NO NEWS LETTER FOR LAOS DECEMBER 09

Gday. Hope you’re all really well and not as wet as us. As no news is good news this is an almost perfect newsletter. Our kids are all doing well. Nobody’s dropped out of the course. No elopements or arrests or desertions. We are approaching the final straight for most of our students and they’re all still running their little hearts out. I could go on with these sporting analogies forever but I’ll spare you.

Assuming we’ll be able to find someone to sit the dogs, Jess and I will be going to visit them in February. We won’t have a chance to get to Luang Prabang but I’m assured the girls there are doing just fine. Of course we won’t be able to visit Big Brother Mouse either but they’re doing fine too. (www.bigbrothermouse.com).

The Lao government is currently attempting to make the publishing of books as complicated as possible throughout the country. Goodness knows we don’t want books flooding the place, contaminating the minds of prospective road diggers and rice planters. But where there’s a will there’s a loophole and experience in Laos helps point you in the direction of ways around.

I’ve been in touch with a young fella called Martin Momoda who’s been busy producing English text books with Lao text relevant to Lao learners. Apart from a series of dubious high school textbooks currently used by the government, (which I should have been working on but they threw me out before I could get started) most students studying English use culturally inappropriate text books all in English. “See Thomas shovel snow from his rhubarb patch.” Martin is operating on a low price, low profit margin hoping to sell to NGO’s who can distribute them up and down country to places that can’t afford them. He’s put a lot of heart into his books and they work. Donations would enable him to send to rural schools. Check it out for yourselves at
http://www.momobooks.asia
or please refer anyone interested in my direction.

As our scholarship programme will have a hiatus for a couple of years as we check out the results of our endeavors so far, I’ve been negotiating in other areas. I know a lot of you will be completely lost without someone to sponsor and I feel it my duty to feed your addiction on an ongoing basis. More of this in the next newsletter.

On the limb front, COPE have a new batch of bad taste new year cards and more incredible deals for sending body parts to your nearest and dearest. As always, they can be found at
http://www.copelaos.org

And apart from wishing you a joyful holiday period and a vital and momoriphic new year, I think that’s it. Thanks.
Be good,
cc

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 09 FOR LAOS

Hello folks. Sorry for the delay again. We’re still drying out here after a month of rain but it’s all good for the garden. All is well in Laos. We still haven’t lost any students and everyone’s back at the chalk face working hard to get to the end of the course. I was hoping that those of you who haven’t paid yet could either do so or let me know that you won’t/can’t as, if I’m left paying for your students, I’ll have to start writing either faster or better to increase my annual income.
   Here’s a note from Chantavone:

Dear Colin and Jessi,
Today (Sept 18th) I went to LNT TTS to give the semester 1 fees to our 21 sts who are still studying in LNT TTS. Unfortunately, one student(Thong lai, the smallest one) is having a cold, that's why he 's not in our group photos. All the rest are in good health and they are grown up a lot. They send their best regards to you all for their support and wish that you could arrange your time coming to see them before they finish their study, seventeen people(including Thong lai) are gonna graduated this academic year. They don't want to put their nametags, they would like you to identify which one is whom, do hope the old file could help you. Mr Khamthonh, director of LNT TTS, Mr Somlatt, Eng teacher also send you and all your friends the best wishes and hope to see you or David again in LNT. Good luck
Belated thanks to Samantha and everyone at her school for the book fundraising effort. No news from Cope or Big Brother Mouse this time so I’ll just let you see some pictures of the students so you can tell they’re still being fed and look happy enough. Thanks to you all from me and from them.

Some shots of the Luang Nam Tha crowd with Chantavone in the middle.

The girls in Luang Prabang still looking solid if not jolly.

And two new Hmong at the National University. Khayvanh and Yengyang are sitting here with last year’s two recipients. Notice the increase in confidence.

