Gokwanh Village, located 30 kilometers north of Luang Prabang, was established five centuries ago. The original villagers came from Xiengsen and Xieng Hai, Thailand. There are about 150 families in the village, two-thirds are Lao Loum and one-third are ethnic minority Lao Theung/Hmong.
Gokwanh is an agricultural village surrounded by mountains and rice fields. The Pa River navigates through Gokwanh, leads to the Seuang River, which empties into the Mekong River. The villagers farm and raise domestic animals for their own consumption and to sell at local markets.
The village leader Mr. Vanhla and the school principal Mr. Synouan emphasize the importance of preschools. The preschool is an excellent way to prepare the ethnic Lao Theung/Hmong children for primary school with Pasa Lao, the national language, which they do not speak at home.
We built a one-room preschool for them with the help from Heather and John Rezner.