Schoolchildren enjoy donations from the Republic of Korea

Students and teachers at Houayla Primary School in Sangthong district, Vientiane, were wreathed in smiles recently when they received new clothes, face masks and hand sanitiser from the Lao-Korean Friendship Association.
The Association donated items worth over 131 million kip (more than US$14,000) to the school.
The supplies were handed over by the Association’s Mr Khamsouay Keodalavong, President of the Lao Journalists’ Association Mr Savankhone Razmountry, Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Daovone Phachanthavong. Members of the Lao-Korean Friendship Association received a warm welcome from Mr Phongsavanh Siliphan, along with the village head, teachers and students.

The Lao-Korean Friendship Association donates clothing, face masks and hand sanitiser to students and teachers at Houayla Primary School in Sangthong district, Vientiane.

The Lao-Korean Friendship Association conveyed the concern and kindness of the two associations as well as the people of the Republic of Korea for the people of Laos, especially the teachers, students and people of Houayla village.
The Lao-Korean Friendship Association raised money from people in the Republic of Korea, who donated as an expression of the kindness, friendship and mutual love between the people of Laos and the Republic of Korea.
This, combined with the cooperation between the two associations, contributes to the strengthening of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries and peoples of Laos and the Republic of Korea and helps them to grow even more.
The principal of Houayla Primary School, Mr Somphone Sengkeomyxay, on behalf of all teachers and students, expressed his gratitude to the Lao-Korean Friendship Association and the Korean-Lao Friendship Association.
They have always shown concern and provided good support, which is a great contribution to the development of Lao education and improves the learning environment at Houayla Primary School in particular, he said.
The items donated on this occasion were greatly appreciated and would be used for the benefit of teachers and students, he added.
In addition, Houayla Primary School was rebuilt in 2017 with a grant from the Korean-Lao Friendship Association.
The Sangthong area is becoming a sought-after place of residence for people living in central Vientiane, where housing is congested and expensive, as well as for people coming from rural areas.
Shops selling food have sprung up like mushrooms in Sangthong district now that more roads have been built in the area in recent years.
Sangthong district is over 80 kilometres from downtown Vientiane and is now reaping the rewards of a resurfaced asphalt road that was completed in 2014 at a cost of about 348 billion kip.
Over the last 20 years, improvements have been made to infrastructure and people are now able to transport produce from their villages to the district’s main town all year round.
Sangthong district has 35 villages and now only a few communities are still in the process of building roads to connect with the urban centre.
Twenty years ago, people could only travel between their village and the main town in the dry season, because in the rainy season the roads were flooded and too muddy for vehicles to use.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update March 21, 2022)