{"id":678,"date":"2019-07-08T22:19:30","date_gmt":"2019-07-08T20:19:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/?page_id=678"},"modified":"2023-04-28T22:56:49","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T20:56:49","slug":"magic-to-laos","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/magic-to-laos\/","title":{"rendered":"Magic to Laos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Magic to Laos\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/345926825?h=022db0254b&amp;dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"780\" height=\"439\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1cKFbvPWK43ySVq1glwzmd0uwfuTR4aob\/view\">or here to Download from Google Drive<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laos is a landlocked country and the least developed country in Southeast Asia.\u00a0Rural areas in particular are still very underdeveloped, with a lack of resources for good education, hygiene and clean drinking water.\u00a0This is where our friend Oun and his\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.voluntourlaos.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">organization VolunTour-Laos<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0come in: with small but effective projects, the population of the villages in the region north of Luang Prabang should be supported in their daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1003\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/58570762_2008499822792528_5907239538643697664_o-1003x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/58570762_2008499822792528_5907239538643697664_o-1003x1024.jpg 1003w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/58570762_2008499822792528_5907239538643697664_o-294x300.jpg 294w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/58570762_2008499822792528_5907239538643697664_o-768x784.jpg 768w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/58570762_2008499822792528_5907239538643697664_o.jpg 1312w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1003px) 100vw, 1003px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Magic to Laos team with Oun from VolunTour Laos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Construction of a gravity-based water-flow system for the village of Kwok Ngniew<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The mountain village of Kwok Ngniew is just under an hour from the well-developed tourist\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/goo.gl\/maps\/WAA4BgBeyPA2NTUa6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">town of Luang Prabang<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0.\u00a0The people there lead a consistently agricultural life, some of the young people work in the city.\u00a0The village of about 450 inhabitants, whose population has increased significantly in the last 50 years, currently only has 5 water points, which do not supply water continuously, as the existing tank does not have enough reserves for the dry season.\u00a0Oun, the director of Volun-Tour Laos, therefore suggested that we invest in a more modern water system to improve the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to\u00a0\u00a0<strong>\u20ac4,683 in donations from Magic to the World<\/strong>\u00a0, the project, which cost approximately $22,000 in materials, was funded by\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Saur-Solidarit%C3%A9s-131690883600930\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Saur Solidarites<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0and individual donors primarily in the United States.\u00a0The villagers contribute through manual labor and the processing of materials found locally, such as wood and sand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After we arrived in Luang Prabang as a team at the end of April, we first met Oun and then Dao, the project manager and our guide for the days in the mountains.&nbsp;After consultation with both of us, we got working materials for the upcoming assignment in the city.&nbsp;In addition to shovels, hoes, saws, hammers and nails, we also bought work gloves and rubber boots, since we wanted to pour concrete and this is usually done barefoot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, after consultation with Dao, we bought soap, plasters, bandages as well as disinfectants and wound healing products in order to make them available to the school later.&nbsp;In a small demonstration, we showed the children how to clean and bandage a wound, Dao translated, and the teachers keep the materials in case children get injured while playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After arriving in the village, we were warmly welcomed with a ceremony and got to know the personalities of the village board.&nbsp;Even if we were not the first visitors from far away in the village, we were the first group to stay there for so long and help with the physically demanding work.&nbsp;Despite the language barrier, it didn&#8217;t take long before we made our first friends, there was a lot of giggling and laughing and the children in particular were always curious about what we were doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Baustelle-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Baustelle-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Baustelle-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Baustelle-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The water tank construction site<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The work on the water tank consisted of several stages: First of all, the boundary for the foundation had to be poured into the excavated pit.\u00a0After this was done we filled the ground with large stones, pebbles and sand, after which the first steel framing was laid and knotted.\u00a0This was then fixed with the first layer of concrete.\u00a0This includes mentioning that all materials, some of which had been delivered to the village by truck, still had to be carried a good 100 meters up through the jungle to the construction site.\u00a0Much of this was done manually, with the women and children of the village in particular making a truly impressive effort.\u00a0On some days, a local tractor was available, although loading and unloading was a sweaty affair at 30\u00b0C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After the steel frame was braced vertically, stable wooden formwork had to be built and braced for the walls.\u00a0An important task, which also took up a lot of time, since the entire stability of the tank depended on it &#8211; an official from the local building authority even came to approve the construction!\u00a0On the last day of our stay,\u00a0\u00a0<strong>about 100 villagers and we<\/strong>\u00a0were able \u00a0to pour the walls of the 4x4x2m tank, a real feat.\u00a0The concrete was mixed directly in front of the tank on several sides, manually with a shovel and pickaxe, and then passed up with a human chain, the empty buckets down again, and so we processed several tons of material in a few hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the meantime, the walls have dried and the top of the tank has already been poured.\u00a0The water comes from a mountain spring about 4km away.\u00a0A filter system (sedimentation) was set up there from which the water should find its way through the jungle to the tank in hoses.\u00a0At least 7 new water points can now be installed in the village itself, two of them in the school.\u00a0It is also conceivable that the individual houses will have a connection in the future and that toilets and washbasins can also improve hygiene.\u00a0Since water from the tank will be available all year round, it can also be used to irrigate the cultivated areas in the village.\u00a0The positive impact of this secured water supply will last\u00a0\u00a0<strong>at least 20 years<\/strong>\u00a0last!\u00a0Of course, all the working materials that were purchased have also remained in the village and are lent out there under the supervision of the village chief for the common good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"562\" src=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/abschluss-1024x562.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/abschluss-1024x562.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/abschluss-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/abschluss-768x421.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Group picture after completing the walls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We used our day off, while the foundation had to dry, to spend time with the children and young adults of the village.\u00a0In addition to an &#8220;international match&#8221; Laos vs. Germany in football, we did an English lesson with songs and games, after which we danced, sang and made popcorn.\u00a0Since the money for the children&#8217;s school materials is also scarce in most families here, we have entrusted Oun and the headmaster with the\u00a0\u00a0<strong>money for the school books<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0for classes 1-6 for the upcoming school year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Bild_kids_village-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Bild_kids_village-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Bild_kids_village-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Bild_kids_village-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">at the school<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Thank<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>you for your support and trust in our work!<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">100% of the donated money went to the various charitable purposes, we paid all expenses for flight, accommodation and meals ourselves.\u00a0You actively contribute to improving the lives of people in other parts of the world a little bit.\u00a0That&#8217;s magic!\u00a0????<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">More information, pictures and videos can be found on our\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/magictotheworld\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Facebook profile<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">To review\u00a0the Magic to Laos <a href=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/magic-to-laos\/magic-to-laos-donations\/\">donation page, click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"796\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/team2-796x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/team2-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/team2-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/team2-768x988.jpg 768w, https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/team2.jpg 2032w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Magic to Laos Team: Kevin Leuschner, Krissi Renger, Ronny Dobra, Kenny Assan, Sebastian Mei\u00dfner and Marcus Stein<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>or here to Download from Google Drive Laos is a landlocked country and the least developed country in Southeast Asia.\u00a0Rural areas in particular are still very underdeveloped, with a lack of resources for good education, hygiene and clean drinking water.\u00a0This is where our friend Oun and his\u00a0\u00a0organization VolunTour-Laos\u00a0\u00a0come in: with small but effective projects, the <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/magic-to-laos\/\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":684,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-678","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["de","en"],"languages":{"de":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=678"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2011,"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/678\/revisions\/2011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magictotheworld.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}