LAI Newsletter issue 4

MITTAPHAP ISSUE 4 | NOV 2016

Inside issue

LAOS AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER

6 Australian Prime Minister’s visit to Laos

Inside issue

No4

8 Australian Foreign Minister confirms strong Australia-Laos ties 16 A woman’s commitment to wildlife conservation 18 Local writer aims to combine education and entertainment

The Laos Australia Institute is managed by Coffey, a Tetra Tech company, on behalf of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

LAI NEWSLETTER

Message

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Update from the Ambassador discussed a number of options for the second phase. The Minister and other senior Lao officials spoke positively about LAI’s achievements to date, and underlined their preferences for the second phase of the program, which will run until June 2021.

Challenges looking forward will include the need to consider new and innovative approaches to scholarships, to make sure local labour market requirements are being met, and individuals provided with the qualifications their employers need.

The next phase of LAI will include in-country delivery of skills training

by Australian training providers, and further investment in management and leadership, particularly for women.

It’s great to be back to our normal work in the Australian Embassy after what has been a busy year of regional negotiations and high-level visits from Australia, as the Lao PDR has chaired ASEAN for the second time.

But with every challenge comes an opportunity. We were delighted Prime Minister MalcolmTurnbull was able to present Australia Awards scholarships to this year’s recipients, alongside Vice President Phankham Viphavanh. Mr Turnbull and Dr Phankham also officially opened the newly refurbished LAI premises in central Vientiane at the 7 September event, attended by the Minister for Education and Sports, Mme Sengdeuane Lachanthaboune, and Minister for Planning and Investment, Dr Souphanh Keomixay. Mr Turnbull was visiting Laos to attend the East Asia Summit and inaugural ASEANAustralia Summit.

This year’s Australia Awards was an excellent outcome for gender equality in Laos, with women making up 20 of the 31 recipients. Congratulations

to them all. And best of luck to the final group of 2015 Australia Awards recipients completing their preparations before departure for Australia in early 2017. The group also got to meet Mr Turnbull and Dr Phankham at the LAI event, and ask Mr Turnbull questions about life and study in Australia.

We were equally thrilled Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms Julie Bishop, was able to present certificates to the second class of 75 students to graduate from the National University of Laos under our local Laos Australia National Scholarships (LANS) program. Mme Sengdeuane joined Ms Bishop at the 27 July graduation ceremony – there are around a thousand photos with graduates to prove it!

Back in May, I was pleased to chair with Dr Souphanh, the High Level Advisory Council for the Laos Australian Human Resource Development Program. The meeting considered the findings of a mid-term evaluation of the LAI program, and

I was happy to see many of you at the Annual Australian Alumni Event in March – an opportunity for returned scholarship and private Australian alumni to catch up and network. The event also included representatives from Australian universities in town for the annual Education Exhibition.

(L to R) The Minister of Education, the Vice President, the Australian Prime Minister and the Minister of Planning and Investment officially open the refurbished LAI and FLRC building on 7 September 2016

Stay tuned for a number of alumni events over the next 12 months, including a return of the popular Q&A forum in December, and further business networking events building on the success of the AustCham Lao event with young entrepreneurs in early July. 2017 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Laos. We will be counting on our 1000-strong alumni network to help us celebrate!

Stay tuned with all the Embassy news on the Australia in Laos facebook page. And keep up your links with Australia through the Australia Plus television network, now available on Lao Cable TV. The Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and the Minister of Education Sengdeuane Lachanthaboune congratulate LANS graduates on 27 July 2016

John Williams

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LAI NEWSLETTER

Message

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Message from the Director

As you can see from this edition of Mittaphab, it’s been a very busy time for the Laos Australia Institute.

In recent weeks we have had the pleasure of hosting events with two very special visitors, the Australian Prime Minister Mr Malcolm Turnbull and the Foreign Minister Ms Julie Bishop. Their visits to Laos for a range of ASEAN meetings offered an opportunity for the Australian aid program to highlight the value of Australia Awards and Laos Australia National Scholarships in helping the development of human resources in the country. I would like to pay tribute to the hard work of LAI staff and our colleagues at the Australian Embassy in making these events so successful.

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Following a mid-term evaluation process in March and April, the program has been redesigned. A new second phase is due to start in July 2017, but a number of new activities will begin before then.

