VIENTIANE, January 9, 2015 - U.S. Ambassador to Laos Daniel Clune announced two new initiatives totaling $6.5 million dollars to assist the estimated 70,000 people in Lao PDR who report that they live with a disability. 

First, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a three year, $5 million grant from the Senator Patrick Leahy War Victims Fund to World Education, Laos.  The Leahy Fund provides financial and technical assistance for people living with disabilities caused by unexploded ordnance (UXO) and antipersonnel landmines and other direct and indirect causes of physical disability.  Since 1989, the Fund has provided more than $92 million to 26 developing countries.  Second, USAID agreed to a three-year extension of support worth $1.5 million dollars to the Cooperative Orthotic Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) in Lao PDR.  This support will expand the provision of free, local access to prostheses and quality physical rehabilitation services to UXO victims and other disabled people.

With the grant from the Leahy Fund, World Education Laos will manage sub-grants by providing funding to organizations to implement the “TEAM” project, which stands for Training, Economic Empowerment, Assistive Technology, and Medical Rehabilitation.  Through TEAM, partner organizations will train rehabilitation service personnel, and provide assistive technology, rehabilitation, and economic opportunities for disabled persons.  World Education is a recognized leader in mine action services, and in 2014 the United States partnered with the organization to assist UXO victims and to present UXO risk education for affected populations in Lao PDR. 

Since 1993 the United States has contributed over $71M for the removal of unexploded ordinance (UXO), risk education, and victim’s assistance in Lao PDR. The United States is the largest single donor to the UXO sector in Laos, and in June 2014, Ambassador Clune announced an increase in UXO funding from $9 million annually in 2012 and 2013 to $12 million in 2014.

The United States’ additional funding for COPE will extend services started in 2011 to help fit more than 3,500 people with new prostheses and mobility devices and deliver rehabilitation care to nearly 4,500 people, including 1,500 children. The project will focus on support to adults and children struggling with complications from cerebral palsy, clubfoot, fractures and spinal injuries.  Patients unable to afford medical equipment or services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy will be offered them free of charge.  Under the new project, USAID will also fund training activities for physiotherapists and occupational therapists to develop quality standards of care.

Many patients, especially women and ethnic minorities living in remote villages, do not know that these services are available. USAID assistance enables COPE to develop an outreach program for raising awareness of the center’s easy access and availability through the Lao Government health system.  In addition, COPE staff will provide food and transportation vouchers for patients living in rural areas far from rehabilitation centers.

Speaking about the new U.S. funding for COPE, Ambassador Clune said “This support will help ensure that the Lao people have rehabilitation facilities close to home. Lao citizens with physical disabilities will be able stay at work and in school and contribute greatly to the development of their country.”