The Evolution of Ban Hao (‘Our Village’)
In Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand, local NGOs are playing an increasingly important role, and are recognized for their important contribution to national development, civil society, social justice, and self-determination. In the Lao PDR, progress has been slower, and registering new Non Profit Associations (NPA-the local term roughly equivalent to NGOs) is currently not possible.
Although this is frustrating to the ambitions of those Lao people who have the desire and potential to assume greater roles in the development of their country, alternatives do exist. Foremost among these is for Lao staff working in existing international organizations to take on increasing responsibilities within those organizations.
Staff of VFI’s Health, Education, Agriculture and Leadership (HEAL) Project implemented within Village Focus International (VFI) are moving in this direction while continuing a close and mutually supportive partnership with VFI. The HEAL project has begun to operate as a semi- autonomous sub-unit of VFI in order to gain experience in independent management and implementation of activities. This sub-unit is now called ‘Ban Hao’ (or Our Village - OV). Major reasons for the movement toward greater local control include:
- It is compatible with VFI’s goals of supporting grassroots, local initiatives, and would further strengthen VFI’s reputation as an innovative international NGO. (In Cambodia, VFI has already moved in a similar direction with the establishment of Village Focus Cambodia (VFC));
- It provides increasing opportunities and impetus for staff development and local capacity building;
- Many donors of the HEAL project have expressed strong interest in and support for such strategies;
- Other donors are interested in supporting local organizations and initiatives;
- To reduce the distance between program management and field implementation, and thereby increase efficiency and effectiveness.
The leaders of Ban Hao (Boualaphet Chounthavong and Chanthala Bouavong) have been two of the key leaders of Village Focus International since our founding in 2000. They, along with Rick Reece, the Director of VFI, were the driving forces behind the establishment of the first international NGO started in Laos. During the past eight plus years, VFI has grown in numbers, annual budget, capacity, and has expanded its’ sectoral focus. During the past year, the OV leaders have expressed a strong desire to establish a local organization with independent funding sources and decision-making power. Of all local development groups currently emerging in Laos, OV is, perhaps, the most advanced in regard to capacity, funding, staffing, government relations, and almost any other measure contributing toward institutional success. VFI hopes to maintain a strong and mutually productive relationship with OV, by sharing resources, assisting in fund raising, and in any other ways necessary, particularly during the next several years. Until OV formally registers as an NPA (or a ‘Foundation’) under Lao law, it will remain officially part of VFI. However, with the signing of the VFI/OV MOU in 2009, OV operates with a great deal of independence, particularly in regard to staffing, local decision-making and the use of funding from donors mandated to fund local NGOs exclusively
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