ATIANE'S HEROIC EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
January 10, 2013
A rural lower secondary school Supervisor at age 29, while studying to complete his degree, Atiane has shown us all poverty doesn’t stand in the way of success. In 2005, Atiane received Indigo Threads 1st Pakse Teacher’s Training College scholarship. With simple English skills, he chose English as his 3-year teaching course minor while boarding at the college dormitory. He was the first person in his Village to achieve a college education and fervently promotes education for all children. With his help, 2 young family members are students at Salavan Teacher's Training College.
Atiane and his brother were orphaned as toddlers; both parents died within a short time of each other. His older sister took the boys in as part of her growing family. A single man, he continues to live with his sister and 19 extended family members at their rural ethnic village home.
I met Atiane at a Pakse bus station in early 2005, wanting to practice English. Not yet comfortable in Lao as a ‘newbie’, I didn’t encourage conversation with young male strangers. He was persistent and asked me to visit his Pakse Ethnic Boarding High School, where he was completing his high school studies. I did and the rest is history. Atiane, his family, I and my family, during their 2009 visit, continue to be good friends while he never forgets his gratitude for the opportunities Indigo Threads provided. We salute Atiane for his heroic accomplishments, currently struggling to finish his thesis.
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