LAOS – Luang Prabang – Visit the Deaf and Mute Center

Description

The Luang Prabang Special Education School provides deaf and mute children with professional and vocational training, giving them the opportunity to integrate into the local job market. They can receive training in weaving, dressmaking, carpentry, mechanics, and hospitality. To help support their work, the center has several small social enterprises to help with the financial costs of the project as well as to expand training opportunities for the students. A short visit to the school is an opportunity to learn about the center and the work that they do, before enjoying a coffee at their on-site cafe and browsing the locally made handicrafts that are on sale in the gift shop. Another popular souvenir to take away, is a few phrases in sign language. For each visit to the center a donation is provided.

Can be combined with

Thematic Leisure

• LAOS – Luang Prabang – City Tour Luang Prabang
• LAOS – Luang Prabang – Visit Kuang Sy Waterfalls
• LAOS – Luang Prabang – UXO Museum Project
• LAOS – Luang Prabang – Bear Care Tour

Selling points

• A way to support a less fortunate local community.
• An ideal way to support the local community while travelling. 
• A short visit which is easily added as a time-filler in the morning or afternoon. 
• A unique perspective on the vocational training options available to people who are differently abled.
• May be interesting for travelers that work in educational or vocational training. 

Level Of The Excursion

The Impact Of This Excursion

Social/cultural Impact

Economic Impact

Time And Transportation

Duration

• The introduction to the project and short tour takes 15 to 20 minutes and is followed by refreshments at the coffee shop.
• The full duration of the visit is approximately 1 hour.

Min pax

1

Max pax

20

How to sell it

• The opportunity to support a local non-profit organization.
• For clients who want to make a social impact while traveling. 
• To interact with a less fortunate community in a responsible way.
• For agents who have a sustainable profile.
• For travelers interested in education and training. 

Why this activity

• Developed to provide more support to local NGOs
• An example of direct sustainable tourism that engages the local community.
• Supports vulnerable members of the local community.

Good to combine with

• Any morning activity followed by lunch and then a visit of the Deaf and Mute Center at 14:00.
• Any evening activity which takes places after 16:00.

Do not combine with

• Any full day activity
• Any activity that takes place in the afternoon between 14:00 to 16:00.

Market suggestion

Competitor comparison

• Some other DMCs provide stops at this center.

Pros

• A sustainable tourism product that supports a vulnerable section of the local population.
• Inexpensive, and not time consuming-easy to add to the program with minimal additional cost. 
• Easy to arrange – call to let them know we are going to stop for a visit.
• Supporting a local social enterprise that makes the mission of the center possible.

Cons

• Not a time flexible option as visits can only be made between 14:00 and 16:00.

Information

• This is an ideal addition to a morning city tour or as a stop on the way back from Kuang Sy Waterfall.
• The activity timeslot is between 14:00 and 16:00.
• 1 refreshment from the coffee shop menu is provided for each visitor.
• If possible, the short talk will be provided in English or French.
• In the event of English or French speaking volunteers being unavailable, the short talk will be in Lao, and translated by the Easia guide. 
• A donation to the center is provided on behalf of the travelers, additional donations are optional at the discretion of individual travelers.  

Price range

$

Quotation guideline

On ERP (both lines required):

• Luang Prabang > Activity > Deaf and Mute center > Donation for the visit and tour
• Luang Prabang > Activity > Deaf and Mute center > Drink fee

Inclusion

• Visit to the center and a talk from a staff member explaining their mission.
• 1 refreshment at the cafe.

Exclusion

• Any other refreshments, food, or snacks.
• Any additional donations.
• Gift shop purchases.
• Easia guide.
• Transfers.

Important notes

• Please call the supplier at least 2 days in advance to arrange this tour.
• Note that the timeslot for this activity is between 14:00 and 16:00.
• The total duration of a visit is approximately 1 hour.

