A bit about Laos...

Laos is one of the forgotten nations of Asia, wedged between Vietnam to the East and Thailand to the west, and one of the least developed nations in the world.

Almost completely mountainous, with roughly the population of Scotland, it is a collection of 145 different tribal people groups though about 40% of the population claim to be the Lao Loum tribe which politically dominates the country. It is a very rural country indeed, with 85% of the population involved in agriculture, though industry is starting to develop.

A former French colony, its modern history was really defined by the so called "Vietnam War" during which time Laos had a civil war and was constantly bombed by the Americans, indeed it worked out being a bombing raid every 8 minutes for 8 years.

It is believed 2 million tonnes of bombs were dropped on Laos during that time, which is twice as much as the RAF put onto Germany during WW2 and works out at about 400kg per person or the weight of a family car in bombs dropped on every single family in Laos. The Northern part of the so called "Ho Chi Minh" trail routed through southern Laos but that only partially explains the horrific bomb loads that were dropped on Laos including large amounts of cluster/land mine munitions which continue to kill and maim children and adults alike even now.

After such a shattering, in 1975 the country had a Communist Revolution and remains to this day a Communist Republic, closely allied to Vietnam and China.

Working in such an country poses many great challenges, not least that with so many remote villages actually getting to the villagers is often very challenging and sometimes involves getting boats or walking a long way. Rural incomes remain incredibly low (rarely more than a few hundred pounds a year) and access to healthcare is extremely limited for most people.

The people in Laos are simply the most lovely people one could ever hope to meet, so meek and gentle and astoundingly generous and hospitable. They are so kind, so hard-working, and a joy to be with and around. They just want some help to make their lives better, as you would if you were in their position, indeed we owe them nothing less...