SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Receives TEACHING CERTIFICATE
July 13, 2008
Atiane Saiyasou received his
teaching certificate from the Pakse Teacher’s Training College in Pakse, Laos
on Thursday, June 19, 2008. This was
that exciting, important day we had waited 3 years for. Atiane is especially honored by INDIGO
THREADS for his diligence, excellent grades, (always at the top of his class)
and choosing to teach at a rural school when he had other options. He received the first scholarship awarded by
INDIGO THREADS Teacher’s Training Scholarship Program for the more difficult
advanced 3-year program. After a
one-year internship, Atiane will become an English teacher at Tha Taeng
Secondary School near his rural ethnic village of Lek. Rural schools are in great need of dedicated
teachers, particularly, teachers with current education.
We are particularly proud of
Atiane, as he would be considered in the US, a disadvantage, underprivileged
young man. He and his older brother
were orphaned at an early age when both parents died within months of each
other from an unknown illness. Although
they had little to provide for their own family, his older sister and her
husband took the boys into their rural home raising them with their other
children. (This is a common practice in
Laos.) The family first lived near the
Vietnamese border and later relocated to a more productive farming area in
Sekong Province. Because he was an
excellent student with good grades, the District Education Department selected
him for a full scholarship to the Pakse Ethnic High School, a disciplined
boarding school where I first meet him.
He asked to practice his English with me. Atiane has a big personality and certainly, not shy like many of
his younger classmates. He was awarded
INDIGO THREADS 3-year scholarship without competition. During a recent visit to Southern Laos, my
family and friends were graciously invited to meet Atiane’s family at their
rural village home. All 35 family members
were waiting to greet us with a warm welcome to their meager traditional home.
It was the highlight of our trip, a special experience we will not forget.
Atiane has an exciting career ahead of him. By 2011, The Laos Government has mandated English be taught in all schools beginning in level 3. Currently, English is taught in
secondary schools for a couple of hours a week. Language skills come easy to Atiane. He first learned his ethnic Katu tribal language and then,
Vietnamese, living close to the Vietnam border. The third language was Lao which he says is more difficult then
learning English.
Submitted by Mary D. Meyer mdmeyer@indigothreads.org
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