World Vision’s heart is for children and for the communities in which they grow up in Lao PDR. If children are to be better cared for and to have brighter futures then individuals, families and communities need to experience a transformation that increases their opportunities, gives them the power to improve their own lives and that allows the world’s wealthiest to partner with the world’s poorest – not just give handouts.

With our focus on community participation, local leaders partner with World Vision to identify what keeps people in poverty such as lack of access to clean water; poor education; flooding; or illnesses like malaria and diarrhea. World Vision then works with communities to tackle these issues, supporting with funding, skills and encouragement in ways that are appropriate and that give people responsibility for their futures and their dignity. In this way the community itself retains ownership of the development process. The community decides what its development priorities are and works alongside World Vision to achieve its goals.

Today, World Vision is working in 31 districts over 6 provinces in Lao PDR.

Click on a sector/program below to learn about the challenges facing Lao PDR and how World Vision is responding to help poor communities overcome poverty:

• Area Development Programs
• Primary Education
• Mother and Child Health
• Water and Sanitation
• Food Security
• HIV and AIDS
• Disaster Preparedness
• Human Trafficking