Poor children in 13 targets schools around Vientiane will benefit from new network protection and increased understanding from the promotion of children’s rights.
The initiative is being undertaken the Dongsavath Children and Youth Development Association (DCYDA) with the support of the World Education Foundation (WEF).
The Association started in 2008 focusing on proving after school activities to emulate a fun environment to discourage students abusing drugs, dropping out and engaging with young people to participate in helping their families and development in the community.
The 4 schools of Dongsavath Primary, Donkoi, Nahay, Oudomphol were originally targeted in 2008 under the network programme.
Head of the DCYDA, Mr Phonexay Inthaleuxay, spoke to Vientiane Times last week after the opening of a workshop in the capital on the protection and promotion of children’s rights.
“Our association was founded trying to help children develop to their full potential and protect them from any harm and we will continue this with the students of 13 schools in Vientiane,” he said.
For 2017-2019, he said DCYDA would continue out of school activities targeting students from Dongsavath Primary, Nahay, Oudomphol, Nongbuathongtai, Danxang, Nongnieng, Chommanytai, Xangleun, Sinak, Ilay, Phiavat, Nakha and Khoksivilay Schools.
The association faced one challenge with the families: violence against women and children is still a common matter. It is seen as a private affair, like in many countries around the world, where the way a parent disciplines his/ her own child falls within the parent’s rights, he said.
“I think our association needs to support these schools to strengthen their capacity in the protection and promotion of children’s rights, including in the local people’s communities around Vientiane,” he added.
He explained they were improving their support for teachers by supplying information to parents of students to reduce dropout rates in target primary schools
because many lacked enough education. A senior official from the Vientiane of Education and Sports Department said there was a need for projects that addressed the protection of children’s rights in the city as well as remote areas.
She said the association gave children the feeling of security and being cared for along with knowledge to help poor children and youth solve their own problems and avoid drug abuse. A large number of poor children in the city faced various problems because they lack education. At present, this network mainly focused on children who are already in school. But it was also crucial to persuade both children and their parents of the importance of a good education, she said.
According to DCYDA, currently, around 20 percent of Lao children are out of school because they live in poor families.
Source: Vientiane Times
