As partners in development, we work closely with local communities and government, empowering them with expertise and the materials to build towards better futures.

Working in wide-array of sectors such as agriculture, water/sanitation, HIV and AIDS prevention, mother and child health, and education, World Vision actively engages communities at the local level to ensure beneficiaries understand the work being under-taken and are given the opportunities to participate in their own development.

World Vision believes that full community participation will ensure the long-term sustainability of projects and lead to stronger communities.Participatory Learning and Action is how World Vision Lao PDR approaches community development. It is an approach that engages with communities to assess their needs and discover how we can work together to develop sustainable solutions to address those specified needs.

It is widely recognized that participation of all stakeholders, such as the target population and the government, during all stages of the program/ project cycle including the assessment stage is crucial for successful community development.  We believe that active involvement of all these stakeholders will ensure the sustainability of programs being implemented.

Our principles of community participation

People first
We begin by talking with local communities to determine their needs, expectations, and ideas. Our entire work is based on what is expressed by the communities we serve.

Local ownership
We ensure local ownership of development plans by keeping to the objectives as determined by the communities. Decision-making and resources are delegated locally as much as possible to promote self-management.

Total involvement
We encourage full involvement at every stage. Every group in the community participates - men & women; rich & poor; young & old; able & disabled, and every ethnic group.

Building on community knowledge and skills
We base our development approach on local capacities and available resources to reduce a community's dependance on outside assistance.

Empowering women
We aim to reduce gender inequalities by providing forums where the voices of women are heard and considered equal to the voices of men.

Consensus building
We promote an effective exchange of ideas and planning between stake-holders within the community to create opportunities to build consensus and mutual understanding.

Flexibility in implementation
We believe participation is a process, not a method.  Thus activities are constantly adjusted to fit local social and economic contexts. Through the life of a project we respond quickly to ever-changing interests and levels of commitment.