pass your books we're going to build a library!

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

Updates from Laos

Hi there!

Here are some updates about the progress of the Singapore-Laos Friendship Library in Nong Duang Secondary School, Vientiane. The info comes from Peter, our coordinator in Laos who also runs the Dragon Lodge where we will be staying during the expedition:-

1. Team 1 from Ngee Ann Poly was in Laos from 08/03/07 to 22/03/07 and they did a great job in completing the building of bricks walls for the entire library.

2. Team 2 also Ngee Ann Poly was in Laos from 22/03/07 to 05/04/07 and they have completed the plastering of all the brick walls of the library.

3. Team 3 from ITE College East will be in Laos from 31/03/07 to 14/04/07. They are presently constructing the corridor for the library and the work involves making wood form-work for the pillars of 0.9 metres in height (17 numbers), casting with hand made concrete, tying reinforcement bars to pillars and sawing of steels and wood for the corridor's ceiling.

All three teams have conducted classrooms classes, played sports with the local students and bonded very well with both the students and teachers.

4. By the way, Bartley Sec Sch students and teachers (17 pax) came on 10/03/07 and left for home on 15/03/07. They painted NongDuang Sec Sch.

5. Our Singapore Minister for Education visited the school on 12/03/07. Spoken to both Bartley and Ngee Ann Poly students and teachers.

The Vientiane Times (Laos National English Newspaper) reporter came to visit Team 2 from Ngee Ann Poly on 03/04/07, took pictures and interviewed the students.

The Director of Laos National Library came to visit the school on the same day, 03/04/07. Commented that she will make Nong Duang Sec Sch's Library a model library for all other schools to follow.

The VIP for the 2nd Team Baci Ceremony on 03/04/07 was the Deputy Director from the Ministry Of Education Head Office, Prime Minister Office.

Looks like the progress on the library is going really well. Next up, the teams from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore Buddhist Lodge and our NUS Rotaract Club!

Edwin

fromtheteam @12:09 AM ::

We Are...

A bunch of students from all over NUS, going to Laos on a community service project, to help build a library for a Secondary School in Nong Duang Village, Vientiane.

Hwang Samut Mittaphaap - that's the name of the project aka Singapore Friendship Library in English.

Together with our peers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, ITE College East, NAFA and Singapore Buddhist Lodge, we're actually the last team to go! We're helping to establish a Library Management System and hoping that through this, the 700+ children at the school will have access to a wider range of reading materials and a more conducive environment to study in. Hopefully the library will help in giving the children a good education!

Please do help us out by donating some of your books or buying our team tshirt!

Get in touch by emailing us at nus_project_laos@yahoogroups.com