A Village Submerged
Resilience in the face of devastation in Lao PDR
- English
- ລາວ
In the flood-stricken village of Veune Khene, nestled in the low-lying Pak Gum District of Vientiane Province, village chief Ms. Khansong Xayalath gestured toward a small boat, beckoning UNICEF and government staff to follow her. Navigating through the submerged streets, the chief provided a stark tour of her devastated community.
The flood waters have transformed the village. Ground floors were abandoned, emptied of their contents. In some two-story homes, families huddled upstairs, while others had fled to relatives in nearby villages. As we passed, motorbikes dangled precariously from rooftops, barely above the floodwaters, while two helmets floated nearby.
"This is the worst in many years..." states village chief, Ms. Khansong Xayalath, as she looks on over her flooded village.
“It’s hard to imagine a road here,” one of the health officials said as the boats moved through the waters. Indeed, it was. The water had erased all signs of the once-familiar pathways.
School, homes submerged
The boat glided forward, carrying us toward the village school. As we arrived at the playground, the tips of goalposts barely protruded from the water. The ground-floor classrooms were inundated, their windows and doors swallowed by the flood. It was clear the children of Veune Khene village wouldn’t be returning to their studies anytime soon.
As we moved through the village, signs of resilience were everywhere. A dog paddled past us, keeping pace with our boat. Nearby, a man swam through the murky water, using a polystyrene box as a makeshift float. Despite the enormity of the disaster, it was remarkable how active and hopeful the villagers remained.
Support for vulnerable children and families
Ms. Khansong, though soft-spoken, was clear on what was needed.
"We need clean water, medicine for the children and help to prevent disease. Some of the children are getting sick—red spots on their legs, diarrhoea."
With toilets flooded, the villagers had been forced to go to relieve themselves in the bushes on higher ground. The combination of contaminated water and poor hygiene was already leading to rashes and other illnesses, with access to healthcare severely hampered.
In response to situations like this in Pak Ngum and elsewhere, UNICEF mobilized quickly with partners. Deliveries to flood affected areas in Vientiane like Veune Khene village were coordinated through the Vientiane Provincial Health Department. Vital supplies were dispatched from UNICEF's WASH Centre and included 1 million chlorine tablets, 150 water buckets, 3,000 bars of soap, 150 bottles of drinking water, 100 packs of sanitary pads and 100 plastic scoops for washing.
These supplies were crucial for ensuring clean water access and promoting hygiene amidst the chaos. Beyond this village, UNICEF had already dispatched supplies to other flood-affected provinces in the north, including 100,000 chlorine tablets, 100 plastic buckets for water storage, 100 drinking water containers and 5 rolls of tarpaulins for temporary shelters.
Water purification trucks, donated by the people of Japan to the Lao Government, have also been instrumental in providing clean drinking water by draining river water, purifying it and delivering it directly to families in need throughout parts of Lao PDR. Villagers collect this purified water in containers, including those donated by UNICEF.
But the loss is heavy—vegetable gardens are gone, homes abandoned, the community’s future uncertain.
At night, the village uses a generator for a few hours of electricity, flickering lights giving some semblance of normality to the darkness. Yet, for all the challenges, the resilience of the people of Veune Khene village is palpable. As we continued our tour, village chief Ms. Khansong showed no sign of despair. Like the villagers she leads, she remains determined, hopeful and quietly resolute in the face of disaster.
The road to recovery will be long. But with continued support and the resilience that defines these communities, there is hope. UNICEF stands ready, alongside the government and other partners on the ground, to provide critical support to villages like Veune Khene and countless others as they begin to rebuild their lives.
