Action Education in Southeast Asia

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The context of intervention

In Southeast Asia, for the second year in a row, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the populations we work with in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

In each country, travel, trade and education were severely disrupted, resulting in the postponement of many of our activities.

Hygiene education, as well as training and e-education, remained at the heart of our responses.

ESA region page Copyright Rotha ORM scaled
COVID Cambodia page Copyright Christine Redmond scaled

In Cambodia, as a result, primary schools remained closed for most of the school year (March to November 2021) and nursery schools for most of the year.

Research shows that prolonged closures result in learning losses of up to 40%, which has caused great concern across the country. Action Education has prioritised the development of remedial classes and sessions for returning students.

We also focused on improving school infrastructure (classrooms and latrines) to ensure a better learning environment for students.

In Laos, even before the advent of the COVID-19 epidemic, the education system was struggling to meet the basic needs of students.

Both children and teachers have a poor grasp of basic skills and these gaps contribute to a high drop-out rate.

To address this situation, Action Education has focused on improving the learning outcomes of children - from grades 1 to 4 - through of mobile library activities, including e-learning applications, and working with the government to training teachers in more student-centred methodologies and better adapted to children (learning through play).

Lao PDR country page Copyright AEA scaled
Laos Young schoolgirl Copyright Vincent REYNAUD LACROZE scaled

In Vietnam, in order to counteract social alienation, Action Education provided training for ethnic minority students, teachers and entrepreneurs living in rural areas.;

In 2021, we organised the Initiative Initiative Challenge to provide cash prizes, training and mentoring to ethnic minority entrepreneurs creating start-ups, or small, sustainable, community-based businesses.

Our focus on young people from ethnic minorities is designed to fill skills gaps and meet the needs of the youth market and local industries. Despite COVID-19, in 2021 we managed to deliver 90% of the planned activities for the year.

Our work
in Southeast Asia

In 2021, Action Education was present in 3 Southeast Asian countries with 12 projects.

35 employees and €2.1M1 dedicated to the projects. 36,920 people including 31,139 children and young people (46% girls) and 3,539 teachers have been directly affected by our activities.

Our areas of intervention

IMG 0213 Copyright Christine REDMOND scaled

In 2021, the main areas of intervention for Action Education in Southeast Asia were :

  • Access and quality of education
  • Health education
  • Education for life (training and employment)
  • Education for sustainable development, peace and global citizenship
  • Early childhood education
  • Education in emergencies and post-emergencies
  • Education in migration situations
  • Response to COVID-19

They testify

 Khammee, 8, from Vientiane province, has been receiving a scholarship for three years. From the ethnic group hmongKhammee speaks a language other than Lao at home, which makes access to education in Lao more difficult and a reason to drop out of school.

Khammee's parents survive on low-paid farm work and school supplies are a luxury they cannot afford. Khammee's scholarship enables them to buy school uniforms and basic educational materials.

Mr Tou Sacksith, headmaster of the Kahmmee school, says the scholarships make a big difference to the students in his village. "I think that scholarships will help prolong the education of children living in poverty".He is delighted that Kahmmee is now in the third year.

Our projects in Southeast Asia

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Action Education in Southeast Asia

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Our news in Southeast Asia

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