Growing healthy children and communities: Children’s insights in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

ABSTRACT

A diverse group of 103 children aged 7–11 years old living in family and residential care in rural and urban settings in two northern provinces in Lao People’s Democratic Republic participated in group discussions using images and community mapping. Children’s identified sources of risk and protection illustrate primary public health and protection concerns and resources. Young children worried about lack of hygiene, unintentional injuries, corporal punishment, and domestic violence. They also expressed concern about gambling and children sleeping in the streets, even if they had never seen any of the latter in their communities. In contrast, food and shelter; artistic, religious, and cultural practices; supportive interpersonal relationships; and schooling largely evoked feelings of safety and belonging. Images that prompted conflicting interpretations surfaced individual and contextual considerations that nuanced analysis. Researchers and decision-makers will benefit from using this developmentally appropriate, context-sensitive child-centred visual method to elicit young children’s views of risk and protection. It may also serve as a tool for public health education. Involving young children in the initial selection of images would further enhance the efficiency of the method.

KEYWORDS:

• Visual methods
• child development
• child participation
• Laos

Acknowledgements

Thank you to all the children who generously contributed their time and ideas and to the research team from the National University of Laos and Save the Children (Laos) for their tireless contribution to data collection. Special gratitude to Chanphet Vongmathep, Soulivong Soukchandy, Souphunsa Xaphan, and Sisouphanh Phommahaxay for their skilful facilitation of group discussions. Thank you also to Cécile Rousseau and Tinka Markham Piper for her input during the preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Leapfrog is a game in which children successively jump over each other’s stooped backs by straddling legs wide apart on each side. One image showed a group of children playing leapfrog outdoors.

2. In this context, cane wood is often used to make brooms.

3. The practice of almsgiving in Laos and other Theravada Buddhist contexts allows laypeople the opportunity to pay respects to Buddhist monks, nuns, and novices, and to make merit by providing them with food.

4. Children in orphanage attended the school situated on the same premises so children did not have to leave the fenced area on a daily bases.

5. In Laos, the traditional manner of eating is communal and by hand, with food served in a series of small plates from which all diners take directly with their hands (except liquids).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Save the Children (Laos) and Start-Up Research Funds from the Centre de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Montagne to the author.