World Education Laos is excited to announce the Lawang (“Beware”): Expanding the Scope of Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) in Laos project. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Lawang project will build on achievements of the recent Comprehensive Mine Risk Education project by piloting new modes of EORE that will bring unexploded ordnance safety messages to a wider audience across the country.
WEI is currently in the process of obtaining a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education and Sport (MOES) for the Lawang project, which will run from 2021-2024. WEI will work with MOES to design and pilot an EORE curriculum for non-formal education centers, and will also partner with village education development committees, helping them train youth volunteers to run EORE events in their communities. As social media is increasing in popularity across Laos, WEI will also work with the Lao government and private sector to create a variety of digital EORE media that will be disseminated through Facebook and other channels.
In partnership with the Department of General Education, the Lawang project will train secondary school teachers to effectively use the new MRE teacher handbooks that were developed under the Comprehensive MRE project. Teachers will be supported to lead fun and engaging EORE lessons while also spearheading additional awareness raising activities with their students.
Together, these activities will reach students, parents, and community members throughout Laos, contributing to greater understanding of the risks of unexploded ordnance and reducing the number of accidents each year.