Special Guide notes

• The brief talk on the tour will be conducted in English or French where possible. In the event of only Lao language being available, the Easia guide will provide translation for the travelers. 
• The Easia guide is responsible for giving the donation and drink fee to the center. Note that the drink fee is a flat 10,000 kip regardless of what the clients order.

Different Choice

• This is the only Deaf and Mute Center in Luang Prabang.

Contact

• Contact: Vanh Gesp
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: (+856) 20 9513 4648

English

Visit the Deaf and Mute Center

The Luang Prabang Special Education School provides deaf and mute children with professional and vocational training, giving them the opportunity to integrate into the local job market. They can receive training in weaving, dressmaking, carpentry, mechanics, and hospitality. To help support their work, the center has several small social enterprises to help with the financial costs of the project as well as to expand training opportunities for the students. A short visit to the school gives you the opportunity to learn about the center and the work that they do, before enjoying a coffee at their on-site social enterprise and cafe. Don’t forget to browse the locally made handicrafts that are available in the gift shop. Another popular souvenir to take away, is a few phrases in sign language. For each visit to the center a donation is provided on your behalf, though any further donations and purchases, though not compulsory, are always gratefully received.

Duration: The introduction to the project and short tour takes 15 to 20 minutes and is followed by refreshments at the coffee shop. The full duration of the visit is usually around 1 hour.
Transportation: To be reached by minivan as it is located out of the town center near the provincial hospital.

Notes:

• The activity should be done in the afternoon between 14:00 and 16:00.
• 1 refreshment from the coffee shop menu is provided for each visitor.

French

Visite du Centre pour sourds et muets

L’école d’éducation spéciale de Luang Prabang offre aux enfants sourds et muets une formation professionnelle qui leur permet de s’intégrer au marché du travail local. Ils peuvent recevoir une formation en tissage, couture, menuiserie, mécanique et hôtellerie. Pour soutenir leur travail, le centre dispose de plusieurs petites entreprises sociales qui contribuent à couvrir les coûts financiers du projet et à élargir les possibilités de formation pour les étudiants. Une courte visite de l’école vous permettra d’en savoir plus sur le centre et son travail, avant de prendre un café dans le restaurant social du site. N’oubliez pas de jeter un coup d’œil aux objets artisanaux fabriqués localement et disponibles dans la boutique de souvenirs. Cette visite sera également l’occasion d’apprendre quelques phrases en langue des signes! Pour chaque visite au centre, un don est fait en votre nom, mais tout autre don ou achat, même s’il n’est pas obligatoire, est toujours le bienvenu.

Durée : l’introduction au projet et la courte visite durent entre 15 et 20 minutes, suivies d’une pause à la cafétéria. La durée totale de la visite est généralement d’environ 1 heure.

Transport : arrivée en minibus, car il est situé en dehors du centre ville, près de l’hôpital provincial.

Notes :

• L’activité doit avoir lieu l’après-midi entre 14h et 16h.
• 1 rafraîchissement du menu de la cafétéria est fourni pour chaque visiteur.

Spanish

Visite el Centro para sordos y mudos

La Escuela de Educación Especial de Luang Prabang ofrece a los niños sordomudos formación profesional y vocacional, dándoles la oportunidad de integrarse en el mercado laboral local. Pueden recibir formación en tejido, corte y confección, carpintería, mecánica y hostelería. Para contribuir a su labor, el centro cuenta con varias pequeñas empresas sociales que ayudan a sufragar los costes financieros del proyecto y a ampliar las oportunidades de formación de los alumnos. Una breve visita a la escuela le dará la oportunidad de conocer el centro y el trabajo que realizan, antes de disfrutar de un café en su empresa social y cafetería. No olvide echar un vistazo a la artesanía local disponible en la tienda de regalos. Otro souvenir popular son unas cuantas frases en lenguaje de signos. Por cada visita al centro se entrega un donativo en su nombre, aunque cualquier otra donación o compra, aunque no es obligatoria, siempre se agradece.