My best wishes to you and your families (and Merry Christmas just in case I don’t get another newsletter out beforehand.)
Col

NEWSLETTER JULY 09 FOR LAOS

Hello all and a happy July to you. You’ll be pleased to hear that, in spite of these troubled economic times, we have made our budget for the forthcoming academic year. That is to say, what we haven’t yet received in actual money has been pledged sincerely and that’s good enough for me. I know some of you had to struggle this year; selling periphery family members into white slavery, taking in lodgers of dubious middle eastern persuasion, digging those stiletto heels out of the wardrobe…to make ends meet. And I really appreciate all the effort you’ve put in.

Jess is in Bangkok begging the British embassy for a visa right now so for the past few days I’ve been doing maths. That’s, like, numbers and stuff. I think I’ve got it right but you might want to check. I failed CSE maths at school which is like failing handclapping or nose picking. Here’s what I’ve come up with.

Number Student Name System Education Fee Practicum Fee Sponsor AMMT

LUANG NAM THA
1 Mr. Chaphanoy 5+4 350+176 Grad Kay	$526
2 Mr. Savath Ngenangla 8+3 350+176 Grad Jessi C	$526
3 Mr. Khampheng Manysone 8+3 350+176 Grad Nancy	$526
4 Mr. La Keosinxay 8+3 350+176 Grad Eva	$526
5 Mr. Sompong Sisomphone 8+3 350+176 Grad Margaret	$526
6 Mr. Thonglai Vilaikham 8+3 350+176 Grad Steph	$526
7 Ms. Vanhsone Sendthisuk 8+3 350+176 Grad John c	$526
8 Ms. Sompane Sittthi 8+3 350+176 Grad Mark/nancy	$526
9 Ms. Ann Thampanya 8+3 350+176 Grad Sylvia	$526
10 Ms. Phetdavanh Keophakham 8+3 350+176 Grad Melody	$526
11 Ms. Sengkham Hormue 8+3 350+176 Grad Vickie	$526
12 Mr. Talon Bouaxaiyavong 8+3 350 Kathy	$350
13 Ms. Khamsone 8+3 350 John D. M	$350
14 Ms. Sivan 8+3 350 Steve N	$350
15 Ms. Souvongkhan 8+3 350 Martha	$350
16 Mr. Keoseng Bounthavixay 11+2 350+157 Grad Deborah	$507
17 Ms. Chuen Lathavong 11+2 350+157 Grad Eric	$507
18 Ms. Sengchoum Duangsengphet 11+2 350+157 Grad Dan	$507
19 Ms. Kom Vilaisone 11+2 350+157 Grad John D. M	$507
20 Ms. Chong Inlavanh 11+2 350+157 Grad Samantha	$507
21 Ms. Somchit Pimmavong 11+2 350+157 Grad Deborah	$507
LUANG PRABANG
22 Ms.vimala 11+3 GRAD Jose
23 Ms.Inkham 11+3 GRAD Jose	$350
24 Ms. Ngeunseng 11+3 GRAD Jose	$350
25 Ms. Deng 11+3 GRAD Jose	$350
	$350
HMONG AT NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
26 Ms Yengyang Year One Kathy	$1,200
27 Ms Khayvanh Lochuapo Year One Andrea B	$1,200
28 Ms My Jowlee Year Two David	$1,200
29* Ms Bowyang Gongjee Year Two CC	$1,200
TOTAL	$16,428

• The 30^th student, Mr. Khuamhuk, graduated at the end of last semester.

I’ll be handing over the money to my man, David this weekend who will in turn be carrying it over to Laos next month. unless he gets mugged. I’ll let you all know if he makes it.

It’s a really impressive amount (assuming I didn’t put the comma in the wrong place) and, even if we don’t continue after our sojourn next year, I think we can all pat ourselves on the back. We are in the process of putting thirty new teachers in classrooms and most of them would never have made it to college without your help. Thank you so much. Those of you who don’t have GRAD before your name will have to continue to support your students for another year (in the case of Luang Nam Tha) or for several more years in the case of the Hmong gals.

