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February 28, 2008
News about Khempone-Lao PDR
Ms. Khemphone, former participant of Leadership Development course 2006, is working on CBR project of Handicap International Belgium. We found her name in the following article presented on the website of Lao Disabled People's Association (LDPA).
The Community Based Rehabilitation Project of the Belgian organisation Handicap International is continuing to help more disabled people find permanent work through a vocational training programme this month.
The project received 150 million Kip ( US$15.000 ) this year from the Georg-Kraus Stiftung Foundation in Germany through Handicap International to train disabled people to produce handicrafts. Three courses will train a total of 18 people over four month periods at the Lao Coco project in Vientiane un the scheme. The first course was held from June to September this year, the second began earlier this month and will run from February 2008.
Lao Coco workers for fashion handicrafts out of the coconut, shells, such as waches, boxes, necklaces and puppets. Of the five peoples who completed the first course, four are now working with Lao Coco and one has returned to her home in Salavan province to produce items there, according to project assistants Mrs Khemphone Thongsythavong. The current course has six
participants, all of whom live in Vientiane. The project is currently seeking applicants from around the country for the next course, although Mrs. Khemphone pointed out that people from other provinces without relatives in Vientiane may have difficulties, as Lao Coco does not provide
accommodation. The project provides a wage of 400,000 Kip per month for participants and spends 40,000 Kip per day on meals for the group. After completing the course, trainees to receive tools they can use continue the work at home. The staff also help trainees to find work after the course by contracting organasations factories and offices to search for vacancies.
“ We provide both disabled and able-bodied people with a skill. These coconut products are in high demand, and Lao needs more workers to kick-start commercial exports ” said the director of Lao Coco, Mr. Michel Saada. He added that the main domestic markets for the handicrafts in Vientiane and Louangprabang provinces, will overseas markets includes France, Italy, Germany and the USA.
http://ldpalaos.org/Links/coco_eng.htm
Posted by jicafriends at February 28, 2008 11:40 AM