ATIANE'S Teaching Certificate and News

November 21, 2008

You have previously meet Atiane Saiyasou in another ‘blog’, SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT RECEIVES TEACHING CERTIFICATE, dated July 13, 2008.  Atiane received his teaching certificate in June 2008 from the Pakse Teacher’s Training College 3-year Program with honors.  He was INDIGO THREADS very first scholarship recipient to the College and the first to receive his teaching certificate from the advanced 3-year teaching Program.  Although he had many other options, he choose to returned to his rural ethnic village in Sekong Province to teach at the secondary school near his village, passing on the gift of education.

Atiane would like to proudly share with you a copy of his teaching certificate   INDIGO THREADS is proud of Atiane’s accomplishments and his determination to help give poor rural children the education opportunities he had.

In October, I visited with Atiane when he came to Pakse City to purchase basic primary English books.  In addition to interning as an English teacher at his District’s secondary school, he is developing a small school to teach English to both students and adults   This is a rare opportunity for people living in rural villages.  While attending college, he tutored students in their home, taught children and monks at the temples and worked for organized schools teaching evening English classes.  The pay was incredibly low---5,000 kip (60 cents) per month, per student.  He took these opportunities to gain additional teaching experience.  With his big personality and good sense of humor his students were glued to every word, following along diligently. There was no doubt he loved what he was doing and would be a great teacher.

Atiane’s lives with another teacher’s family close to the school but visits his family often.  During the summer months, he helped his brother-in-law in the rice fields and will help harvest in November.  He is considering marriage to a young woman in his village sometime next year.  His sister and brother-in-law have given him their permission.  Atiane is now a more serious maturing 28-year-old young man. 

His sister always sends us her good wishes with Atiane. We have shared our many photos of Atiane’s graduation ceremony with his family, as they could not attend.  She’s asked again if Indigo Threads could help her family sell their beautiful handwoven Katu ethnic textiles. The Katu textiles can be seen on the ‘blog’, SALE--UNIQUE SOUTHERN LAOS HANDMADE HANDCRAFTS, Dated October 10, 2008.  Can you help this family with sales of their handwoven textiles?  The unique textiles are very special, as well, as the women who weave them.

We wish Atiane continued success passing on the gift of education; a gift that is everlasting.

Mary D. Meyer
Indigo Threads/President-Director
Laos Education Support and Village Development
A Non-Profit (501-3-C) Humanitarian Organization
www.indigothreads.org
mdmeyer@indigothreads.org

 

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