Laos

VSO has been active in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) since 1987, working primarily on community based natural resource management and rural livelihoods. VSO has played a leading role in supporting local civil society organisations.

Secure livelihoods

VSO works to support Lao communities, local authorities and extensions workers to maintain, strengthen and diversify rural livelihoods through low-external input agricultural techniques; diversification of production and improved outcomes from production (nutritional, market). We support protection of access to and quality of individual and communal land and water resources.

The objectives set out in the 2008 secure livelihoods programme area plan are to:

• increase food security and agricultural production in local communities

• support and enhance sustainable use of, access to, and control of local resources by local communities

• build capacity of local government counterparts to support secure livelihoods at the community level.

• build alliances with and in support of relevant civil society organisations.

In Laos VSO also hosts and works with the Sustainable Agriculture and Environment Development Association (SAEDA), a Lao NGO that supports farmer's groups and extension workers and promotes organic agriculture.

National volunteering

VSO supports and works with Huam Jai Asasamak (HJA) – United in Volunteering. HJA works with rural, ethnic and female youth, creating opportunities for them to become actively engaged in development work in their home communities. HJA also encourages local and international development organisations to build opportunities for ethnic youth in their programming and to value the knowledge and skills that local, rural ethnic youth contribute.