuss this with Adrie de Koning. You can do this by  mail, telephone or personal contact at our home. Adrie takes care of communication with those involved in Laos. Together we make a temporary plan.

Step 5

The volunteer(s) receive(s) information via our expert volunteers Ging and Dong in the capital (700 km north of the Khongdistrict).

Dong is a Laotian and has an extensive network on a national and regional scale. She is an expert in starting small scale projects. Ging is a Filippine and is an expert in organizing, planning and health care. They speak English fluently and will be the link between our local committee (Khong Development Committee, KDC) and you as volunteers.

It would be wonderful if you could meet them in the capital Vientiane. Then you can benefit from their knowledge and experience. Together you could plan more concrete what you will be able to do in the Khong district. They use their direct contact the have with the KDC.
For many years they have been working with the people in the Khong district and have coached many volunteers. They will plan important meetings, and communicate with the parties involved.

When your itinerary does not permit a visit to Vientiane, you also can contact them via mail and telephone. A consult in Vientiane with Ging and Dong, however, is very valuable and prepares  you better for your activities in the Khong district.

Ging and Dong are used to coach foreigners, they have workable ideas, and know the people and their situation in the Khong district and know their responsibilities. Dong consults the KDC, and they show the plans to the local authorities. Done this way it is only a formality.
Ging and Dong keep you informed of developments and may coach  you on the spot. Mail is a good way and a mobile phone is easier still.

The intended activities are communicated with all involved. Then the volunteers can travel on.

Step 6

One day before you will arrive in Nagasang, you’ll contact Dong. She will organize your first meeting between the KDC and the interpreter. Therefore, we especially ask you to stay the first night in the Njin Sabaai Guesthouse between Kinak and Nagasang. They will come and pick you up there. The guesthouse is clean and you can breakfast there. Backpackers are seldom seen there. Not only can you sleep at the Njin Sabaai Guesthouse, but later you can also sleep at Don Det or Don Khong. There you may meet many backpackers ( perhaps you can promote our cause), in this case you will have to organize something for easy contact with our committee.

First the KDC will discuss the plans with you. In their turn they will discuss it with the authorities of the district. Mostly this will be only a formality.

Step 7

Together, you do the promised activities.
Make short notes how the process is going.
Write a clear guide so that other volunteers may profit from your experiences and may copy or adapt your project(s).

Step 8

Saying goodbye

Feel your way how the KDC should wish you to act, or just ask how your last days may be!

Step 9

Share your experiences with future volunteers. Write down all your frustrations, highlights and thoughts . See that all you developed together meets paper or files.
Do give our organisation, The KDC, other people involves and future volunteers good tips.

Finally

Everything in Laos goes slowly and people are wholly used to plans going differently and maybe slower than planned. For them the relationship with the people involved much more important than the result. Everything has to go nicely and relaxed. We should learn from tthem!

Do not worry about deadlines and careful day to day planning, but enjoy being with the Laotian people.

There is a Laotian who speaks English very well. He is our interpreter and gives private lessons in English to those who are interested. Therefore he is not always available. It is very important to make good appointments beforehand.

Spending the night at Don Det or Don Khong can be good for our project, we would like to introduce our project to tourists and offer (day)trips.

Do discuss the possibilities to let the local population profit (in a sensible way) from  tourism with owners of guesthouses and tourists.

A student of the Haagse Hoge School will probably do research in this field, however, she stays in The Netherlands.

We would like to have more pictures of life in the Khongdistrict.  When you did not bring a video camera with you, you may find a tourist who has one and would like to join you for a day.

As you can see, many wild ideas, but do not feel you have to do any of them.

Just you think and mail Adrie! Tell him something about yourself, e.g. why do you want to help, what education did you get, which are your useful experiences or what ideas do you have?

No pressure at all, the only thing we want of you is a pleasurable intercourse with the local people.

Making and doing plans is nice and useful, but development and change mostly occur in the heads of people and it is very difficult to measure those.