Our Aims

In order to model these ideals, the SAE LAO project aims to achieve the following:

• Create high-quality employment opportunities, including job training.
• Model sustainable technologies and practices.
• Provide free English classes for the community.
• Create meaningful cultural exchange through a volunteer program.
• Offer sustainable market alternatives such as a farm-to-table restaurant, biogas technology, natural soap production in the local community and sustainable building practices.
• Involve locals in the project as leaders, employees, students, teachers, consumers, and idea-generators.

So far, SAE LAO has been successful in achieving a number of its goals. There are seven full-time paid Lao staff members and part time staff members, consistent English classes, a fully operational restaurant, and a consistent vibrant volunteer community. In addition, the farm currently grows organic vegetables and peanuts, raises chickens, ducks and pigs, operates a biogas system to utilise human and animal waste for energy and have our own drinking water filtered from rain water. 

Buildings are made of sustainable materials, primarily bamboo, timber and mud bricks.

Although the project has grown substantially over the last years, there remains room for growth. We are implementing new community projects, expanding our adult education and skills training and slowly improving our systems on site with the aim of creating a closed loop project (all waste is good waste).

Some of the upcoming projects include involving the local community in producing and selling natural and local products to boost their income and creating more energy efficient and environmentally water systems on site. 

The current programs constantly need additional resources, such as educational materials, tools, books, and furniture. Lastly, SAE LAO will purchase additional land to expand its farm operation in order to make the community completely self-sufficient.

SAE LAO is looking to partner with international and national organizations to receive the funding, resources, and knowledge necessary to make improvements. These partnerships will aid SAE LAO in establishing sustainable non-profit commercial enterprises and making improvements to current facilities and programs.