Reported by Ms. Souly QuachAngkham  Edited by Rebecca Carnevale View the PDF file

Seven months after Andee began her treatment, her neurological responses and her nutrition has improved.  Every day Andee has continued to improve her physical strength and even the clarity of her voice.  She enjoys listening to music and is very interested in dancing, which helps give her hope that she will be able to walk.  Her caretaker told me a story that one day a song came on the television and Andee tried to get up and dance. This gives us all a lot of hope.

Today, the right side of her body is improving and she can kick quite strongly with her right leg. She can lift  her left foot about 12 inches off the ground.  Her arms are developing more muscle as a result of the physical therapy.  Her circulation and stamina are also improving. Andee continues to take detoxification medicine.  All the medicinal plants used in Andee’s treatment are found in the Laotian jungle.  SEDA is looking for more funding to cultivate and harvest the medicinal plants for Andee and other patients.

Andee is very happy to have visitors and enjoys making new friends and both her caretakers and SEDA are optimistic about her health continuing to improve if she continues to receive treatment.

To view pictures of Andee please visit: www.picasaweb.google.com/souly2008
For more information about Andee please email: info@seda-laos.org

To view a PDF of this story please click here.

Written by Souly QuachAngkham and edited by Rebecca Carnevale

To view the PDF file Please click here

Gordon Hirst, an Australian Engineer, has volunteered with SEDA to teach local Laotians to use a solar cooker.  His first training program was attended by six women, and one man, who learned how to build a solar cooker for emergency or daily use.

The participants are sharing what they learned from the program with their local communities. SEDA’s Founder, Ms. Souly QuachAngkham, monitored the program and has received feedback from the participants that learning how to use a solar cooker will be very useful during the flood season.  However, the temperature produced was not always strong enough to allow them to cook at high heats for a prolonged time.  The solar cooker was originally built for use in Australia and Gordon suggested that the participant use stronger aluminum metal sheets to produce more heat.

SEDA worked  with children’s book authors and illustrators Thomas Williams and Oliver Kennett to develop a book about children in Laos.

The book, Look Around Laos, can be viewed here http://www.unbelievablelaos.com/media/lookaroundlaos/index.html. 

To view the SEDA announcement about this exciting new publication please click here.

SEDA has submitted a proposal to Art Venture to support the microfiance program for rual Laotian weavers. We are optimistic about this proposal – please click hereto read more about it.

Traditional Latioan Weaving

In Laos, the  New Year is celebrated April 14- 16th. SEDA would like to take this time to thank all our volunteers, supporters, and donors.

To view the full thank you letter please click here.

One of our volunteers, Irene, wrote the following letter about her time in Laos working with SEDA:

Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:56:35 +1000
Subject: News from Laos

Hi all
I hope life is treating you well. I’ve just arrived in Kuala Lumpur after 2 months in Laos. It was a totally different experience working here than in Nepal. Here the government wants to know exactly what everyone is doing while in Nepal the government doesn’t even know what it is doing. But here the power stays on so that makes work much easier.

I helped the Children’s Cultural Centre in Luang Prabang to plan a project and to improve their publicity. Language was a barrier so I couldn’t help them with organisational development. Mostly I’ve been working with SEDA – Social and Economic Developers Association – a Lao NGO (but you are not allowed to use the term NGO because someone once translated it as anti-government organisation and that is strictly not allowed in a one party communist state so they have to be called CSOs – civil society organisations). I helped with a strategic plan, documenting history and achievements, finding allies in international NGOs, preparing funding submissions, updating website content, preparing job descriptions to get more volunteers…..

I spent lots of time with Souly, the founder / director, discussing anything and everything, going out of town to see the places she supports (a disabled centre and a natural therapy rehabilitation centre), bowling, walking, checking out temples and the buddha park (full of enormous statues), getting our hair washed and head massaged. She took me to a studio where I got dressed up in fancy Lao costume and jewellery for a photo shoot (make up and all – I drew the line at having my hair up with silver decorations poking upwards though).

Souly is a Lao/Chinese/American combination – the first 2 genetically. Culturally she is western from living in the states much of her life. Unlike a pure Lao, she’s not afraid to tell the Prime Minister and MInisters what she wants and thinks and she won’t tolerate corruption, unlike most people here. She’s given SEDA 4 years and will give another 14 to help the poor of Laos – so far she’s funded it all herself through what she earns from business. And she’s a great cook – she made us a wide variety of asian meals, and some western ones too. I like her passion and commitment. She and I are sisters now.

I’ve caught up on some movies (cable TV in guest houses) and had my own mini horror movie – Attack of the Bed Bugs. They were big, black and bloodthirsty and got in over a 100 bites causing intense itching all over. Moved guest houses, got everything washed (boiling water) and the bites were healing and then…..the sequel Bed Bugs Bite Again (shouldn’t have changed guest houses!)…. Moved again, washed again and stayed in a very nice hotel for the last week – pure white and very clean.

This coming week I’ll be in Melbourne – and I can’t wait to see Miranda and Karim. The 3 of us are heading to Coollangatta for Easter and then Brisbane. Ideas for work from mid April are welcome. I hope to see many of you over the next month.

Sabaidee (no I didn’t manage to learn more than a couple phrases of Lao)
Irene

Irene at 790 Disabled Center