Xieng Khouang Province, Laos is one of the most heavily bombed places on earth, a deadly legacy of the second Indochina war. The Lone Buffalo English and Youth Development Centre is committed to creating opportunities for young people in this province, enabling them to continue studying at tertiary level and increasing prosperity for their families.
Lone Buffalo is a UK based non-profit organisation founded in 2011 in memory of an inspirational local teacher and tour guide, Manophet ‘Lone Buffalo’. Manophet committed his life to helping others and following his sudden death his friend, Mark Steadman, co-founded Lone Buffalo in Phonsavan, Xieng Khouang Province pledging to continue Manophet’s important work.
What do they do?
Lone Buffalo create an energetic environment where boys and girls from different backgrounds can participate in English language courses as well as creative, sport, business and life skills programmes. Their mission is to nurture leadership, knowledge and ambition amongst students to develop motivated individuals with a clear understanding of the opportunities ahead of them – and the confidence to take them. Although most students’ parents are farmers they share similar ambitions to other young people to lead successful careers in business, arts and technology. 93% of Lone Buffalo’s 2024 High School graduates continued with tertiary education.
Over 200 students attend daily free English classes which are taught by professionally trained local teachers. Lone Buffalo teach four levels of English, from Beginner to Intermediate level, with most students joining as young beginners. Through the Community Teacher Development Programme trainee teachers are provided with special skills training, enabling them to eventually become teachers at Lone Buffalo or in the community.
Lone Buffalo’s success is a result of their culture of developing leadership among students. Providing leadership skills training enables students to take responsibility for managing the different Lone Buffalo projects under the supervision of alumni.
Females play an important leadership role in all Lone Buffalo’s development projects, a result of 2018’s ‘Power Her Up’ empowerment programme. Over 50% of students are female, some of whom manage and coach the Lone Bufalo Girls Football Club. Several players have progressed to FIFA coaching accreditation.
Develop Together is Lone Buffalo’s key development programme which provides senior students with 6-months of life skills workshops in health and fitness, technology, positive thinking, communications and technology. ‘DevTog’ prepares senior students for life outside of Phonsavan when they move to study at college or university.
Green Buffalo launched in 2023 to provide students with environmental awareness training and now implements recycling and community enhancement projects. The Lone Buffalo Student Coffee Cooperative is student managed initiative which markets and sells local coffee to develop business skills. Many members subsequently choose business related courses at tertiary level. The Lone Buffalo Media Crew make both promotional films of project activities and creative short films, some of which have have won awards at international student film events.
Since 2011 over 1000 young people have benefited from the programme and over $750K has been invested in the community.
Lone Buffalo Girls Football Club
How can you help?
If you visit Phonsavan, you can buy Lone Buffalo merchandise and the Student Guide to Phonsavan at Bamboozle Restaurant and Cranky T’s Café.
Sponsor a class – It costs $1500 a year to support a class of up to 25 students
Supporting Lone Buffalo will help towards achieving their key objectives
- Start new classes for the many young people waiting to join Lone Buffalo. More than 200 new students registered during the 2016-17 term and are waiting for classes.
- Provide employment and training for new local teachers.
- Provide opportunities for females – almost 50% of students are girls and Lone Buffalo has female football coaches and film directors.
- Assist with school fees (where necessary) to help current Lone Buffalo students finishing High School to find university or vocational school placements.
- Support Lone Buffalo Teacher Training workshops to improve the quality of teaching within the local community.
- Fund FIFA coaching certificates for both male and female students.
- Fund film-making projects at Lone Buffalo for the Vientiane Film Festival and other International youth film events.
- Launch the Lone Buffalo website
EXO Foundation support
We support Lone Buffalo to sponsor 2 english classes, we wish them all good luck and maybe one day they come to work at EXO!