SEDA’s History and Achievements 2004 to 2009
SEDA was founded in 2004 by Ms. Souly QuachAngkham, a Lao citizen committed to the development of Laos. Until 2008, SEDA was not eligible to apply for any funding and had a research focus. SEDA survived and still survives on donations from SEDA’s Founder / Director.

SEDA's Founder Souly QuachAngkham

SEDA’s milestones are listed below:

• Licensed as a non profit Lao Civil Society Organization (CSO) in June 2008.
• Consultation / Field trips: SEDA has undertaken over 35 field trips in 10 provinces. These involve meetings with officials, leaders, principals, teachers, health workers and villagers and examining facilities.  As a result, SEDA has developed good relationships and has detailed knowledge of the farming, income generation, health care, environmental, infrastructure, energy and education needs of poor Lao villagers and the solutions they are seeking. For example, SEDA visited Sanxay District, Attappeu Province for 10 days in 2005 and has been asked by officials and villagers to seek funds to undertake development work there.
• Cooperation and collaboration: In Lao, development work requires the cooperation of government ministries, relevant institutions, local officials, village chiefs and villagers. SEDA has strong relationships with the National Science Council, National Agriculture & Forestry Research Institute, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and concerns Ministries within Lao P.D.R. 
• Renewable energy – Bio-Gas digester project: Rehabilitation Treatment Center in Num Swuean, Vientiane Province. With volunteer labor and a US$1750 grant from the Australian Embassy, SEDA built a 10 cubic meter bio-gas digester for the patients and staff to use. This prevented further erosion from the collection of firewood and put an end to the unhealthy effects of smoke from wood fires on patient’s lungs, which had caused allergic reactions in some patients.
• Building project: Rehabilitation Treatment Center in Num Swuean,Vientiane Province. With volunteer labor and contributions from patients, family, relatives and friends (SEDA supporters), SEDA built two patients residences with four beds resulting in an increase in the number of sick people from rural areas who can now be treated.
• Medical supplies: SEDA secured medical supplies for the 790 Disabled Centre and the Rehabilitation Treatment Center donated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in USA.
• Alleviating poverty for people with a disability: SEDA coordinated with buyers to get a good price for produce and livestock belonging to people from the 790 Disabled Centre in Ban Hai, Vientiane, Province. 
• Education: SEDA provided a volunteer English teacher from USA for Ban Hai Elementary School and Ban Phao Elementary School.
• Traditional Lao medicine: SEDA’s Founder/Director, who is also a bio-medical practitioner, has been treating an 11 year old Lao handicapped orphaned child since July 2008. Andee, paralysed since she was a baby, could not talk or move her body. She is being treated with natural herbs grown in Lao for detoxification and by improving her nutrition. After 6 months she can sit unassisted for up to 45 minutes, move her head, arms, legs, is gaining weight and some muscle tone.
• Green energy – Jatropha Curas research: SEDA is trialing a plantation of 150 trees in Vientiane Province planted from seedlings from a range of areas in Laos. SEDA will test the seeds to determine the best species to use in SEDA’s agribusiness projects.  Jatropha Curas is used for skin treatment products and bio-diesel.
• Agarwood research: SEDA is using traditional and scientific testing methods to determine the best method of growing Agarwood seedlings. SEDA currently has 500 seedlings. Agarwood is used to make traditional natural medicine, cosmetics and incense.   
• Agricultural Assessment: An Alternative Energy consultant from India made an assessment of soil, water, irrigation and terrain in Hein Heurp District, Vientiane, providing information on the areas suitability for cash crops, medicinal plants and renewable energy. Funded by Bread for the World – 2007.
• Volunteer assistance: SEDA has benefited from over 35 international and Lao volunteers who have assisted with capacity building, grant writing, web site development, teaching, building, fundraising, research – collecting data and samples since 2005 to present. Some volunteers have come through Idealist.org.
• Developing expertise:
  o  Micro-finance study tour: 10 days study tour of the Head Quarters of Grameen Bank in Dakha, Bangladesh to develop expertise in  micro-finance. The Grameen Bank was awarded by the UN-Nobel Peace Prize Award for 2006. The study tour included visits to 10 villages where villagers who use the bank were interviewed.
  o  Green energy / bio fuel study tour: Study of jatropha curas and other tropical plants at University of Florida.
  o  Oil Palm and Jatropha Curas study tour: SEDA visited commercial plantations and a seedling company in Thailand.
  o  Agarwood study tour: SEDA studied genetic research to determine the best species of Agarwood trees at the University of Minnesota.
• Raising awareness of SEDA: With volunteer help, SEDA developed a website and online picture gallery. SEDA met with over 45 local and international Non-Government Organizations, several funding bodies and 4 universities seeking support and partnerships.
• Fundraising:  Global Giving, an international NGO based in Washington D.C., USA, supports SEDA with online fundraising for total of six projects from 2008-present. 
• Advocating for development in Laos: SEDA was selected by the UNDP (United Nations Development Program) to contribute to UNDP policy debates at the United Nations Development Program-South South Cooperation 3 years in a row (UN-DC/UN-ESCAP).  SEDA was the only representative from Laos.