Lone Buffalo English School in Laos

We are aiming to raise £5000 to help get us through our first year being open and ensure we can offer the chance to all children who want to learn. We currently have over 100 children that come to our after school English classes.

Background

o   The Lone Buffalo Foundation is a non-profit organisation formed in 2010, following the death of the inspirational Manophet who founded The EDS school & football club in Phonsavan.

o   The foundation was set up by two of Manophets’ friends Mark Steadman and Gareth Carter.

Aims

o   Provide free English study for young people in Phonsavan.

o   Encourage English study through sport.

o   Develop Lao teachers and improve teaching skills within the community.

o   To give young people the opportunity to contribute to and learn about their local community through voluntary placements.

o   Provide a platform for young people to practice English and hospitality skills, presenting opportunities for careers in the tourism sector.

o   Assist the local community by running corporate English training programs for local businesses.

o    To generate international awareness of the UXO problem in Laos through the movie On Safer Ground.

Achievements to date

o   Raised sponsorship to take Manophet’s football team to Sweden to compete in the international world youth tournament, The Gothia Cup.  The first time a team of footballers from Laos had competed outside of Asia at any level.

o   Following the tragic death of Manophet, the foundation supported his school financially and provided volunteer teaching staff.

o   Five of the team who competed in Sweden were awarded official FIFA coaching badges through the Spirit of Soccer coaching program. 

o   The newly qualified Lone Buffalo coaches set up football sessions for female students in Phonsavan.

o   A fundraising event for On Safer Ground hosted by Save the Children in Vientiane. 

o   A gym has been donated to the foundation for the football team/students.

o   A preview of On Safer Ground headlines the Luang Prabang Film festival receiving a fantastic reaction and subsequent reviews in the international press.

o   The Lone Buffalo English Development Centre opened in Phonsavan.

Strategy for 2012

o   International release of On Safer Ground

o   Lone Buffalo football clinics began on January 28^th. The FIFA qualified Lone Buffalo coaches will be assisting with these weekly sessions. 

o   Formal English lessons began on 23^rd January under the direction of Nick Williamson, Lone Buffalo Director of English studies, using a mix of native English speakers and Lao teachers.

o   Teacher training/trainee teacher workshops will run on weekends. We aim to produce 10 Lao teachers in 2012.

o   Corporate teaching programs in place within the local community.

o   Roll football clinics out to other provinces with a focus on deprived areas.

o   Student volunteer placements within the community beginning with the UXO Survivor Centre and Mulberries Silk Farm in February.

o   Working with local Lao tour operators to develop local and national tour guides from our students.

o   Organise field trips from the school to local and national companies/attractions.

o   To develop workshops for village and UXO survivors/affected families. 

o   Set up a Lone Buffalo Café in Phonsavan to serve as a project showroom and a hospitality training centre.

o   Organise mountain bike tours of the Plain of Jars using student guides.

o   To become 50% self-sustaining by July and 75% self-financing by Jan 2013.

o   To develop a successful, sustainable, model which can be duplicated in other deprived provinces.