The Canberra Institute of Technology has been selected as the Australian training provider for the in-country Competency Based Training pilot program, which kicks off in November.

Around 30 staff of the Ministries of Home Affairs and Education and Sports will study for Certificate IV and Diploma qualifications. LAI has also received news that Flinders University were successful in their proposal for an Australia Awards Fellowship program for Laos. This year there will be a record number of Australia Awards Fellowships for Laos. There was more good news as the Australian Embassy has secured funds for an English training

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program for the disability sector.

LAI will be closely involved in the implementation of these programs.

Elsewhere in this edition you will see stories and photographs of the Australia Awards intakes for 2016 and 2017. The LAI scholarship team has been working with the awardees on English testing and course selection, while those students starting in Australia in January are going through their final preparations with our partners at Vientiane College.

In October and November LAI will be selecting the 2016-17 LANS scholarships in conjunction with the National University of Laos and

Souphanouvong University. And the third intake of GOLPET students has recently started a six month language program, also at Vientiane College.

Finally, please look out on our website and social media for upcoming Australian alumni events, including another popular Q&A forum scheduled for December.

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Bill Pennington 1. The Australian Prime Minister and the Vice President congratulate new AAS recipients 2. 2017 AAS awardees with the Minister of Education, the Vice President, the Australian Prime Minister and the Minister of Planning and Investment 3.The Lao Vice President and the Australian Prime Minister officially open the refurbished LAI and FLRC building MITTAPHAP | 4

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LAI NEWSLETTER

News Update

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Australian Prime Minister’s Speech at the Laos Australia Institute after graduating returned to Laos to work on a national science technology and environment agency. She went on to win a Fulbright scholarship to study for a master’s degree in the United States after which she returned back home to work in the Laos telecommunications sector.

Opportunities like these Australia Awards open doors. This morning I met with your local café owner, entrepreneur and coffee roaster Ariya Khamvongsa, better known as ‘Pop’.

He too studied in Australia, not just at university but he studied as a barista in a very practical way. He brought back the knowledge he acquired to Laos and he launched a string of thriving businesses. What these stories illustrate to me – and I always say this about the Australian people and our workforce but it’s no less true here – is that your greatest asset is the creativity and the ingenuity of your people. Our greatest assets are our people. It’s our capacity to innovate which allows us to address and solve our most intractable problems. It’s why Australia has placed a strong focus on innovation at home and in our aid program.

The Australian Prime Minister at LAI Vice President, Ministers, Ambassadors, distinguished guests; it is great to be here at the Laos Australia Institute. I want to thank the Vice President Dr Viphavanh for joining me to open the Institute.

Also thank the Director of the Institute Bill Pennington and his counterparts at the Foreign Languages Resource Centre for hosting us here today.

As you know I have flown in from Hangzhou China, after attending the G20 Summit for my first official visit to Laos, to Vientiane, during the ASEANAustralia and East Asia Summits.

When I think about the next phase of growth in Asia, I see the Indo-Pacific as the epicentre of opportunity. We are living in times of unprecedented and rapid change and Laos sits on the crest of that wave. You are one of the region’s smallest nations and yet you have one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies. People in Laos and across the region are connected

to the global marketplace and each other as never before. The Laos Australia Institute is part of this movement. The 31 exceptional young people receiving scholarships today, now you are too. You join a pipeline of more than 1,200 of your fellow countrymen and women who over three decades, travelled south to study in Australia on Australian Government scholarships.

The Minister for Education spoke warmly of her time at Deakin University in Geelong and has benefitted enormously from that Mr Turnbull’s selfie with Vientiane experience, as indeed did Australia International School students from your time in Australia and we thank you for that.

You have returned home as leaders and global citizens. Take Phavanhna Douanboupha for example. Phavanhna came to Australia with a scholarship to study engineering and IT at the University of New South Wales. She lived and studied in Sydney for five years and

Through our basic education program here in Laos, which the Minister spoke about a moment ago, we’ve established an Innovation Fund to encourage new solutions to the biggest problems. We know for example that in remote areas of Laos, many children don’t have access to books. But many do have access to a television, so under the Innovation Fund the local film production company SB Clay Studios, will pilot an educational television program, the first of its kind for primary school children in Laos.

return on that investment in the years ahead. It’s an investment in Laos and it’s an investment in the ties our two countries share.

