While we, as university students in Hong Kong, have access to good education and never worry about food and shelter, people in other parts of the world are less blessed. In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the country I served as a UN University Volunteer for six months, many kids are stunted, some villages are not accessible during the rainy season, people live under the threat of unexploded ordnance (UXO), patients have to cross the border for better medical service, and the government highly relies on foreign aids for development. At first glance, our lives are much better than those of the Lao people, who are usually portrayed as victims of poverty, hunger and UXO, whereas volunteers from advanced economies are there to help. Nevertheless, my volunteer experience told another story. Despite my initial intention of contributing to the country’s development, it turned out that I gained much more from the Lao people and their culture than I contributed. The six-month assignment as a UNV was indeed a life-changing journey.

 First impression

Devoid of big cities, beaches and shopping malls, Lao PDR is probably the least-known country in Southeast Asia (SEA) among Hong Konger. Without direct flights from Hong Kong, it has never been on the list of travel destinations. I did not have any prior knowledge of the country before my assignment. Still, it was instead an advantage that I could better keep my mind open to experience and understand the country, the people and their culture.

Another fellow UNV, Kara, and I arrived in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, on 2 July 2017, which was one day late. We had an unexpected overnight layover in Hanoi, as we missed the original connecting fight. Compared to the hustle and bustle in Hanoi, the somnolent capital was quiet and slow. Most buildings were only a few stories tall, and the traffic was light. There was even no Mcdonald’s, KFC or Starbucks. The city did not look like its counterparts in other Southeast Asian countries.

We were brought to a restaurant favoured by expats and tourists for lunch immediately after we arrived. Not long after we found our seats outside the restaurants and ordered food, we were presented with the very true side of the country – poverty. Two beggars, a mother and a young little girl, came to us for money when we just started eating. Chelsey, the UNV programme officer, explained that we could choose to give or not give them money. We ignored them, and they left. A question crossed my mind, why do we deserve to have plenty of food on the table, and they are doomed to starve? Expats in the country, particularly falang (Westerners), are very well respected and enjoy many privileges, not only because they are usually foreign staff of international organisations helping the country but also because they are relatively wealthy. The moment when the beggars came was only one of the many moments I experienced the power imbalance. As volunteers from another country, we enjoyed even greater respect and privileges just because we volunteered to be here. However, given a volunteer living allowance (VLA) over ten times the monthly salary of a local university graduate, we can live a decent, if not extravagant, life in Vientiane. The money we get every month is even more than the salary of most of our national colleagues in the office. We cannot ignore that we are in an even more privileged position with our financial power and role as volunteers.

We walked around the city with Chelsey and our UNV buddies after lunch. Roads and sidewalk could have been better paved, and cars were parked on the sidewalk, making the city not very pedestrian friendly, though the town was small and navigation was easy. Surprisingly, the streets were spotless, and we saw several cafes and restaurants of different cuisine, which I did not expect to see in the least developed country in SEA. We then rented bicycles at a bike shop since we were told that cycling was the easiest way to explore the city. Our day was called by having dinner with two other UNV at one of the fanciest restaurants, which was well decorated and served a wide range of international cuisine.

The first day in Laos was out of my expectation. I did not expect to encounter beggars or see the nice cafes and restaurants. On one hand, the people’s suffering was too explicit and, on the other hand, the city, despite no McDonald’s and Starbucks, was very modern.

Working at UNDP

The next day, we visited the United Nations House for the first time. Situated next to Patuxay, the Lao version of the Arch of Triumph, the UN House is the home of various UN agencies in Laos, including UNFPA, IMF, IOM and, of course, UNDP, my host agency. It was a well-guarded castle of the United Nations in Lao PDR, located in a prime location in the city, where all other essential government offices locate. It also became where I spent much time every day in the following six months.

As a UN university volunteer in Poverty Reduction, my role was to support the operation of the poverty reduction unit at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the biggest agency in the UN system. UNDP works with national governments in 170 countries to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and bring sustainable and inclusive growth. In Lao PDR, UNDP focuses on building democratic governance, reducing poverty, protecting the environment and eliminating the threat of UXO. Since the poverty reduction unit was combined with the UXO unit during my assignment, I supported both units. Among all the projects, I focused on the initiation and management of “Brand Lao – for Better Livelihoods”, which was a new initiative under the Poverty Reduction portfolio.

