On November 1st, GRET in Laos celebrated its 20th anniversary. To commemorate this important milestone, the GRET team took the opportunity to gather with its partners, donors, and journalists for a celebratory evening at the GRET in Laos office.
GRET worked in Laos for the first time in 2004, with an inaugural project (MIREP) aimed at expanding access to safe water and sanitation in semi-urban areas. Over 15 years, MIREP successfully reached 60,000 people and 10,000 households at 17 sites, laying a strong foundation for GRET’s ongoing mission in Laos.
Fast forward 20 years, GRET has implemented and supported more than 15 impactful projects, empowering communities from various backgrounds across Laos through targeted initiatives in four crucial areas: essential services, food systems, land governance, and natural resources.
With more than 100 people attending, the event featured an exhibition showcasing GRET’s 20-year portfolio of projects in Laos, covering the four subject areas.
The event also highlighted GRET’s accumulated results in Laos in the “20 Years of Achievement” session, with a special focus on agroecology, wetland preservation, and the tea value chain.
Watch the videos below:
With its long-standing experience in the field, GRET was also able to share its key capitalisation on the impactful Bamboo project with the audience, made up of development professionals from various fields.
See the video recap:
We are also proud to have welcomed our honourable guests Her Excellency Siv-Leng Chhuor, French Ambassador to Lao PDR, and Dr. Chanthakone Boualaphanh, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
The Ambassador commented on GRET’s work and contribution: “Today, GRET is part of Team France. It is a key operational player in the concrete implementation of France’s interventions in agroecological transition and food security, support for the tea and coffee sectors, access to essential local services and water, and natural resource management.” She went on to say that “France has long been a leader in humanitarian and solidarity actions worldwide, with its NGOs, such as GRET, standing as powerful ambassadors of this commitment. French NGOs play a vital role in tackling global challenges, including climate change, food security, and crisis resilience.”
Mr. Arnaud Vontobel, GRET’s Country Representative in Laos, also commented: “Through our long-standing presence in Laos, our deep understanding of the needs of rural communities, and our strong relationships with Lao institutions, we are confident in our ability to continue to support Laos in facing new challenges, and adapting to climate change.”
Mr. Vontobel also spoke about GRET’s upcoming objectives in Laos: “Among the new subject areas we are exploring, I am thinking of access to primary healthcare in rural areas, which is severely lacking in resources, as well as vocational training to provide young Lao people with a future close to their communities. In the coming months, we also plan to work on waste management in rural areas and on the productive use of renewable energy.”
