Official Development Assistance (ODA)
My Story about Japan’s ODA from a Lao Student

from Lao PDR

The school building was constructed by Japan’s ODA in 2012.

describing that the school was built by Japan’s ODA in 2012.
Photos: provided by Mr Kaysone Boutsady
When I was a secondary school student in the rural area in Champasack Province, I studied at Sanasomboun High School, which is used to be called as Naluk Secondary School at that time. As there were not enough school facilities, some of them were built by the grant of Japanese ODA. And my school was also one of them!
In addition, the National Road Route 13 running in front of my school was also built by Japan’s ODA. That main road with the length of about 650 km gives Lao people better access to the capital Vientiane from Southern Laos.
Moreover, in Pakse, the capital city of Champasack Province, there is a bridge, called Lao-Nippon Bridge which directly accesses to Ubon, Thailand, and of course it was built by Japan’s ODA. Before construction of this bridge, when people wanted to transport their products to Thailand, they had to use a boat or a ship to transfer to another side of Mekong River, and then reload them on cars or trucks heading to Thailand border.

with other Lao students of Yamaguchi University
-
Lao-Nippon Bridge at present, which was constructed by Japan’s ODA.
Photos: provided by Mr Kaysone Boutsady
I was greatly impressed with Japan’s ODA, because my life has been benefitted from these infrastructure, which have motivated me so much and made me try my best to be in Japan someday.
And, my dream has come true!
I was accepted as one of the JDS students by Graduate School of Economics of Yamaguchi University. I’m now researching on efficiency and effectiveness of microfinance institution in poverty reduction in Southern Laos. After I graduate from Japanese university, I would like to make this work better to make sure that people in southern province in Laos have a good condition of livelihood. By making them easy access to the fund, people will gradually be away from the poverty.
On behalf of Lao people, I would like to express gratitude for all the projects by Japan’s ODA. I cannot imagine how our country would look like if there were no Japan’s assistance. People might continue to travel on the broken road from the capital city to Southern Laos. Our economy might not have developed like this without good condition of infrastructure, especially the bridge access to Thailand.