Volunteer Projects

Regenerative

Agriculture

  • 300+ villagers with access to free educational workshops at the Sop Chem Permaculture Learning Center
  • Multiple integrated systems, including: organic garden beds, fish pond, duck pond, chickens, fruit trees and an earth home.
  • 300+ villagers with access to free educational workshops at the Sop Chem Permaculture Learning Center
  • Multiple integrated systems, including: organic garden beds, fish pond, duck pond, chickens, fruit trees and an earth home.

In our host community of Sop Chem, recent construction of hydroelectric dams has led to rapid deforestation, appropriation of large tracts of farmland, and major changes to the biological, chemical and physical properties of the river and its riparian environment; all of which is adversely impacting the community’s ability to maintain food security. Furthermore, the region’s rugged mountainous landscape makes access to fertile farmland a precious commodity and Sop Chem residents are simply running out of space. Community leaders understand that, in order to survive and thrive under these new circumstances, it’s critical for local residents to adapt and innovate their food production systems. Essentially, they must figure out how to do more with less. In response, GIVE is working alongside them to establish the Sop Chem Permaculture Learning Center – a model farm that will demonstrate best practices in organic, nutrition-based, regenerative agriculture, and produce a large variety of nutritious fruits, vegetables and livestock on a relatively small plot of land.

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Wildlife Conservation

  • 60+ Asiatic Black Bears already rescued from the bile farming industry.
  • Dozens of other primates, mammals and birds rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.
  • 60+ acres of land housing rescued animals at the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary.

GIVE has partnered with Free the Bears since 2015, an Australian NGO that has established wildlife sanctuaries throughout SE Asia to protect Asiatic Black Bears from the bile farming industry. Bile farming is a barbaric practice where bears are poached from the wild and kept in coffin-sized cages while dirty catheters extract bile from their gall bladders to be used in traditional medicines. We are currently working together to construct the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary, a 60+ acre sanctuary that will ultimately house more than 150 bears and a variety of other primates, birds and mammals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Asia.

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English Education

  • 60+ children receiving fundamental English lessons.
  • 30+ teenagers earning scholarships towards their secondary education
  • 20+ adults studying conversational English to improve their sales potential for local handicrafts
  • 60+ children receiving fundamental English lessons.
  • 30+ teenagers earning scholarships towards their secondary education
  • 20+ adults studying conversational English to improve their sales potential for local handicrafts

GIVE is working to increase educational opportunities in Sop Chem by offering fundamental English lessons from native speaking volunteers to all school-aged children.  Local teenagers are also able to earn scholarships towards their secondary education by achieving high attendance rates at our English lessons and clocking hours on our construction projects.  Furthermore, we’re empowering local artisans to increase their handicraft sales with our Adult English program.  In order to ensure consistent quality for our students, all lessons are planned and delivered in conjunction with our TEFL certified Education Coordinators.

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At GIVE, we work hard and play hard!

Check out our Adventure Activities to see what epic adventure lies ahead!

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