This project collaborates with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) to identify potential profitable Lao products to be exported to the international market while aiming to substantially raise income for producers, farmers and service providers involved at every stage of the value chains.

During the six months, I worked closely with colleagues in the unit, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) and its consultants on the Brand Lao project. It was only an idea in a draft project document when I started in July. I helped finalise the project document, conducted social and environmental screening and supported the communication with LNCCI and other development partners. As a result, the project document was officially signed by UNDP and LNCCI in October. I also prepared project briefs, annual work plans, meeting minutes and other documents while supporting the procurement of the project by coordinating with partners and contractors, and preparing documents. The first project board meeting was conducted with lots of effort, and the Branding Lao Promotion and Development Facility was officially opened on 2 November 2017. The project is now staffed with national and international consultants, whereas an international consumer research company is commissioned. Seeing how a project develop from an idea to actual implementation was very rewarding.

The project is essential in a country like Lao PDR, with few high-profit margins and value-added economic opportunities. Currently, the economic development of Lao PDR is mainly driven by the export of natural resources, including minerals and energy generated via hydropower. Still, not much employment and livelihood is created. As a result, they leave approximately 70% of the population working in the agricultural sector. With simple and primitive farming methods, the sector is low in productivity and highly vulnerable to natural hazards. To lift people out of poverty, providing more economic opportunities and raising the profit of their production is crucial.

The initiative adopts innovative approaches to identify competitive advantages of Lao PDR and its products from the point of view of ethical consumers, who are willing to pay higher prices for better quality and ethical guarantees. By reconstructing the missing link between the producers and consumers, Lao products will no longer be supplied as anonymous goods, and Lao’s international image could be promoted.

Besides the Brand Lao project, I supported the management of other projects, such as the “Saemaul Initiative Towards Sustainable and Inclusive New Communities” (ISNC project), “Support Programme for the 8th NSEDP Implementation towards LDC Graduation, MIC Transition and SDG Achievement” (MPI programme) and “Moving Towards Achieving SDG 18: Removing the UXO Obstacle to Development in Lao PDR” (UXO projects). My responsibilities were preparing documents and multimedia materials, supporting communication with different partners and working with the procurement unit on procurement issues.

Working at UNDP was an invaluable opportunity that polished my personal and professional skills. The multicultural setting helped me gain more experience working with people with different working styles and cultures. Thanks to the tasks I was given during the assignment, I am now better equipped with professional skills and knowledge which will be very useful in my future career.

Working as a UNV

Apart from my duties at UNDP, as a UN Volunteer, I devoted myself to promoting volunteerism in the country. I participated in two big events in the year, i.e., the United Nations Day and the International Volunteer Day (IVD).

All UN agencies in Lao people gathered in the UN House on 24 October and organized the Open UN House event to celebrate the UN Day. 150 Lao students from four schools visited the UN House and learned more about the UN’s work in the country. I represented UNV and UNDP to help them understand our work on removing the UXOs by showing them the latest Virtual Reality films. Though my Lao was very limited then, I could explain some basic instructions for using the VR headset. More important, my presence as an International University Volunteer showed the diversity of the UNV family in Laos.

In December, UNV in Lao PDR organised a development dialogue and a blood donation drive to promote volunteerism and celebrate the IVD. I participated in the preparation committee, helped organise the events and designed publication materials and T-shirts. Almost a hundred young Lao attended the development dialogue and listened to sharing from passionate local volunteers. Collaborating with the Lao Red Cross and Lao Youth Union, we successfully mobilised hundreds of young people to donate blood.

Moreover, I supported the Younified Day, an SDG awareness event organized by YSEALI Laos, by facilitating some activities and introducing participants to UNV and volunteerism. The event encouraged 60 local university students to actively shape their country and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The students devoted themselves to the activities and became knowledgeable in SDGs.

These opportunities allowed me to interact with enthusiastic young Lao willing to commit themselves to serving society. Even though many international organisations and their international staff were working in the country, the young people I encountered demonstrated that they could also shape their country’s future. Their enthusiasm encouraged me to devote myself to the betterment of the society.

