New Project - Wheelchairs for the Lao Disabled Wheelchair Team

Firstly, a huge thanks to everyone that contributed to Mr. Phoukhaokham.  In just 1 week, nearly $2000AUD has been raised which is great to see, and will no doubt make a huge difference to Mr. Phoukhaokham and his family.

I have just posted up a new project on Needs or Wants - Wheelchairs for the Lao Disabled Wheelchair Team.  If you are still feeling generous, please check it out and pass the link on to your network of friends and family and throw in a few dollars towards another worthy cause.

Cheers, Joe.

Progress Report - July 2012

Apologies to everyone for not providing any form of update for a few months. We had a pretty hectic last few weeks in Laos and have been busy settling/adjusting back into life in Canberra.

Even though I am no longer living in Laos I will be keeping the Needs or Wants blog up and running with assistance from Karlee Taylor who has recently returned to Laos to do another volunteer placement.  Karlee will be managing things on the ground in Laos and will make sure any money collected gets to the right place and is well utilised.

Karlee has posted up a new project that is seeking some funds, checkout Phoukhaokham's Life Saving Surgery and dig deep.

Please note for future reference that when you donate some money to be sure to specify which project you want the money to be assigned to as the blog and PayPal have a few technical limitations that result in all funds being pooled into a single PayPal account.  If the project isn't specified when you make a donation, Karlee and I will either toss a coin or split the funds 50/50 across multiple projects.

Thanks again for all the assistance and support thus far and sorry once again for not providing any form of update for so long.

Cheers, Joe.

Progress Report

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Needs or Wants projects so far as we have just hit the $3000 mark - WOO-HOO!!

A Book for Every Child
Karlee has been extra busy during January and February purchasing books for distribution to schools and villages in southern Laos with money we helped raise.  Through a combined effort between the Needs or Wants blog and Redwood Park Preschool in WA, Australia we raised $2215USD all of which went towards purchasing 1,589 books that are the process of being distributed to mini-libraries in southern Laos.

Santi's Sports Academy - Sports Equipment for Youth at Risk

The goal of $300USD for Santi's Sports Academy was not only reached but in fact exceed by $122USD resulting in a total of $422USD being raised - big thanks in particular to the Australian Volunteers who contributed and also took part in the soccer match  and BBQ in December - check out the photos.  After purchasing the sports gear we a had a few dollars left over that was used to purchase school supplies - text books, language books, exercise books, pens and pencils etc. all of which will be used at the Academy to provide the kids with some extra assistance with schooling.

Even though we have met the target for this project, please feel free to share some money for this project as they can always use new clothes, school supplies or sporting goods.

Blind School Music and Percussion Workshops

I am still in the money raising phase for this project, currently sitting at $365USD meaning we are $135USD short of the target of $500.  I have started to look around and price some musical and percussion instruments, so show me the money!!!

English Language Lessons for Kheua

Kheua is continuing to study English at Vientiane College and her English skills are improving greatly as a result.  I am still looking for $69USD to hit the target of $500USD to completely cover her tuition fees which we have been paying on a term-by-term basis (receipts available upon request!).

Happy 2012

Happy New Year to everyone!

Just a quick post to once again thank everyone for their support last year and to remind y'all that I'm still here and still looking for more mini projects to get involved with. I have just added the first new mini project for 2012 that needs some support, this one will actually be great fun for all - myself included. Check out the Blind School Music and Percussion Workshops and throw in a few dollars towards the target of $500+ for a good (fun) cause that will brighten the day for some needy kids.

There are still a couple of projects from 2011 that require a few extra dollars to close them off:

• A Book for Every Child - needing another $270 for a second Book Party and Mini-Library.
• English Lessons for Kheua  - needing $94 to help Kheua complete her study.

So dig deep and make a difference, pass on a link to the Needs or Wants Blog to anyone that may be interested in helping out, maybe organise a morning tea at work and pass the hat around?  Remember that the NEEDS of people can be met by you going without some WANTS - pretty simple really.

Thanks, Joe.
Needs or Wants

End of Year Report

The Needs or Wants blog has now been running since September and I want to thank everyone who has shown an interest and donated some money towards the little projects that I have been involved with.  In a little over 3 months we have raised a total of $1178.75, broken down as follows:

Santi's Soccer Academy:         $422.50

Language Lessons for Kheua:  $356.25

A Book for Every Child:          $400.00

Total:  $1178.75

This may not seem like a lot of money - in fact it is not a lot of money - but it has made a direct impact to quite a few people over here in Laos and I plan to continue helping out these guys and also finding new little projects to get involved with and help out where I can.  Following is just a quick wrap up/summary for each project for the year...

Santi's Soccer Academy

Raised a total of $422.50 which has been used to purchase sporting goods and equipment - soccer boots, balls, marker cones, socks, goal keeping gloves and shin pads - for a group of at risk kids who live in a village on the outskirts of Vientiane.

With the assistance from all of the Australian volunteers currently in Laos, we organised an end of year BBQ/Christmas Party out at the village where we gave the kids a pair of new soccer boots each, and then played a friendly soccer match against them in which they quite convincingly kicked our butts - the training and guidance they have been receiving from Santi is certainly evident!

A fun day was had by all and a an extra big thanks to the Australian volunteers for participating and coming along.  Check out photos here - End of Year BBQ Photos

English Language Lessons for Kheua

We raised a total of $356 with the target being $500 which pays or Kheua to attend English lessons to prepare her to apply for and undertake an overseas scholarship in the hopefully not too distant future.  Part of the deal with Kheua was that she had to achieve and maintain high marks with the course, which I am happy to say she has done, maintaining above average results for all units.  

Well done Kheua and good luck for next year.  Many thanks to all who have helped Kheua out thus far.

A Book for Every Child

In a relatively short period of time the target $400 was achieved and I have been told that there is more donations on the way from fund raising activities in Australia.  Note that just because we reached the target does not mean that we don't want any more money!  The $400 funded a single book party in one village, and there are plenty more villages in Laos that can benefit so please keep the $ coming in.  Every time we accumulate $400, we'll organise another book party.

Thanks again to everyone that has helped out.  I hope you all have a great break over Christmas and enjoy the holidays. 

Thanks, Joe.

End of Year BBQ Photos at Santi's Soccer Academy

 

Santi's Soccer Academy in Action

Last weekend saw the first training match of the season being played by the "Dream Team" from Santi's Sports Academy.  The kids on the team were presented with all the gear that we bought the previous weekend with the money raised through the Needs or Wants blog, and then had a practice match which was won 1-0 by the Dream Team.

Many happy faces and many "Khop Jais" (Thankyous).

Following are some photos from the day - The Dream Team are wearing the orange shirts with black shorts. Thanks again to everyone that contributed. Cheers, Joe.