Laos
Working closely with Lao Women's Union and Lao Red Cross, we focus on boosting the income and health of older people in remote rural areas.
We also help them stay active, empowered and engaged through older people's groups.
Life story: Mr Thong, 69
Mr Thong is happy with the new latrines in his village.
Mr Thong, 69, has lived in Pakxeng district all his life. He has seven children, and two step daughters, and 14 grandchildren.
His family have been farmers all their life, but due to their advancing age they only plant enough rice to last six months now as they cannot manage to weed any more.
Mr Thong also works as a day labourer and manages to make some additional income from his skills as the village blacksmith and as a basket weaver.
When the older people's groups were first set up, Mr Thong said: "No one has ever paid attention to older people before. I hope the project will benefit the poor people in the village."
A year after the latrines in his village were built, Mr Thong seems more convinced. He said: "I'm feeling optimistic about things".
"Having a nice clean latrine has certainly made life much easier, especially for my wife who's not so nimble on her feet as me.
"Usually this time of year a lot of people in the village, especially the older people and children, would be sick. But this year people are much healthier."
The difference we made in 2010-11
- We set up 20 older people's groups, with more than 1,000 members between them.
- More than 650 members of the older people's groups joined livestock banks which loan pigs and goats at low interest rates and train members to care for their animals.
- We worked with older people to build 1,023 household latrines in 18 villages and more than 7,000 people in 16 villages now have access to clean water.
What next?
- We will continue to support the existing 20 older people's groups.
- We are working on a new project to support older people in other districts in Luang Prabang province.
See how older people's groups help communities in Laos
Our partners
Lao Red Cross, Lao Women's Union
