Long Or was founded in 1825 by 22 adventurous but peace seeking Nuans, an ethnic group indigenous to northeastern Thailand. The Nuans left Thailand 180 years ago to escape the many conflicts with China and Burma, and to settle in the bucolic setting of Long Or. Located on the southern shore of the Khan River, there are over 110 families and 610 people in Long Or Village. The villagers are primarily farmers. Their village is one of the few villages who grow the citrus fruit pamelos, they also grow rice and a range of vegetables.
In 2004, 28 Hmong famlies were relocated from the nearby mountaintops, where they grew opium. Their relocation to Long Or was part of an important Lao government program to eliminate all opium fields in Lao by 2010.
Nuans (aka Lao Loum) and Hmong are culturally different yet both cultures are family-oriented and hard working. Both live close together and govern together. They share cultural traditions together. Building a preschool will help the Hmong children better prepare for primary school, taught in Paso Lao, the national language.
We built a one-room preschool for the children of Long Or with the help of Denise and Michael McCarthy.
Read about our visit to give the gift of reading here.