Duración: la introducción al proyecto y el breve recorrido duran entre 15 y 20 minutos, seguidos de un descanso en la cafetería. La duración total de la visita suele ser de alrededor de 1 hora.
Transporte: llegada en minivan, ya que se encuentra fuera del centro de la ciudad, cerca del hospital provincial.

Notas:

• La actividad debe realizarse por la tarde entre las 14 h y las 16 h.
• Se proporciona 1 refresco del menú de la cafetería para cada visitante.

Italian

Visitare il Centro per i sordomuti

La Scuola di Educazione Speciale di Luang Prabang offre ai bambini sordomuti una formazione professionale, dando loro la possibilità di integrarsi nel mercato del lavoro locale. Possono ricevere una formazione in tessitura, sartoria, falegnameria, meccanica e ospitalità. Per sostenere il loro lavoro, il centro ha diverse piccole imprese sociali che aiutano a sostenere i costi finanziari del progetto e ad ampliare le opportunità di formazione per gli studenti. Una breve visita alla scuola vi darà l’opportunità di conoscere il centro e il lavoro che svolge, prima di gustare un caffè presso l’impresa sociale e la caffetteria in loco. Non dimenticate di dare un’occhiata agli oggetti di artigianato locale disponibili nel negozio di souvenir. Un altro souvenir popolare da portare via è qualche frase nel linguaggio dei segni. Per ogni visita al centro è prevista una donazione a vostro nome, anche se ulteriori donazioni e acquisti, pur non essendo obbligatori, sono sempre accolti con gratitudine.

Durata: l’introduzione al progetto e il breve tour durano tra i 15 e i 20 minuti, seguiti da una pausa nella caffetteria. La durata complessiva della visita è solitamente di circa 1 ora.

Trasporto: arrivo in minivan, poiché si trova fuori dal centro città, vicino all’ospedale provinciale.

Note:

• L’attività dovrebbe svolgersi nel pomeriggio tra le 14.00 e le 16.00.
• Per ogni visitatore è previsto 1 rinfresco dal menu della caffetteria.

German

Besuch des Taubstummenzentrums

Die Luang Prabang Special Education School bietet taubstummen Kindern eine Berufsausbildung an, die ihnen die Möglichkeit gibt, sich in den lokalen Arbeitsmarkt zu integrieren. Sie können eine Ausbildung in Weberei, Schneiderei, Schreinerei, Mechanik und Gastgewerbe erhalten. Um die Arbeit des Zentrums zu unterstützen, gibt es mehrere kleine Sozialunternehmen, die sich an den finanziellen Kosten des Projekts beteiligen und die Ausbildungsmöglichkeiten für die Schüler erweitern. Ein kurzer Besuch in der Schule gibt Ihnen die Möglichkeit, mehr über das Zentrum und seine Arbeit zu erfahren, bevor Sie einen Kaffee im Café des Sozialunternehmens vor Ort genießen. Vergessen Sie nicht, im Souvenirladen nach den vor Ort hergestellten Kunsthandwerksprodukten zu stöbern, die dort erhältlich sind. Ein weiteres beliebtes Souvenir zum Mitnehmen sind ein paar Sätze in Gebärdensprache. Für jeden Besuch des Zentrums wird eine Spende in Ihrem Namen gegeben, aber weitere Spenden und Einkäufe sind zwar nicht obligatorisch, werden aber immer dankbar angenommen.

Dauer: Die Einführung in das Projekt und der kurze Rundgang dauern 15 bis 20 Minuten, danach gibt es eine Erfrischung in der Cafeteria. Die Gesamtdauer des Besuchs beträgt in der Regel etwa 1 Stunde.

Verkehrsmittel: Mit dem Minivan zu erreichen, da es außerhalb des Stadtzentrums in der Nähe des Provinzkrankenhauses liegt.

Anmerkungen:

• Die Aktivität sollte am Nachmittag zwischen 14.00 und 16.00 Uhr durchgeführt werden.
• Jeder Besucher erhält eine Erfrischung von der Speisekarte des Coffeeshops. 

• Product Photos