On behalf of Chantavone in Laos and all the kids, I thank you very much.

Off to England for…no, can’t tell you.

NEWSLETTER LAOS - MAY 09

Hello folks. Hope this newsletter finds you all in good health and rolling in money.

SCHOLARSHIPS
Hard as this may be to believe, we’re all organized and ready to roll for the new academic year around August. I’ll be contacting those ofyou who already have kids and breaking the news to you as to exactly what chunk of your gross wealth I’ll be hitting you for this year. This should give you a couple of months to take in laundry or find a second job. The good news is that if I do ask you for extra for teaching practice it will be your last year to support your kids. They’ll be graduating in 2010 and you’ll be free to spend your money on those little luxuries you’ve given up for us. We won’t be taking any new students in the coming school year. Chantavone will follow up on all our boys and girls and see whether the grand plan of them returning to their home villages and teaching is realized. If we have a good turnout, we’ll probably start taking on students again in 2011. But I’ll keep you posted in the meantime. Thanks to those who have contacted me to ask if you can support a Hmong girl at the national university. The provincial education department is currently vetting applications and we expect to have two new girls for this coming year. Again, I’ll contact you individually and let you know the details. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more than two so expect a last minute plea. As usual I’ll take care of the money at this end so no rush to transfer. I know these are hard financial times.

BOOKS
Three of the Big Brother Mouse books can now be downloaded from their website (http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/), and they’ll add more in the next month or so. They may be useful for people learning Lao, or teaching Lao, or who have children that they'd like to learn it. If you have any Lao friends overseas they might be interested in this opportunity.

BODY PARTS

And this from Jo at COPE.

The noteworthy thing that has happened is that we have opened a cafe called the Karma Ice Cream Cafe where you can buy books, buy stuff with cartoons on and enjoy a great coffee and the most original ice cream flavours in Vientiane. The project is going well and we are currently expanding our outreach programme to try to make sure that as many people as possible are aware of services available to them.

We are also about to release a book in conjunction with Big Brother Mouse. The story of Santar is a true story, developed into a cartoon with the aim of educating children about road safety, the need for all children to go to school even if they have a disability and affirming a need to embrace difference. The book will also contain details of how to access services so that children can disseminate information. Due to be launched any day!

I’d like to wish you all a very happy May and tell you that my chest swells with pride every time I think that there are still people in the world who give a shit. I’m serious. You’re listed alongside pink-tailed iguanas on the WWF endangered species list. Thank you all very much.
cc

NEWSLETTER LAOS JAN 09

Hello All
welcome to the year of the ox from a dragon and a rabbit.not a lot of news to impart. just a friendly note to bind our littlecommunity together.

BOOKS

Our friend doris from germany is in laos at the moment donating books and sponsoring someBBM activities with funds she raised from family and friends. thanks doris.

SCHOLARSHIPS

no dropouts, no dramas, no damage so far. i even got an email from one of our gals at the national university. it was in english, a language she couldn't speak four months ago. when last in laos we leftsome extra money for the luang nam tha kids to take evening classes if they wanted to. most were interested in lao language and maths. but the college, as so often happens in laos, decided the study fees wouldbe three times the going rate. we know this is because of our international connection and it's one of the nasty traits of administrators over there who invariably get greedy and ask for more than they need. sometimes they get away with it but chantavone has held back the money until the teacher's college gets real. i support her in this. we hope that by next semester they'll have got it right. laos can be a very difficult country to help.  

i'm hoping to build up my reserve list of potential donors early this year so i'm not stuck in the usual august panic. if you knowanyone who's interested, please feel free to give them my address.we've had a couple of pledges to support hmong girls at the universityand i don't know how many will be allowed in under the quota thisyear, but i'd like a couple more donors as backup. no hurry for any oft his.and i guess that's it.

we'll be going to laos again this year as soon as we find someone to look after the dogs
.i hope life is trotting along fruitily for you all and many thanks forall your help.
best wishes
col and jess  

AGAIN!