For a very long time education has been a key element in our strong bilateral relationship. I’d like to congratulate the Laos Australia Institute for its commitment to strengthening these bonds.

I have no doubt the Institute will continue to do outstanding work in these refurbished premises to support Laos’ development and to strengthen the links between the people of our two countries, because the benefits of those close personal links produce much more than increased economic growth figures. They drive the cultural exchange, they drive the strength of bonds that are built and the peopleto-people experiences, the personal experiences of which the Minister I notice spoke so warmly a moment ago.

So to the scholarship recipients, I wish you every success for your time in Australia. As the Minister said, study hard, enjoy your time in Australia and you can return to Laos to advance the future of your great country. We look forward to welcoming you in Australia.

Mr Turnbull meeting the 2016 AAS students

The Australian Prime Minister with New Colombo Plan participants

Thank you.

Ms Siphone Phamavanh, a new AAS awardee and her parents

Investing in education is an investment in our human capital.

It is an investment in our greatest asset, quality education of the young Lao people who will deliver a huge MITTAPHAP | 6

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LAI NEWSLETTER

News Update

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Australian Foreign Minister confirms strong Australia-Laos ties

Australia refines its investments in Lao people

LAI has also provided English language training for over 60 Lao Government officials, and supported the development of the National Human Resource Development Strategy, approved by Prime Minister Thongloun on 27 April 2016.

The Australian Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop and the Minister of Education and Sports, H.E. Mme Sengdeuane Lachanthaboune with 2016 LANS graduates The Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop visited Vientiane to attend the 6th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEANAustralia Ministerial Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum in July 2016. Ms Bishop undertook several bilateral engagements during her visit that underscored Australia’s already close relationship with Laos.

Australia, ASEAN’s oldest dialogue partner, has been actively supporting greater regional integration in SouthEast Asia.

Laos Australia National Scholarships On 27 July, Ms Bishop presented certificates to 63 graduates of the National University of Laos, who received Australian scholarships to complete their degrees. Since 2011, the Laos Australia National

Scholarships (LANS) program has helped more than 400 students from remote and disadvantaged areas across Laos to attend university.

The LANS program was developed as a local complement to the Australia Awards scholarships, which provide opportunities for Lao students to pursue postgraduate degrees in Australia. More than 1,200 people from Laos have studied in Australia under the Australia Awards program and a further 47 Lao students started scholarships in 2016. These programs aim to ensure Laos has the workforce it needs to develop its economy and reap the rewards of the ASEAN Economic Community.

Australia agreed to continue to build on its investment of more than five decades in Lao human resource development needs at a high-level meeting in Vientiane on 27 May 2016.

Ambassador, John Williams, reviewed the impact of the HRD collaboration over its first two and a half years, and discussed the possibility of a second four-year phase from mid 2017.

The 2nd High Level Advisory Council meeting of the Australia’s Human Resource Development (HRD) program considered possible changes to Australia’s approach to scholarships, training and civil service reform work to maximise the development impact of this LaoAustralian collaboration.

The project, managed by the LaosAustralia Institute (LAI), has over the past two years delivered 100 new Australia Awards scholarships for Lao students to study in Australia.

The project has also managed over 140 new domestic scholarships for Lao students to study at the National University of Laos and Souphanouvong University, under the Laos-Australia National Scholarships (LANS) program.

The meeting, co-chaired by Planning a n d I n v e s t m e n t M i n i s t e r, D r Souphan Keomisay, and Australian

“Australia wants to make sure our scholarships remain targeted on Laos’ socio-economic development priorities, and to continue the LAI’s support for reforms to help the Lao PDR develop a more capable, professional and efficient public service,”

Ambassador Williams told the meeting Australia was keen to build on its extensive support for Lao HRD priorities over many decades.

Australia had invested up to $150 million over the past 30 years to deliver scholarships in Australia for over 1,200 Lao people, many of whom were now leaders in government, business and academia.

“Australia wants to make sure our scholarships remain targeted on Laos’ socio-economic development priorities, and to continue the LAI’s support for reforms to help the Lao PDR develop a more capable, professional and efficient public service,” Williams said.

In the next 12 months, the LAI program will assist the Ministry of Education and Sports on organisational reform, provide technical advice to the Ministry of Home Affairs on civil service administration, and introduce a competency-based training pilot to improve human resource management in both ministries.

