Flood in Lahanam, Laos
Donation protected
Summary:
Due to extreme rainfall and floods in the south of Laos, many poor people had to flee from their houses, lost many possessions and their income. They urgently need our help to buy food and clothes now and to restore their lives after the water levels have gone down. The small village of Lahanam is affected severely and its agricultural population needs your help now! See the pictures hereafter. Can you please donate to help?
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Due to the tropical storm Jenny and extreme rainfall in the first week of September 2019, severe floods have affected the southern part of Laos. Approximately 130.000 hectares of rice fields have been damaged / destroyed by the high water levels and more than 54.000 people had to flee from their houses to rescue their lives. Many villages are disconnected from the outside world. The whereabouts of many people are unknown.
Lahanam is a small village with approximately 300 residents in the south of Laos, located between the cities of Savannakhet and Pakse. It’s close to the border with Thailand. It lies between the Mekong river and the Banghiang river. Both rivers have crossed their banks, due to the heavy rainfalls. Lahanam is currently completely flooded. Water levels even reach the roofs of many houses.
The people of Lahanam are mainly farmers who live on growing rice. That’s their main source of income and the rice is also their daily food. The last rice was harvested in July. And recently the new rice plants for the next harvest were planted. The next rice harvest however must be considered completely lost. The inundation has destroyed the rice fields and the previously harvested rice stocks, as well as many houses and other simple belongings of these poor people.
The recent terrible hurricane Dorian has hit the Bahamas and the damage was huge. It was terrible to see the lives that were lost and damage that was caused. Unfortunately the disaster in Laos (and also Thailand) didn’t make the news in the US and Europe, even when the impact on the local population is immense. They need our help to build up their lives again. The GDP per capita in the Bahamas was in 2017 $ 30.762. and the GDP per capita in Laos was in 2017 only $ 2.457. Not even 10% of the Bahamas. You can imagine that the current loss of properties and the loss of income in Laos has a devastating effect on the residents and the small communities. They need our immediate help!
Why me and why only de village of Lahanam? I would like to help all the people in Laos and also in Thailand who are affected by the huge floods. But I have to accept my limitations. Lahanam is a relatively small community, which I can oversee.
Urged by the really heart-breaking images that I saw and the stories I heard, I started this crowdfunding, with help from a few locals. I know this community, because my girlfriend was born here and her family and friends still live in Lahanam.
Why setting a goal of € 50.000 ? With this amount we believe we can give the people of Lahanam food, clothes and other necessities of life. We also aim to help all the farmers of Lahanam with re-starting their businesses after the water levels have gone down.
Some very basic help is already provided by the government and a local rescue organisation. But that help is merely just focussed on saving lives, without giving people a perspective in life again after the water has returned to normal levels.
Every donation is welcome: big and small ! Please be generous!
My name is Luc Wilms. I am 60 years old and I live in The Netherlands.
The pictures are taken in Lahanam and surroundings
Due to extreme rainfall and floods in the south of Laos, many poor people had to flee from their houses, lost many possessions and their income. They urgently need our help to buy food and clothes now and to restore their lives after the water levels have gone down. The small village of Lahanam is affected severely and its agricultural population needs your help now! See the pictures hereafter. Can you please donate to help?
== == == == == == == == == == == == == == ==
Due to the tropical storm Jenny and extreme rainfall in the first week of September 2019, severe floods have affected the southern part of Laos. Approximately 130.000 hectares of rice fields have been damaged / destroyed by the high water levels and more than 54.000 people had to flee from their houses to rescue their lives. Many villages are disconnected from the outside world. The whereabouts of many people are unknown.
Lahanam is a small village with approximately 300 residents in the south of Laos, located between the cities of Savannakhet and Pakse. It’s close to the border with Thailand. It lies between the Mekong river and the Banghiang river. Both rivers have crossed their banks, due to the heavy rainfalls. Lahanam is currently completely flooded. Water levels even reach the roofs of many houses.
The people of Lahanam are mainly farmers who live on growing rice. That’s their main source of income and the rice is also their daily food. The last rice was harvested in July. And recently the new rice plants for the next harvest were planted. The next rice harvest however must be considered completely lost. The inundation has destroyed the rice fields and the previously harvested rice stocks, as well as many houses and other simple belongings of these poor people.
The recent terrible hurricane Dorian has hit the Bahamas and the damage was huge. It was terrible to see the lives that were lost and damage that was caused. Unfortunately the disaster in Laos (and also Thailand) didn’t make the news in the US and Europe, even when the impact on the local population is immense. They need our help to build up their lives again. The GDP per capita in the Bahamas was in 2017 $ 30.762. and the GDP per capita in Laos was in 2017 only $ 2.457. Not even 10% of the Bahamas. You can imagine that the current loss of properties and the loss of income in Laos has a devastating effect on the residents and the small communities. They need our immediate help!
Why me and why only de village of Lahanam? I would like to help all the people in Laos and also in Thailand who are affected by the huge floods. But I have to accept my limitations. Lahanam is a relatively small community, which I can oversee.
Urged by the really heart-breaking images that I saw and the stories I heard, I started this crowdfunding, with help from a few locals. I know this community, because my girlfriend was born here and her family and friends still live in Lahanam.
Why setting a goal of € 50.000 ? With this amount we believe we can give the people of Lahanam food, clothes and other necessities of life. We also aim to help all the farmers of Lahanam with re-starting their businesses after the water levels have gone down.
Some very basic help is already provided by the government and a local rescue organisation. But that help is merely just focussed on saving lives, without giving people a perspective in life again after the water has returned to normal levels.
Every donation is welcome: big and small ! Please be generous!
My name is Luc Wilms. I am 60 years old and I live in The Netherlands.
The pictures are taken in Lahanam and surroundings
Organizer
Luc Wilms
Organizer
