Association for Rural Mobilisation and Improvement (ARMI) is a Nationwide Membership Lao Civil Society Organization that was established in 2006 under the Lao Union of Science and Engineering Associations (LUSEA) and re-registered under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) license No. 511/MoHA on August 12, 2012.

Vision

ARMI aims to contribute to the well-being of all-ethnic groups based on mutual respect, equal opportunities, care for the environment, and the sustainable use of resources

Mission

To build capacities amongst target groups to improve their quality of life for their well-being in green and sustainable ways

Target Groups

Rural communities and the poor and disadvantaged, especially children, youth, women, and people with disabilities (PWDs)

Values

Solidarity, Participation, Transparency, Effectiveness, and Opportunities for All

Five-Year Strategic Plan (2021-2025)

of the Association for Rural Mobilisation and Improvement (ARMI)

to reduce poverty through increase food security

to promote and wash for better health for all in communities

to protect the environment and natural resources through green growth and sustainable ways

to promote the participation of the community in the quality of education

to promote community-based inclusion development

to reduce poverty through increase food security

The way of life of Lao people in rural areas still relies on nature, and they earn a living according to the season. Due to a lack of habit, some families do not consume food throughout the year, while others continue to raise livestock and engage in farming using local techniques. This results in productivity that is lower than it should be, which has an impact on the local population's ability to support themselves, leading to hunger and poverty at all levels, from the family to the village and community. Therefore, in order to contribute to the reduction of poverty by upgrading the food security for the people in rural areas to get better development gradually, continue to develop the countryside and solve the poverty of the people universally by promoting the production of goods, promoting the professions, and using advanced technical techniques in order to raise the production along with stable occupations and a sustainable livelihood.

This goal is to contribute to the 9th National Social-Economic Development Plan, or NSEDP (2021-2025), in output 1: poverty alleviation in rural and remote areas, and people’s livelihoods, cultural values, and media work improved, which is under outcome 3: The enhanced well-being of the people, including their living requirements and mental conditions, has been gradually upgraded. Moreover, it is also a contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere, and SDG 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Main Activities

• Capacity Building for the target groups

• Promote agriculture and production techniques

• Promote income generation

To promote nutrition and wash for better health for all in the community

When compared to metropolitan areas, the problem of malnutrition in rural areas is still relatively frequent, with 89% of the population having an appropriate food consumption pattern and another 11% of rural households consuming innutritious food. In 2015, 35.6% of children under the age of five had stunted growth, 25.5% were underweight, and 9.6% were wasting. As we know, rural areas are remote, and some places do not have access roads, making it difficult for health services to reach, so this health problem spreads among children in the poorest families three times faster than in families with a good status. Therefore, we have implemented activities to promote nutrition in the community to reduce food shortages, and public health work needs to be continuously developed.

This goal contributes to the organization of nutrition and health strategies for the target community to have better health gradually and to contribute to the ninth 5-year National Social-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP-9) (2021-2025), which is mentioned in the output 1: More inclusive and better-quality healthcare services and nutrition under outcome 2: Improved quality of human resources to meet development, research capacity, science, and technology needs, and create value-added production and services. In addition, it also contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture; SDG 3: To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages; and SDG 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Main Activities

• Capacity Building for the target groups

• Promote good nutrition

• Promote good health

To protect the environment and natural resources through green-growth and sustainable ways

People in rural areas continue to rely on agricultural production and forest resources as a source of food and to survive. As a result, natural resources, particularly forest products, are diminishing. Therefore, this goal aims to contribute to promoting community participation in the sustainable management and use of natural resources, to contribute to risk reduction and post-disaster recovery, to contribute to the implementation of green growth strategies, and to solve climate change problems, ARMI has implemented some projects.

This goal contributes to the ninth 5-year National Social-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP-9) (2021-2025) as follows: The first focus is on the management and sustainably use of natural resources, second is on green growth and addressing climate change; and the third is Intensify disaster preventive, management, and recovery efforts. The three aforementioned above are under the 4th outcome: Environmental protection is enhanced, and disaster risks are reduced. In addition, it is a contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts and SDG 15: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation; and halt biodiversity loss.

Main Activities

• Sustainable natural resources use and management

• Disaster preparedness and post-disaster recovery

• Green growth and solutions to climate change

To promote the participation of the community in quality education

Rural communities, particularly those that are distant, continue to experience numerous educational issues. Because education is inaccessible, children and young people living in rural areas still have relatively low rates of attendance, school completion, and reading. Infrastructure issues are still not enough. In 2015, approximately 1,500 primary schools did not complete their grades. Therefore, this goal is to promote the participation of the community in quality education.

This goal contributes to the ninth 5-year national social-economic development plan (NSEDP-9) (2021-2025) as follows: output 2: Improved quality of all levels of education and conditions created for access to education to support readiness for regional and international integration and Industry 4.0, which is the outcome 2: Improved quality of human resources to meet development, research capacity, science, and technology needs, and create value-added production and services. In addition, it is a contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all").

Main Activities

• Improves school facilities

• Promote the creation of green, clean, and beautiful schools

• Teaching and learning support

• Capacity building for the village education development committee

to promote community-based inclusion development

A significant problem for the development of Laos is the under-participation of individuals with disabilities in their families and communities, which demonstrates that they do not participate equally in family and community activities. In the past, people with disabilities were just behind and did not have access to other areas as well as people without disabilities, such as education, services, and opportunities to help one another and engage in other activities in society. Therefore, this goal is to promote the development of a participatory community of people with disabilities so that they can live in society as equals, have facilities that facilitate comfort, and have income that improves their lives.

This goal contributes to the ninth 5-year National Social-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP-9) (2021-2025) as follows: output 3: Promoting and creating the opportunities for women, youth, children, the disadvantaged, and the disabled to be developed and contribute fully to the development of the social economy; and output 5: Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) clearance progressively accelerated and more lives made safe from UXO. Both outputs are under the outcome 3: Enhanced well-being of the people. In addition, it is a contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries) and (SDG 18: Lives safe from UXO)

Main Activities

• Capacity building for target groups

• Promote the creation of sources of food and income

• Promote access to education and sports for children with disabilities

• Promote woks and accessibility