This competency-based training will focus on supervisory and management skills, and HRD functions such as recruitment, promotion, performance assessment and workplace training.

The Australian Foreign Minister presents certificates to LANS graduates

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LAI NEWSLETTER

News Update

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Australia Supports English Training for Lao Officials

Sixteen Lao officials from various ministries have successfully upgraded their English language skills under the latest Australian-funded program at Vientiane College.

At a ceremony on 24 March 2016, the Director for Thailand and Laos of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Anthony Aspden, presented certificates to sixteen government officials who have completed a six-month English language training program at Vientiane College.

Australia Delivers New English Texts for Laos Australia has expanded further its long-standing support for the development of Laos’ workforce skills with a new package of English language teaching materials for civil servants, teachers and adult learners across the country.

On 18 October 2016, Australia’s Ambassador to Laos, Mr John Williams presented Minister for Education and Sports, H.E. Mme Sengdeuane Lachanthaboune, with 16,000 copies of new English language text books, as well as teachers guides and audio materials.

The new package of teaching materials was developed specifically for Laos, using a team of international and local English language experts.

They replace the versions Australia provided in 2005.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at Education Ministry, Ambassador Williams said the books were part of a

The Australian Ambassador presenting the Minister of Education and Sports with the new package

broader Australian program to improve human resource development in Laos, a program that included local and Australian scholarships and targeted training. “English language skills are in high demand in this region. As the global business language, and that of ASEAN, English proficiency remains vital for Laos’ socio-economic development.”

The teaching materials will also, for the first time, be available online from the Laos Australia Institute

The Ambassador said the new package of teaching materials takes the learner through different levels of English, using real life examples.

Upgraded English language text books and audio materials are now available

www.laosaustraliainstitute.org

The course, delivered under the Government of Laos Professional English Language Training (GOLPET), is funded by the Australian Government as part of a broader program to strengthen human resource development in Laos.

The GOLPET course aims to improve reading, writing and speaking skills in the workplace, and help prepare Lao government officials for international and regional meetings. This includes the large range of ASEAN-related meetings, many of which will be hosted this year by Laos, as ASEAN chair.

Mr Anthony Aspden, with Ms Eloise Saif of the Australian Embassy, presenting certificates to Lao government officials who successfully completed the GOLPET program

This is the second group to participate in GOLPET, following a successful first cohort of 30 officials which graduated in March 2015.

“By the time students reach the 5th volume, they are being trained to participate in international forums, including ASEAN-related forums,” Williams said.

The books will be distributed to government agencies, mass organisations, provincial authorities, universities and teacher training colleges.

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LAI NEWSLETTER

News Update

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Australian Graduates Gather for Alumni Event

The Australian Embassy’s annual alumni function was attended by over 300 former students, representatives from the governments of Australia and Laos, Australian tertiary institutions, and the Australian Chamber of Commerce (Austcham) at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane on 10 March 2016. The theme of the evening was “Australia and Laos: Building Bridges to a Brighter Future”.

The Australian Ambassador to Laos, H.E. Mr John Williams said that Australian alumni were an asset for the country and for bilateral relations.

“Many are now leading the Lao Government’s economic development agenda, whether in government, development organisations or in the private sector” he said. “They also act as bridges, bringing knowledge of Australia, and how Australians

think and work, which aids our mutual understanding.”

This year, the Australian Embassy specifically recognised female alumnae making a contribution to Laos, especially leaders in government, business and civil society. Ambassador Williams said Australia was very pleased to support a range of activities focusing on women’s leadership in Laos. This includes working with the banking sector to ensure that women have access to finance and can make use of their business and entrepreneurial skills.

Bouphasavanh, a graduate of the University of Technology, Sydney, who is now a leading figure in civil society in Laos. Ms Bouphasavanh heads an organisation dedicated to legal education. “I am grateful for the opportunity that the Australian Government provided through my scholarship”, she said. “Now I am working to help all the women of Laos to know their rights and achieve their full potential”.

The audience at the event also heard from Dr Fiona Kotvojs, an Australian consultant, who spoke about the crucial role of women’s leadership in development, and from Ms Inthana MITTAPHAP | 12

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LAI NEWSLETTER

News Update

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Translation and interpreting in Laos

Join the Global Australian Alumni (and win a prize!)

