Vientiane: Legacies of War and COPE-ing with the Present

Not to be a downer, but sometimes there’s some need for some ‘real talk.’... 

Even though Laos is an awesome country with some of the most chilled-out people in the world, it also has its fair share of problems-one of the biggest being unexploded ordinance (or UXO) left over from the 1960s and 1970s.  One of the major organisations helping deal with the repercussions of so much UXO is COPE, whose headquarters is in Vientiane. COPE, founded in 1997, helps provide access to prosthetic devices (aka fake limbs) and rehabilitation services to victims of UXO. Not only do they provide people with prosthetics, but they also help them start their lives again by providing them with counseling, occupational help, and a sense of community (through sports and other activities). Recently they opened up a pretty cool visitor centre in Vientiane which includes both a museum and a cinema showing documentaries regarding their work and demining efforts. They even have a non-profit café selling delicious homemade ice cream!  Definitely worth checking out!

For more info check out http://www.copelaos.org/