Australian Embassy helps school in Champassak

(KPL) In May, the Australian Embassy in Vientiane provided direct aid to Phalai Primary School in Phatoumphone district, Champassak province, after a savage storm hit the small rural village tearing off the majority of the school’s roof panels, according to the Australian Embassy in Laos on 26 August.
Before the onset of the wet season, the Australian Embassy wasted no time in approving an application to its Direct Aid Programme, enabling the purchase of 258 new roof panels. Reconstruction efforts were facilitated by Phalai Village authorities and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) who currently have three projects working in the area. Additional support was also provided by the district chief and the Global Association for People and the Environment (GAPE).
“Getting the roof on now means that the building will be protected from further damage and students can return to school on time after the holidays” said Mr Orahan from the District Education office.
Phalai villagers held a hand-over ceremony when the panels were delivered to the school which was attended by the deputy district chief, Mr Somphone Komsaysana, representatives from the District Education office, school teachers, villagers and WWF staff. The school director, Mr. Khammouk Inthavong, expressed his deep appreciation for the assistance, with Paul Eshoo from the WWF Sepien Ecotourism Project, responding on behalf of the Australian Embassy and the WWF.
The Direct Aid Program (DAP) is a small-scale grants program managed by the Australian Embassy in Vientiane. The purpose is to support projects that address basic humanitarian hardship and reduce poverty by directly assisting poor and disadvantaged groups in the areas of community health, schools and education, small-scale infrastructure, rural development and the environment.

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