Michael Palic, Australian Consultant on Translating and Interpreting services in Laos

Become part of a global network

Joining up will give you a chance to participate in leadership and development programs Earlier this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked the Australian Government to look at translating and interpreting services provided by the Ministry.

Previously, Australia has supported training in this area, including through scholarships for study at Australian universities.

Knowledge of the English language is important for international communication. In Laos, the role of translators and interpreters is critical for the success of many development programs.

As a result of this request from the government, a consultant engaged

by LAI, Mr Michael Palic, recently completed a review of translating and interpreting services in Laos.

Are you an Australian-Government funded alumni and interested in:

During his consultancy, Michael spoke to a range of government agencies, international donors as well as companies and individuals working to provide interpreting services. His report, completed in October 2016, includes a number of recommendations for strengthening interpreting and translating training and services in government and in the private sector, as well as improving quality and standards amongst service providers.

• Professional development opportunities • Networking events • Engaging in online discussions on a range of topics with your fellow alumni?

If so, register today on the Australia Global Alumni Website https://globalalumni.gov.au/registration.aspx

The recommendations from Michael’s report are currently being considered by the Australian Government and will be discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Meet and connect with your professional peers from different countries

Other benefits include: • • • •

Recruit fellow-alumni for projects and collaborations Find the latest research in your chosen fields Develop plans for your own alumni club Read alumni success stories, perspectives, and ideas.

Alumni who activate your accounts on the new website before 15 December will have a chance to win a weekend for two at a resort in Vangvieng.

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Keep in touch with Australia

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LAI NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Alumni Story

Hot Topic: Wildlife Conservation in Laos Proud graduate: Akchousanh Rasphone, Masters in Geographical Science, University of Southern Queensland 2008

“Wildlife conservation is not an easy job because the forces leading to wildlife and habitat exploitation are currently greater than conservation efforts.”

Australian trained Akchousanh Rasphone is a conservation biologist and one of a small number of young Lao women committed to saving the wonderful and beautiful wild creatures of Laos.

Born and raised in Savannakhet province, she finished high school with good grades before leaving her family to study at the National University of Laos. There, she completed one year of tertiary studies before making the decision to apply for an Australia Awards Scholarship.

“Pursuing higher education had always been a dream of mine”. Ms Akchousanh said. “When hearing about this opportunity, it was like hearing a door open to the path of my dreams”.

Her determination to experience overseas education and a different culture pushed her to work hard and apply for an Australian Awards Scholarship, which she was awarded in 2001.

Like many people, Akchousanh didn’t realise what she was passionate about until she experienced it. During her Bachelor’s Degree of Technology in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the University of Southern Queensland, a teacher recommended she pursue GIS studies, an emerging field at the time.

After returning to Laos, she started work at the National University of Laos as a GIS lecturer, passing on her knowledge to a new generation.

“It’s about telling stories through maps and visual representations and it also allows me to incorporate an element of artistic creativity into it. GIS is such a flexible tool that can be applied to various fields ranging from development to conservation to urban planning”.

Akchousanh has applied her particular skills to wildlife studies, survey design and conservation planning, a field she is now deeply passionate about.

In 2005, Ms. Akchousanh started in a new role at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). There, she has had opportunities to work on different projects, collaborating with wellknown scientists from many countries around the world.

At WCS, she was responsible for creating landscape models focused on species distribution, in relation to potential threats. This work supported the organisation’s decision making on wildlife management in protected areas. Her work to better understand the behavioral on the ecology of large carnivores in the Nam Et Phou Louey National Protected Area, helped to focus conservation efforts for these vulnerable species.

“Wildlife conservation is not an easy job because the forces leading to wildlife and habitat exploitation are currently greater than conservation efforts. I will certainly contribute my knowledge and skills to help educate people about the importance of healthy ecosystems for everyone’s MITTAPHAP | 16

long-term well-being. As such, I intend to focus my energies on education and awareness raising to garner greater public support for environmental protection”.

Following her undergraduate study, Akchousanh returned to Australia to complete a Master’s Degree in Geographical Sciences at the Australian National University under an Australian Leadership Award in 2008. Wanting to further her education in her chosen field, she also completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practices at Oxford University 2012 before embarking on a PhD in Zoology at the same university. She now splits her time between the UK and Laos.

