EDF-Lao was founded and began operations in 1997 with the aim of providing educational opportunities to local underprivileged children in Laos. EDF-Lao also aims to improve primary education to break the cycle of chronic poverty affecting thousands of people in Laos. All the organization’s operations are based on the driving forces of international cooperation and are made possible through the support of Japanese philanthropists and benevolent organizations, with the humanitarian assistance of EDF-Japan in Tokyo.

Poverty in Laos is still severe and impacts many people’s lives in rural, remote communities. Many children lack educational opportunities and several rural schools lack adequate learning and teaching materials and qualified teachers. To develop basic education and to meet the Millennium Development Goals, serious efforts need to be taken through active cooperation and collaboration among many individuals and international organizations.

President Terumasa Akio, the founder of EDF-Lao, began the Darunee Scholarship Fund for underprivileged children in Thailand in 1987. The project was expanded to the central and southern provinces of Laos in 1997.

EDF-Lao works to progressively reduce poverty and to improve the education system through cooperation with both the government and local public sectors. We aim to enrich the basic education environment and raise awareness among rural people about the importance of education.

The Student Scholarship Program offers opportunities to underprivileged children in rural areas to enter primary school. The School Construction Program works to help create an education-friendly environment for students: well-built, fully furnished buildings with adequate teaching and learning materials serve as an attractive place for teaching, learning and other activities for local teachers and students. In addition, the School Support Related Program consists of basic literacy and life skills improvement projects to strengthen the basic education system and improve the living conditions of people in rural areas of Laos.

We strongly believe that developing children through quality education will be a significant pathway to break the chronic poverty cycle in Laos. This will help Laos achieve the goal of “Education for All” and will serve as a noteworthy taskforce to drive community development in perpetuity. To make a difference for children through education, there must be strong coordination with government, assistance from international communities, and generous donations from individuals.