About the project
This narrative project took place in the summer of 2012, when I interned at the Protection & Empowerment of Women and Children Program of Village Focus International (VFI) in Lao PDR. The idea came up as I was preparing for my journey and realizing that I knew nothing about this country. There isn’t much on the internet about Laos either: a lot of UN articles, yes, but not many personal blogs or reflective pieces on Lao people and culture. What is this place I’m going to spend 10 weeks in? What are the people like? How are women treated there? How do most people make a living? What about dengue fever and other tropical diseases? And public services? So many questions, so little information on the lives of the real people.
Poverty, hunger, political instability, environmental degradation, multinational investments, among other things, are quite sufficiently covered by the media with moving pictures and detailed discussions, but what about the everyday people? They still go about living life to the fullest, pursue happiness, dream for a better life, enjoy drinking and dining with friends and family. Elderly pray for their families at the temples, parents work hard to feed their families, young people talk about Korean pop stars and American movies, kids learn English at school and after school, and everyone, lives and tries to comprehend what it means to live in Laos in the 21st century, a country with increasing economic ties with neighboring countries yet still struggling to distribute wealth evenly. What does development mean to the locals? What do they really need? How have development projects influenced their lives?
This is the discourse of development that anthropologists like Arturo Escobar criticize. We often forget the real people.
So I looked for stories. Especially because Laos hasn’t gained as much media attention as its neighbors, including Cambodia which shares a similar socioeconomic status with Laos but has been much more successful in attracting international tourists/volunteers. With the help of VFI, I had the opportunity to visit remote villages and talk with the villagers. For the methodology, sample questions and limitations, please refer to the story collection main page.
Finally, I would like to thank the following people for assisting me with this project: my project partner Vannida Habxaithong (Arn), my supervisors Rick Reese, Kongseng Sirivath and Keomany Southichak, and all my colleagues including Bounlouan Saimany, Somboun Chanmoungkhoun, Keomany Phommahan and Soudsada Sanaphane. Also thank you to my adviser Professor Michael Sheridan who guides me all along by routinely frustrating me with tales of failed development projects and then inspiring me with hopeful ones. This project wouldn’t have been possible without them.
To learn more about VFI, please visit their website.
About me
I am an undergraduate student at Middlebury College in Vermont, USA. Major in International Studies (Africa & Anthropology) and minor in Political Science. Outside school, I study farming, homesteading and social change. I attended high school at Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific in Canada, one of the 14 United World Colleges around the world dedicated to creating world peace and a sustainable future through bringing together young people from all over the world to learn with and from each other. It’s a great movement. Please learn more about UWC and support us.
My hometown is Hong Kong, a city which I have very ambivalent feelings towards: How do you reconcile between the overpowering capitalist system, consumerist culture, political crisis, environmental destruction & apathy, urban poverty and whatnot, and the mundane life of the grassroots who dream, fight, hope or despair, and find happiness in the simplest things they do and the seemingly trivial social relationships they engage in? And this dilemma takes place everywhere, every day. So that’s why I love meeting dreamers, listening to their stories, sharing dreams and brainstorming ways to make them happen.
– Ellie Ng
Please contact me here.
Village Voices from Laos 