Laos Women’s Shelter Visit

1. Laos Women’s Shelter Visit New Day Meeting, November 1st 2007

2. The Shelter • Established in 2006 • Only shelter of its kind in Laos

3. Location and lay-out • Located approx 25 k outside Vientiane • Well kept property of approx 2 acres – gifted by the Lao government • Walled and gated • Compound comprises of four separate buildings

4. Running of the Shelter • Run by the Lao Women’s Union • Provides legal, psychological and health counseling • Drop-in/call-in counseling as well as live-in care • Women and children accommodated • Victims come from all over Laos • Referred by the LWU national network

5. Dormitory for victims of domestic abuse

6. Main building – Offices, counseling centre, New Day multi-purpose room!

7. Activities of the Shelter • Victims are involved in sewing, weaving and organic farming • Children attend daily classes at a local school • All staff and victims are involved in the day-to-day running and care of the Shelter • Staff are involved in meetings and training with local police, health workers, LWU members and community leaders.

8. Soudalack and Liza

9. Drawings of past and present child victims

10. Interior of dormitory

11. Shelter staff • Madame Thoummaly of the LWU is the Director of the Shelter – responsible for its general administration and fundraising • Nine full-time staff are all involved in legal, health or psychological counselling as well as vocational training and the general care of the victims • Three staff are on duty every night • All staff and victims are responsible for the day-to-day running of the Shelter and the care of the children

12. Madame Thoummaly, Lek and Soudalack

13. Full staff complement

14. New Day multi-purpose room

15. Our grant will provide: • Complete outfitting of multi-purpose room to include all necessary equipment and furniture to conduct training and educational seminars • Room will have secondary function as a meeting place outside the small confines of the dormitories • Grant money will go to purchasing basic requirements: • Air-conditioning • Tables and 50 chairs • Lock-up cabinets • LCD projector and screen • White Boards • Microphones and speakers • Voice recorder • Other equipment deemed necessary

16. The multi-purpose room will be used for: • Receiving groups of visitors from outside organisations and agencies • Staff training • Case management meetings that involve large groups (police, public prosecutors, victims’ families, medical experts, etc) • Venue for the multi-disciplinary task-force on domestic violence (1st of its kind in Laos).

17. Main room – Activity and Training centre

18. Needs of the Shelter • Scarce resources mean constant fundraising • The Shelter operates on a shoestring budget and struggles to meet daily needs of victims • Basic furnishings, computers, office equipment, stationery and toiletries are all in short supply

19. What follow-up? • New Day’s cheque has been deposited in The Asia Foundation’s trustee account • The money will be paid out to the LWU • They will purchase all items according to TAF procurement policy • All receipts will be handed over to TAF and to New Day, if we so wish • Liza and Chris will keep in contact with the Shelter on a regular basis to monitor the progress of the investment and the overall success of the shelter

20. Lessons for New Day • We CAN make a difference • Every bit helps • There are advantages and disadvantages to a one-off contribution to a project. • A site visit is a very real and rewarding experience!