With an official launch date of April 27, 2009, LibraryForLaos.org is an online campaign to fund reading programs and books purchases in rural Laos. The countdown is 5 days, and the goal is at least $5 thousand!

Heres how it works:
You donate money through our LibraryForLaos.org secure paypal donations page and spread the word about our 5 day blitz campaign. At the end of the 5 days, your money will be securely transfered (as a lump sum to minimize transactions costs) to the local Lao charity, Big Brother Mouse, to fund children’s reading programs and book purchases.

Reading Programs or “Book Parties”
Many rural children have never seen a book, let alone owned their own book! During the course of a book party, volunteers will visit a rural village school, talk about books, give 80 to 250 children the first book they’ve ever owned, and then leave another 50 books in a supervised “swap box” so they can trade their book for a different one after they read it. A book party can be funded by as little as $250!

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Book Purchases
Children’s books written in the native Lao language are a rarity! Big Brother Mouse supports children’s literacy by writing and printing books in Laos. At an average cost of $1.80 per book, books can be purchased from and distributed by Big Brother Mouse volunteers.

After the 5 day campaign, watch our UPDATES for stories, pictures, and videos of how your donated money is being used. Allen Burt, co-founder of LibraryForLaos.org, is on site in Laos to work with Big Brother Mouse and document the fruits of the campaign.

A Typical Book Party: