Community Engagement for Development Through Religious Leadership.
Community Engagement for Development Through Religious Leadership.
Religious values and tradition run deep in Hom village, which is home to over 90 temples. Located in Hadxayfong District, the village is an example of how religious leadership and community engagement can drive meaningful change.
Back in 2014, Hom village was grappling with a high number of Mosquito-borne cases. The situation was dire as the only available health service was the Hom Health Centre, which lacked proper equipment and resources to treat a high number of patients. Additionally, the district hospital was located far away, making it even harder for villagers, including monks, to access quality healthcare.
During this ordeal, one monk saw the pressing need for change. Monk Lai Sourapanyo, Head of the Savang Temple, recognized that the health centre's limitations were a barrier to the wellbeing of his community. Motivated by a deep sense of compassion and concern, he initiated efforts to improve healthcare facilities in the village.
Recognising the power of collective action, the Savang Temple launched a fundraising initiative, starting with contributions from the monks themselves – a simple yet effective plan. Each monk was asked to contribute 1,000,000 LAK, junior monks 500,000 LAK, and each temple 1,000,000 LAK.
“Usually, during the religious ceremonies or whenever monks are invited to take part in religious event, we receive at least 500,000 LAK in donations amounting to around 200,000,000 to 300,000,000 LAK per year. These donations, combined with our community’s generosity, gave us the opportunity to help support our local health centre. It took almost two years to complete the new building in 2017, with a total of 736,230,000 kip raised.”
The monks at the Savang Temple and local residents came together to fund the construction of the new health centre, replacing the old building that had stood since 1957. In 2017, the new facility was completed, marking a turning point in the community's healthcare journey. The newly built health centre is equipped with essential services, including child health care, immunization, dental services, emergency care and a pharmacy. The facility not only serves Hom village today but also 10 other neighboring villages, benefiting a total of 13,725 people and acting as the cornerstone of healthcare for these villages.
In addition to the health centre, another important programme was initiative for Hom Village with the establishment of Village Health Volunteers (VHVs). These VHVs act as an important bridge connecting communities to health services to tackling mosquito-borne disease outbreaks during the rainy season in the area. Apart from that, the group of Village Health Volunteers has created their own savings initiative aimed at supporting members in emergency situations, with additional support from the local temple and donations.
"Since we introduced the VHV program in 2018, the number of fever cases caused by mosquitoes has significantly decreased. We initially started with a small group of five volunteers in the village and raised a small amount of money to cover travel costs for monitoring the community's wellbeing, the health of pregnant women, and observing mosquito breeding areas—efforts that have helped control the spread of the disease. This initiative not only supports us as volunteers but also encourages everyone in the village to get involved, enhancing a sense of community support" said Khamsanor Vongkhamchan, Head of the Hom Health Centre.
The story of Savang Temple, Hom Village Health Volunteer and its health centre stand as a testament to how religious institutions, when actively engaged with their communities, can bring about significant improvements in vital infrastructure such as healthcare and community wellbeing. Today, the Hom Health Centre is not just a place for healing but also a symbol of what can be achieved as the community to work together for improving their own communities.
