07 October 2013 - A group of Filipino professional consultants led by Dr. Bernadette Gonzales and Mr. Joel Wayne Ganibe, recently launched the Mosquito Net Project, a fund-raising activity that seeks to provide mosquito nets for Lao students living in dormitories all over the country.
Dr. Gonzales and Mr. Ganibe formed a group of painting enthusiasts called Friendly Arts in Vientiane Exchange (FAVE) Club comprised of Ms. Angie Encio, Ms. Gloria Piano, Ms. Nenette Abecia, Ms. Emelita Canarias, Ms. Athena Custodio and Ms. Mayet Velasco. The club members share their passion for the visual arts and meet regularly for painting sessions. A Lao artist guides and teaches them different strokes and styles during these sessions.
Dr. Gonzales and Mr. Ganibe of International Technology Management (intem), experts in the field of education, are currently assigned to the Secondary Education Sector Development Project (SESDP) of the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES).
The MOES in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will build dormitories for ethnic secondary students in different Lao provinces. In order to assist in the said project, the FAVE club decided to donate the proceeds from the sales of their paintings to purchase treated mosquito nets for the dormitory students for protection against preventable diseases, particularly dengue.
To date, 25 paintings have been sold by FAVE Club for a total collection of US$ 800. The group continues to paint and targets to raise a total of US$ 2,600 for mosquito nets to be distributed to five (5) village schools in Savannakhet, Saravan, Borikhamxay, Houaphanh and Luang Prabang.
Members of the Filipino community were among the early clients of the group. Many of the paintings were snapped up by Filipino community members during the project launch held to coincide with the Pistahan sa Vientiane event held at the Embassy grounds last August 31. END 