High Alert!!

MUCH HAPPINESS BEING SHARED HERE!!! For those twenty plus people who together generously donated over $7,000 towards rebuilding Koktum Village Kindergarten in northern Laos which was destroyed in a storm during May… here is how your money has been spent! Its incredibly heart-warming and satisfying to see what can be done when the spirit is there. These photographs of the progress being made on Koktum Kindy will without doubt bring a smile and gladden your day. Many Kopchais to all of you who jumped in so quickly with donations…what a great gift it is to be able to help in this way. The monies were sent up to the Project account in Luang Prabang, earmarked for the KK and Chanthy immediately purchased the bags of cement, loads of gravel, pre-cast concrete pylons, reinforcing rods, window frames and roofing timber and iron... and the men of Koktum village got stuck into the hands on hard work.  On this wet and wintry weekend (here at least) please take time out to revel in the pleasure of what has already been achieved.  There will be the need for more funds in order to complete the job…but we’re well on the way to setting  37 small children back on the track of beginning their vital education in a secure, dry schoolroom.

1. Concrete blocks arriving

2. Unloading pre-cast concrete pylons.

3. Villagers get stuck into it

4. The site is prepared

5.Pylons going up

6. Building taking shape

7. Blocks stacked

8. Gravel arriving

9. Cement stacked in the primary school classroom

10. Timber and window frames

11. Roofing timber

12. Roof sheeting

13. Chanthy and village men

and...Yes...we are almost ready to start the big drive south to the capital…for the screening of the Women’s Business documentary film  in Canberra on July 8th at the ANU Film Group Cinema…in the Kambri Precinct. We have some incredible new examples of woven and embroidered garments and apparel, as well as accessories and homewares to put on display and for sale… but this is enough joy for today. More later.  trish/iain