The Reading Elephant Laos children’s mobile library was founded in early 2016 as a civil society initiative (grassroots project) by a group of young Lao people around Khamkeo Vongsavanh in Ban Houayxay, Bokeo Province, in northwestern Laos.
At the Reading House, which Reading Elephant Laos has been operating in the provincial capital Ban Houayxay since October 2017, children and young people from surrounding schools in the urban area can discover and borrow books free of charge.
Conversations in English
During the main tourist season from December to April, foreign tourists are invited to spontaneous English conversation exercises with interested pupils. In addition, they can find out about the project here and support it directly by shopping in the project bookshop or making donations.
Shop
The project team runs a small bookshop in the front part of the Reading House with new and antiquarian books, including titles about Laos in several languages for tourists. Tourists can also buy maps, postcards and regional handicraft products as souvenirs. The proceeds go towards financing the running costs and the further expansion of project activities.
Bicycle Hire
In order to co-finance the project, Reading Elephant Laos also offers a few bicycles for daily rent to tourists.