Lao Connections- Women in Laos- supporters visit

A unique opportunity to experience Lao and meet the single mums 'Women in Laos' are supporting plus see other projects that support women to learn skills and start small businesses.

Lao Connections Visit 2015

The broad details of the visit are: 21- 30 September (10 nights in Laos)

10 nights/days together to meet the mums supported by Women in Laos, go on a retreat with the mums and children, see projects that work with women in Vientiane and Luang Prabang the ancient royal capital , experience and learn about the situation, culture, history and food of Lao.

A chance for you to visit another part of Lao or Asia before and/or after this time together.

-Meet in Vientiane by the night of Monday 21 September. Accommodation booked from then. If you arrive earlier we can help book accommodation.

-3 nights/days in Vientiane for visiting the work of APHEDA and meeting the mums the project has supported. Plus, sightseeing, history, food, cultural experiences. Including visiting a Lao silk factory.

-Friday 25 September. Leave for a 2 night 'retreat workshop' with the mums and children we have supported. This will be held in the countryside about 2 hours by van from Vientiane.

The purpose of the retreat is to give the mums and kids a break, and to do some activities with kids and mums. For example, the mums and you will get to know each other better by having a workshop session where you all share your life stories and do some goal setting. We will do things like cook together to share foods from our cultures. The kids will have fun activities.

-Sunday evening 27th September- Fly to Luang Prabang, the ancient capital- 1 hour flight .

-3 nights in LPB to visit APHEDA projects and do some sightseeing. Luang Prabang is the historical and religious former royal capital and very beautiful.

-Thursday 1 October. Fly back to Vientiane. You may choose to stay longer in LPB or Vientiane or fly out of Laos to somewhere else in Asia, or travel to another part of Laos.

A $600 deposit is due by 15 April to secure your place .That is the only upfront cost to cover deposits and internal airfares .Other costs wil be paid by you including your international airfare. More details when you register .

Most importantly part of what you pay for this visit will enable more single mums to access training and start up grants. We are keeping costs to a minimum when possible (internal flights are expensive) but not going too budget. Accommodation will be 3 star boutique guesthouses locally owned type with single rooms available unless you request to share with your friend or partner. There will be no extra cost for single rooms. You are encouraged to fundraise to enable you to go on this trip which contributes to the projects.

- 10 nights 3 star locally owned boutique guesthouse accommodation from the night of Monday 21 September (you pay for accommodation before and after the programme. We can help with where to stay)

-Travel by mini van within Vientiane and Luang Prabang for visits and sightseeing and to any outside destination ( this will be more than 2 hours by road at any time and only 1 trip like that)

-Return flights to Luang Prabang - go Sunday 27th return Thursday 1st (you can extent your stay of you wish)

-Boat trip in Luang Prabang to caves on the river.

-At least 4 dinners and 2 lunches: Food is very reasonably priced in Lao and there is access to both Lao and western food. Where we stay will be very accessible to cafes and restaurants. We will often eat out together but you will be able to choose what you eat and pay individually. An Asian style dinner will cost around $5-$10 per person, a Western style breakfast around $10 , an Asian breakfast around $3. You will need cash for this. ATM machines are available. You should budget for 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners from your own pocket. So around $150.

-The costs of meals and accommodation during the 2 night retreat workshop and all workshop costs.

-The costs of one woman and her children to attend the retreat workshop with us and stay with us and eat with us at the accommodation.

-The cost of the police check in Australia that is needed by APHEDA for you to visit projects.

-A donation to Women in Laos to support more women to attend training and the 'start up' grants for starting a business or getting ready for employment. All grants are administered by APHEDA, the WIL partner.

AT THIS STAGE PLEASE REGISTER YOUR POSSIBLE INTEREST IN THIS TRIP BY REGISTERING HERE. THIS IS JUST SO I DEVELOP A MAILING LIST AND DOES NOT RESERVE YOU A PLACE OR PUT YOU UNDER ANY OBLIGATION.

Contact me on : 0403068169 or womeninlaos@gmail.com