While visiting our projects in January 2007, Ms. Santisouk Phimsavanh, a manager at Novotel Hotel, Vientiane, made us aware of Kheahk’s story and proposed to collaborate with the Lao Rehabilitation Foundation to take care of him and his family. Khaehk, 8 years old, has no parents and lives with his 82 years old grandmother and a little girl that may be his sister in a shack on the outskirts of Vientiane. He never attended school and spends most of his time playing in the rice fields or gathering food for his family. After giving him and his sister a well needed bath, a haircut and nail trimming, we took them shopping for new clothes, shoes, food and school materials. Ms. Ronda Carlson who was visiting at the time provided them with a bicycle and we made arrangements with the chief of the village to provide supervision for their school attendance. We replaced the old shack with a new modest home and gave the family a couple of pigs to start a little farm for sustainability. Kheahk is doing well in school today while still taking care of his family and the pigs. Our staff visits them regularly to provide any assistance they may need with food, clothing, medicine or moral support.

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<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek1.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek1.jpg" alt="The original home of Khaehk&#039;s family" title="The original home of Khaehk&#039;s family" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-150" /></a><a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/keak2.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/keak2.jpg" alt="Their first two pigs" title="Their first two pigs" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-151" /></a>
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The original home of Khaehk's family – Their first two pigs

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<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek3.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek3.jpg" alt="The plan&#039;s for Keahk&#039;s new home" title="The plan&#039;s for Keahk&#039;s new home" width="260" height="192" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-152" /></a><a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek4.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek4.jpg" alt="The new home where they now live" title="The new home where they now live" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-153" /></a>
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The plan's for Keahk's new home – The new home where they now live.

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<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek5.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek5.jpg" alt="Khaehk&#039;s new bicycle" title="Khaehk&#039;s new bicycle" width="260" height="187" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-154" /></a><a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek6.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek6.jpg" alt="Khaehk caring for his young sister" title="Khaehk caring for his young sister" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-155" /></a>
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Khaehk's new bicycle – Khaehk caring for his young sister.

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<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek7.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek7.jpg" alt="Khaehk getting groomed and cleaned up in anticipation of going to school" title="Khaehk getting groomed and cleaned up in anticipation of going to school" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-156" /></a><a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek8.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek8.jpg" alt="Khaehk getting groomed and cleaned up in anticipation of going to school" title="Khaehk getting groomed and cleaned up in anticipation of going to school" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-157" /></a>
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Khaehk getting groomed and cleaned up in anticipation of going to school.

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<a href="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek9.jpg"><img src="http://lao-foundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/kaek9.jpg" alt="Khaehk attending school!" title="Khaehk attending school!" width="260" height="195" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-158" /></a>
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Khaehk attending school!