Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Reply rate
91.9 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
15
Email verified
Badges (1)
Details
Description
The goal of our project is to develop the island and create new opportunities for the villagers and the children. We mainly focus on education but also on employment, environment and promoting our traditional lifestyle. The project takes place on two different islands: Don Khamao and Don Nangloy. Both of the islands are located in 4000islands region, Champasak, Laos. On Don Khamao there are 150 people living in 70 families, while 350 families live on Don Nangloy (The two islands are close to each other.) . Unfortunately, the project on Don Khamao is currently resting, because the mother of Phonephet is sick and cannot cope with too many children and volunteers around her. The project will continue as soon as she feels better. Until then, we focus on improving the life on Don Nangloy, where we built bungalows for volunteers and guests.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Help around the house
Help with Computers/ Internet
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Life at Don Nangloy gives you an authentic insight into Lao Lifestyle. It will be the opportunity to learn the language and discover how Lao people from the countryside are like. Especially the time you spend with the children helps you to understand how it is like to grow up on this island and shows you the value of the small things in life.
You will learn the different traditional techniques, how to cook sticky rice and lao food, make lao lao white whiskey or fish in the Mekong river. Moreover, your host who was a monk before can introduce you to Buddhism teachings and to the practice of meditation
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
October - May:
As a volunteer you will teach English to the local children in the afternoon for about two hours. Around that you will have to prepare for the lessons through communication with the other volunteers. As the project is reasonably new and still in build-up you can help on so many different things. There is still a lot of place for new ideas on how to improve the project.
Aside from teaching tasks other help like promoting the project and the homestay online, general organisation or help with construction is needed.
I'm looking for people who can take the initiative, who are self motivated and can carry a task from start to finish.
You are expected to work a minimum of 5 days, Monday to Friday.
June - September:
We need volunteers to help my family predominantly with farmwork around the rice paddies as there's no school.
At the moment we're also looking for a professional photographer or videographer to help improve our social media presence.
Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Lao: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.
Accommodation
The newly handmade built bungalows at Don Nangloy Island are right next to the precious Mekong. You have the opportunity to experience the authentic Lao lifestyle on the island. The lodge before the bungalow allows you to have perfect view at the beautiful sunsets. The rooms consist of a double bed, fan, table and electricity. They are simple but clean. Right next to the bungalow is a small hut with a kitchen. My wife can provide you fresh meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We have a small variety of meals you can choose from, vegetarian option included. We have a shared bathroom with a toilet and shower.
As we don't charge the families for the lessons and as we don't have a regular income, we can't provide you with free meals, ( as work 1 half hours per day). Thus we provide 3 meals a day for $6 per day. This fee enables us to afford meals and extra money for electricity , materials for teaching and support keeping the project go on. (volunteers have freedom to choose whether they want to pay or do their own meals.) You'll have free drinking water, as well as hot water, tea and coffee all day. Internet connection is working through my hotspot, ask me if you need it. You can also get sim cards for quite cheap.
There is not ATM on the island.
What else ...
During your free time you can do anything you want: play the guitar or the "kene" (bamboo traditional instrument), swim in the river, relax at the beach, go picnic and enjoy the local festivals around. At the homestay we offer a range of activities and tours. We also have motorbikes that you can rent to discover 4000 island area. We have a boat to collect you and bring you to the main road and you can spend 1 night for camping on the beach for BBQ, if you like we can show you how to grow rice and how to cook lao food .
We're trying to introduce the volunteers into the traditional lao lao culture. Some of the group activities are:
> Lao food cooking class
> visit the local lao lao factory (local whisky)
> boat trip to Sunset
> boat trip to the markets
> visit local festivals
> fishing in the the Mekong river
> learn how to make sticky rice
> learning about basic Buddhism
>making baskets out of bamboos
>build bamboo huts
Please note that we are asking for a min. stay of 1 week, which is the time needed for kids to know and trust you. Thank you for your understanding.
* We are also in need of school materials, books and activities in English. Feel free to bring these. *
You will see, our island is a very warm and friendly place and local villagers will welcome you with their smile!
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can possibly accept pets
This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 2 and a half hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (15)
The first thing that I would like to say is that you should come here to support the project of English lessons and this really nice family, because Phonephet is really trying to enable kids on the island to be as much as… read more
Despite all of that, we stayed on the island for only four days.
The English teaching, which takes place only around 1.5 hours a day, is… read more
And what a grand opening it was!
I enjoyed the time with the kids very much as well as helping with the many other projects Phonephet has.
This man is really dedicated to develop this place and help the children and the locals to strive through better education. I admire his spirit and his hunger to do more.
Don… read more
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.4)
Cultural exchange:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.3)
The first thing that I would like to say is that you should come here to support the project of English lessons and this really nice family, because Phonephet is really trying to enable kids on the island to be as much as… read more
Despite all of that, we stayed on the island for only four days.
The English teaching, which takes place only around 1.5 hours a day, is… read more
And what a grand opening it was!
I enjoyed the time with the kids very much as well as helping with the many other projects Phonephet has.
This man is really dedicated to develop this place and help the children and the locals to strive through better education. I admire his spirit and his hunger to do more.
Don… read more
My main job was to teach English to the kids which was probably the most rewarding job I ever had. The kids are lovely and willing to learn, as long as you make it fun and playful. I mostly teached them simple words in combination with visual/touch/smell asosiations. They learned quickly and apparently they loved… read more
I hope all is well on the island. Sorry it has taken me a couple months to write this.
I stayed over a week on the island. The work with the kids and Phonephets various projects were very rewarding.
This is a very authentic experience. For that, I will be forever thankful of my time on the island.
If you want to come do… read more
few facilities, few comfort, but incredibly beautiful place, since I got down from the minibus who brang me close to this place, I felt I was going to… read more
First of all, the smiles and little tricks of the kids you´re teaching English to make up for all the chaos ;-)
It was quite hard to get to Don Khamao, because there were no signs or marks on the roads or riverbank to actually find the place where the boat picks you up. Then it turned out, that the host didn´t even… read more
You arrive to this island and you become a part of a family. Amazing people. You really experience how is a real Lao life in the 4000 islands. Waking up and finding an ox in the garden, bathing in the Mekong river with the kids, peeling turmeric with the grandmother,… read more
Right from the beginning I felt very welcomed. It’s almost as if you become part of the family and island community.
Phonephet is a great man with (almost too) many good and inspiring ideas, and he’s also good fun and really cares about your wellbeing.
At the… read more