“After my PhD, I will be working in the field of wildlife conservation whether that means I join an organisation or start my own, we’ll just have to wait and see. More specifically, I would like to get involved in wildlife scientific research and management.”

Akchousanh believes that sustainable

natural resource development is the only way forward for the growth of the economy to ensure the long-term wellbeing of Lao people.

In the field: Akchousanh conducting a wildlife survey at Nam Et Phou Louey National Protected area in the north-east of Laos

“I wouldn’t have come this far and achieved as much as I have if it wasn’t for the Australia Awards Scholarships.

The scholarship has provided me with prospects that I otherwise would never have had.”

At rest: Akchousanh taking time out to visiting Stonehenge in England, an early GIS mechanism

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LAI NEWSLETTER

Local writer aims to combine education and entertainment

Alumni Story

ISSUE 4 NOV 16

Khouanfa Siriphone (Jeng) Bachelor in Creative Industry, Queensland University of Teachnology 2010

“Making your ideas reality is like jumping off a cliff and spreading your wings on the way down; there is only one way to do it – take the plunge”

He says he likes creative writing and entertainment assignments that are based on serious issues encountered in the creative industries.

These are the words of Mr Khouanfa Siriphone, whose love of creative writing has forged a new style of education in Laos. After being inspired by a quote from British philosopher Alan Watts, “What if money wasn’t an object, what would you love to do? Go do that”, he embarked on his mission to combine education and entertainment for Lao audiences.

Currently, Khouanfa is working as a freelancer, helping those in his business circles. He is also the cofounder of an informal startup called STELLA, a project which aims to support youth development in Vientiane Capital in areas such as creative thinking, problem solving, and communication skills.

In 2010 Khouanfa received an Australia Awards Scholarship, enabling him to complete a Bachelor Degree in Creative Industries through the Queensland University of Technology, a field of study which isn’t available in Laos.

“There was a chance to study what I loved and feel connected to likeminded people. Creative industries as a whole do not exist systematically in Laos. Creativity is my passion, so I also want to connect with other people who are passionate about creativity. Knowing that there are people like you who can appreciate your creativity all around you makes you feel connected somehow”, he explains.

Khouanfa credits his uncle as his creative and academic inspiration, having also received a prestigious academic award when he was a child.

He says this encouraged him to apply for the Australia Awards Scholarship.

“I am personally passionate about education, so I use my research skills to undergo a continuous program of selftaught education.”

Soupaphone and Khouanfa were guest speakers at the Leadership Styles section of the Set Fire into Yourself Workshop, organised by the Young South-East Asian Leaders Initiative of the US Embassy in Laos

In 2012 Khouanfa returned to Laos to start his career. He now refers to himself as an “Edutainer”, combining communication, education and creative writing to teach people about serious topics by engaging them with entertainment.

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“I am personally passionate about education, so I use my research skills to undergo a continuous program of self-taught education,” he says.

“I understood entertainment from my course work. Now, I am combining all my acquired skills to launch STELLA with Ms Souphaphone Dangmany. It will employ an “Edutainment” method of teaching as the core to teaching creative thinking, problem solving, and communication skills to youth”.

STELLA provides opportunities for young people in Vientiane to develop their ideas, creative thinking, confidence, communication skills, self-awareness, planning skills, and social inclusiveness. By using movies and board games and modern games to encourage young people to examine the characters’ lives, choices, and how those choices affect others’ thoughts, actions, and feelings, they teach youth about planning and management skills in a fun and interactive way.

that they are passionate about”, says Khouanfa.

He believes social entrepreneurship is another potential pillar for solving social issues in Laos, and hopes it will support the establishment of creative industries, offering more opportunities for people in Laos to study different fields.

“Education is the key for so many other development topics to flourish.

When we are speaking of education, there are a wide range of human resources, and we need to design a more inclusive academic environment for these people with diverse backgrounds and preferences,” he says.

Passing on his passion: Khouanfa giving certificates to a group of 122 young people trained to be edutainers in August 2016

“This will support their growth, and in turn, support the national and even regional economy in the long run.

Every person of talent counts and I see myself supporting the creative subjects’ side of the education sector in the future.”

“We believe that creativity and imagination are the keys to supporting young people’s performance in other parts of their lives such as their studies, problem solving, and finding ways to work on whatever

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