Beacon for November 4, 2024 - Steve Rutledge - Adopt-a-Village-in-Laos

 

The AAVIL organization raises funds and provides much needed, often live-saving support for the rural villages in northern Laos.

Its main focus is to provide a permanent supply of water to villages without water and provide water filtration with hygiene training to each family.  The permanent water supplies include a dam and several km of pipe (or a well is drilled depending on the area), plus a water tank and taps throughout the village. The results are astounding.  The villagers now spend more productive time in their rice fields, rather than water collection wherever they can find it.  Without diarrhea caused by water borne bacteria, rice yields are higher due to more time looking after their crops, more students are going to school because they are not sick from poor water, infant mortality has dropped considerably, and there is often disposable income, where there had been none before.  Generally, the lifespan among the villagers has also increased.

 

This is not all we do, however.  Our organization also supports a feminine hygiene program in secondary schools, sponsors secondary and university students to go to school, where they would not be able to afford to go, without our assistance.

 

Some of our smaller projects include running electricity to a village without it, through the use of solar panels, or a direct connect to the region’s electricity supply; construction of toilets with each building we construct, whether it be a school, or community centre, or for an entire village.  It should be noted, however, that our main focus remains on the supply and filtration of water.  With our 11-year experience in the country we are often asked to do special, fully funded projects for special interest groups or other NGO’s.

 

It is encouraging to see that with the support of our many followers, donors and sponsors, we continue to make a huge, positive impact in their lives.