Leisure Time

 Vientiane is a tiny city that does not provide you with as many entertainment choices as Hong Kong. Given half a year in the city, I initially thought I would be very bored and have plenty of time. However, that was an illusion. As the end of the assignment was approaching, I realised I needed more time to finish everything on my list. Local people joke that the acronym of Lao PDR stands for “please don’t rush”. Once a person settles in the country, they will naturally adapt to the country’s very slow pace and laid-back attitudes. I was no exception. Slowing down did not mean doing less but genuinely enjoying every moment.

I always felt that the UN house was an ivory tower where I spent most of my time and could not experience and see the country’s authentic side. Therefore, I spent much of my leisure time trying to interact with the locals and the expats.

As most Lao people do not speak English, it was essential to learn the local language to communicate with the locals and to understand their lives. We had a Lao language class every Monday evening with Mr. Goi, a very experienced Lao teacher who had taught many UNVs. He came to our place at 7pm, and we always started the 1.5-hour class by bombarding him with many questions. Learning Laos was fun, especially with Mr. Goi and his special phonetics, which helped us master the language without learning the Lao script. After a few months of learning with him, he became our friend and invited us to his home for lunch.

In the evenings of other weekdays, we usually go out with other UNVs, colleagues and friends. We sometimes had “Tasty Tuesday” dinners to try out different restaurants in Vientiane. On Thursday, I usually attend “Bla Bla Language Exchange” meetings organised by my friend, an intern at the UNRCO office. We usually grabbed a beerlao or a cocktail and started talking to people in different languages. It was an excellent opportunity to practice Lao with the native, and I sometimes taught them Chinese and English.

On the weekends, I often enjoyed a cup of brewed coffee and read books at one of the many good cafes in town, such as Joma, Sinouk Coffee, Le Trio, The Little House and Comma Coffee. Among them, I especially loved visiting the Little House, owned and operated by a Japanese lady, and Comma Coffee, which hires some young local university graduates longing to interact with foreigners and practice English. The former provided a tranquil environment where I could enjoy their excellent coffee and books. The latter, on the other hand, enabled me to talk with some locals and get to know more about them. Besides, we sometimes went to Wat Sokpaluang (Sokpaluang Temple) to attend the weekly meditation session on Saturday, though I am not religious. The session followed an hour of chatting with local students and monks, which was why I went there.

During long weekends and holidays, I usually traveled to other cities, such as Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha and Oudomxay. In Luang Namtha and Nong Khiaw, I joined two-day trekking tours, in which I visited remote ethnic minority villages and stayed at their place. These two tours were the best parts of my six-month journey in the country since I could closely observe and taste some of the lives of the Khmu, the Hmong and the other ethnic tribes. These tours are guided by guides from local ethnic tribes, who are naturally trained to survive in the jungle. They cooked in the jungle with ingredients and utensils from the jungle. On one of the tours, I stayed in a Khmu village with no electricity and mobile network single. The kids did not have toys to play with but only pebbles. Though there were a few water taps in the village, the villagers bathed in the river and washed their clothes there. They were self-sufficient by growing their food. They had a very sustainable way of living and made very good use of all the natural resources. Their simple but happy lives may be something people from the modern world long for.

Conclusion

I am very grateful for everything I experienced and learned during the assignment. I gained lots of skills, knowledge, and experience in the six months. I learned how to work with people from diverse backgrounds, acquired skillsets and knowledge about the UN and development work, and now have a better understanding of the country. I now also appreciate the simple ways of life the Lao people have.

As volunteers, we are there to serve and learn, but we can only succeed with humility. International volunteer is a special and privileged status, often abused to exploit the locals. Although we are just volunteers, what we do can severely affect the lives of the locals. I always remember that I don’t deserve what I have now. If I had been born into the family of beggars I met on the first day in Laos, I could not have received an education and worked outside my country as a volunteer. Our destiny is determined mainly by luck, where and when we are born. If we recognise that we do not deserve all these privileges, we should serve others better. Only by appreciating other’s cultures, understanding their situation, and critically and constantly examining our position and actions can we be better volunteers.

This six-month assignment is not the end of my volunteering journey, but it inspired me to continue serving others and eliminating the power gap between people. I may not be a changemaker, but I hope to bring progress to a more just and equal world.

(This article is adapted from a report submitted to the Agency for Volunteer Service upon completion of the UNV assignment.)