« Mulberries Organic Silk Farm | Phonsavan, Laos | Main | Between Phonsavan and Sam Neua | Laos »

Da Chang, UXO Survivors' Centre | Phonsavan, Laos

MTDateHeader>

February 4, 2012

20120109_phonsavan_dachang1_np1600XTOL.jpg

Olympus OM-2N | Fuji Neopan 1600
Da Chang survived a UXO blast to the stomach while farming, and crawled back to his village for help while losing over a liter of blood. The UXO Survivors' Centre in Phonsavan helped him continue his education while he volunteered at the centre, and in March 2011 hired him full-time.

The UXO Survivors' Centre provides a great deal of information about the effects of the US bombing in Xieng Khouang province, and displays many examples of defused bombs. It's also the most tourist-central place to get a traditional Lao massage, by a woman who entered the business after her husband was blinded by bomb shrapnel. 25% of her massage fee is donated to the centre.

UXO Survivors' Centre: www.laos.worlded.org/donations.htm

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)