My Story and My Dream

I was born on 9 March 1990 in a small village, about 50-60 KM from Nga district of Udomxay province.

I came to the Orphanage school in Luang prabang, LPB, on 18 September 2002. I attended first grade. I was 12 years old. I had worked hard and was determine to study so I became a good student among 210 students in the orphanage school at that time. After only two months at grade 1, the teacher let me go up to grade 2 and in three years I graduated from primary school.

by Sengsong (18 years old)

Written in summer 2008, in Vientiane

Written in Lao language and translated by Manichanh and Xuyen

I was born on 9 March 1990 in a small village, about 50-60 KM from Nga district of Udomxay province.

I came to the Orphanage school in Luang prabang, LPB, on 18 September 2002. I attended first grade. I was 12 years old.  I had worked hard and was determine to study so I became a good student among 210 students in the orphanage school at that time. After only two months at grade 1, the teacher let me go up to grade 2 and in three years I graduated from primary school.

In the summer of 2003, most of my school friends went home to visit relatives.  I have no relatives, I remained in school. With the kindness of the school principal, I was given special responsibility to guard the office of school.

In the middle of June 2003, Madame Xuyen and teacher Somphone visited LPB orphanage school. After they returned to Vientiane capital, Madame Xuyen invited the director and vice director of the orphanage school and two students to study tour at Donkoi Children Development Center, DCDC. I was selected with another girl named Chantha. We traveled   by airplane.

I was only in grade 2, I knew nothing. I had never thought and never dreamed that I could travel to Vientiane (capital) with two directors .Their ages were older then 40 years old. I could not express how glad I was.

I arrived at Donkoi school, Mme Xuyen led me, my friend Chantha, and the two teachers to tour the DCDC and visit each group of children who are working on each activity like one group working with clay, one with small rocks that are glued together, look like animals. Others created pictures using dried grass. It was very strange; I have never seen anything like that before. Mme Xuyen asked me which group I like to join in. I did not know how to do anything except I thought I might like to try the clay molding.

After two months internship at DCDC, I went back to LPB School, Chantha and I helped created many activities for the school. We have received much praises from the school. With various after school activity clubs, we produced a lot of things like paintings, grass pictures, clay animals, paper mache things. The after school activity program slowly expanded which has contributed to the school a bit, I think. When guests visit the school, we tour them around to see activities and the people in LPB city also know my name, Sengsong.

Besides these activities, I also like to read books, magazines and newspapers. But I like drawing a lot. In 2006, I had a chance to send my drawings to a competition at LBP city’s library. My picture won the first prize among pictures sent from many schools in LPB.

The award giving ceremony was attended by LPB Governor and Mr. Sala, the sponsor.

In 2007 there was another competition on Proverbs,  I sent two proverbs : one is ‘Father ‘s merit  is compare to a mountain and mother ‘s merit  compare to the sky and the earth’ . The second proverb is “While living, do good things, when leaving let others think of you “. I won the first prize for the first proverb whereas the second proverb, I got the consolation prize. These are published in a book.

The after-school activities did not only help the school become active, but also helped to earn a yearly income for the school.  At least about 2 to 3 millions kip (about 200 to 300 US$) per year.

Perhaps my drawings are not the high quality yet, but they are sold and the earning helps me to buy school supplies and also I was able to buy some things needed for my family members.  I was also asked to do the wall drawings and paintings at LPB city’s library and at some teachers’ homes also.

In 2005, Mr. Somsavat Lengsawat, the Minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs visit LPB orphanage school. After touring the school activities, he patted my on my shoulder and said:” Congratulations .Your are doing very skill craft. If you continue to obey the rules, listen to teachers, then in the future you will become a good person of society and of the country.” Those words encouraged me and helped me continue learning more and more.

In both primary and junior high school my grades have been excellent as I got first places. The foreigners also know me as a young artist of the school.

Every summer after that first summer of 2003, I was given a chance to go back to DCDC for more internship .Two years ago I only went to DCDC to learn, but now I could assist other volunteers, also I could teach younger children in DCDC as well.

This year, summer 2008, while in Vientiane, I went to visit the Vientiane International School four times.

All my experiences and new knowledge were given by the assistance from Mme Xuyen of CWS. Therefore I can compare Mme Xuyen is like a precious mother. She could pull me out from a dark world to a splendid world.

To repay for this precious assistance (merit), I intend to learn to gain more knowledge and more skills. Then I will graduate and have a job.  I will assist the disadvantaged people like Mme Xuyen and I will be very proud. That is my dream.

Submitted by,

Xuyen Dangers

Xuyen Dangers is a social worker in Laos/Vietnam.  She serves as a Social work supervisor of Donkoi child center and 5 other centers, Social work advisor, Faculty of Social Sciences, and the National University of Laos.