5 Volunteer Programs for Broke Ass Travelers in Laos
Photo by: Travel to Teach
Laos has the tragic honor of being the most-bombed-on country, per capita, in the world. Dragged into the Vietnam War as a supply route, they got the seriously shitty end of the stick. As if that didn’t suck enough, they’ve now had to spend decades dealing with the aftermath. It’s about time we got out there to help pick up some of the pieces.
SaeLao Project
Apart from once being littered with bombs, this primarily Buddhist nation also used to be covered in rainforest. These days, newer industries move in and destroy the land trees used to grow. As a result, natural resources are disappearing like the remaining change in your bank account. SaeLao Project works to close this gap by educating locals about effective resource conservation. The Van Vieng-based project consists of a farm, restaurant, community center and bungalows – and volunteers can expect to get their hands dirty keeping the operation running. To get hooked up with this gig and three daily meals, trade your valuable skills, along with a $25 registration fee and $7.50 per day. You can also stay at the guesthouse for as little as $50 for two weeks.
Perfect for: Jacks-of-all-trades – from building, to teaching and gardening. Bring a big heart and two capable hands.
Photo by: Big Brother Mouse
Imagine your childhood without the awesome literary works of genius that made you the pillar of society that you are today. Big Brother Mouse began in 2006 with hopes of making reading as fun and educational for the Lao kiddos as it was for you. Considering that some children have never even seen a book, the foundation hopes to, with the help of volunteers, distribute publications throughout the country. Not just a publisher, they spread the literary love beyond books, by also teaching children skills from reading to writing to computers.
Perfect for: those who’ve caught the entrepreneurial bug (as opposed to those other bugs you might have caught along the way) – dealing with governmental licensing and visas means confronting obstacles has to be your forte.
Organic Farm
Get the foodie experience of Laos through Organic Farm, which aims to promote sustainable technologies so that poverty-stricken Lao people can earn a living. To that end, they’ve set up shop on their farm in Vang Vieng where they have lodging, a restaurant and of course crops. Volunteers can help with a range of activities from planting trees, to milking goats, and even teaching English. And because you’re in full-on farm-mode, staying at the onsite rooms costs as little as $4 a night.
Perfect for: tree huggers, granola enthusiasts and travelers that can keep a house plant alive for more than a week.
Village Focus International (VFI)
You might think you’re strapped for cash, but many of the rural Lao communities will quickly put your mini budget-debacle into perspective. Poor and vulnerable villages face everything from natural resource exploitation to sex trafficking. Through local leaders, however, VFI aims to prevent, protect and rehabilitate communities over the long haul, giving them a more promising future. Based in Vientiane, volunteers can help out by offering expertise in areas ranging from marketing to law, or just by teaching English.
Perfect for: those who finally want to put some of their nerdy college skills to use.
Photos by: Tiger Trail
Like your life, Fair Trek mixes up adventure excursions, with actually doing something useful every once and awhile (well, in their case, all the time). Started by a group of travelers, the organization offers outdoor tours to remote towns, while at the same time connecting communities to new sources of income. Rather than fannypackers steam rolling through villages, visits instead integrate into everyday life – making trips more authentic for tourists and more beneficial for locals.
Perfect for: adventure seekers and nature nuts who are also up for doing some good and getting a real sense of the culture.
As tourism to Laos expands, volunteer opportunities here are growing faster than your bushy backpacker beard. Do your part by not just contributing your cash money, but also a helping hand.
Uncomfortable when not traveling, and overly obsessed with cheese and Spanish grandpas.
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Thanks so much for this! I hope to get to Laos someday — and am currently writing about voluntourism, so I love learning mroe about it!
Great list! Thanks for sharing. Here’s even more opportunities to volunteer in Loas with reviews!
http://www.go-volunteerabroad.com/volunteer-in-laos
Katie