ORGANIC FARM
VANG VIENG - LAOS
During 2004 The Farm worked in cooperation with local villagers and foreign volunteers to build a community center for Phoudindaeng Village. The Center is located on a hill overlooking the Song River valley, commanding a rather inspiring view. The building was built from local materials as much as possible, using unfired bricks, mud plaster, and local lumber (see the photo at left). We decorated it with discarded bottles and basic construction materials applied as a relief sculpture on the walls.
The Center was constructed by our local villagers with help from foreign volunteers. Much of the work was done during school holidays so that the children could be involved and help with the project. After the walls and roof were built, doors and window frames were installed and "mud" applied to seal and secure the windows. Local plant fibers were used to reinforce the "mud." Some of the young girls made ropes of mud and fiber for use around the doors and windows. Others helped by carrying the mud to the workers. The final step of the construction was the application of a special mud plaster to the wall surfaces. When all of the construction was complete, the walls were painted to protect them from the elements.
The Community Center is available for use by all of the residents of Phoudindaeng Village.
A second community center is currently (as at February 4, 2010) being built in Nathong Village with the assistance and expertise of foreign volunteers. The Sae Lao Project, under the coordination of Sengkeo (Bob) is working in cooperation with the EEFA Project. To find out more about this project and how you might help, click here to see the EEFA website.
Website edited by Sigrid Wili and designed by Ward Reekmans