Laos

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CONTEXT

History: Independent since 1949 after 50 years of French protectorate. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy and the Lao People's Democratic Republic came into being in December 1975. The constitution was promulgated 14 August 1991. Since 2001, a decentralization or deconcentration process is on its way granting a high degree of independence to the governors of the 16 provinces.

Ethnic groups: more than 47 official ethic groups which however belong to four major groups: Tai Kadai ou Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, the Mon Khmer or Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong ("Meo") , the Yao (Mien) 9%,  and the Tibeto-Burman (Akha)  group and finally Vietnamese/Chinese 1%.

Religion: Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40%

Economy: 46.1% of the population live below the poverty line.

Handicap International is present in Lao PDR since 1997.

ACTIVITIES

• Base line studies, sensitisation, awareness raising, extension services based on active participation of the beneficiaries (participatory planning, implementation and management) in the domains of agriculture, livestock, credit, health (cholera, malaria, dengue fever, mother and child care), hygiene (drinking water, sanitation).
• Institutional capacity building or strengthening of partner services.
• Generating of dynamics among the target population to plan and manage their own development
• Transfer of appropriate technologies in agriculture (improved techniques for rice cropping, alternative farming techniques to progressively replace the slash and burn practice, contour line cropping, crop diversification, integrated approaches, mechanisation and animal draft), livestock (diversification, vaccination, veterinary services, training) and in health (training, refresher courses, equipment, disease prevention, sensitisation in local languages, sanitation, awareness).
• Infrastructure: drinking water (dug and drilled wells, source catchments), latrines, markets, health centers, feeder roads and bridges (to improve the accessibility of decentralised infrastructures such as hospitals and markets).
• UXO (remaining from war bombs)  until today UXO demining remains of foremost importance. All demining activities for the Handicap International program will be part of the workplan of UXO Laos and its partners (in Savannakhet province: Handicap International Belgium) 
• CBR/CAHD: projects in Xaisomboun province where Handicap International will ensure the economic integration of the rehabilitated persons through its community development activities.

The direct beneficiaries are the entire population of the target zones with a special regards to extremely vulnerable individuals and groups such as disabled persons, women heading households, households with disabled people in charge, ethnic minorities with no voice in the villages committees.