Plain of Jars

The landscape of the Xieng Khouang plateau is dotted throughout with thousands of stone jars, some over three meters tall, and all estimated to be more than a thousand years old. Though little is yet known for certain about the people and culture which produced them, these artifacts constitute an exceptional collection for the study of the late prehistory of mainland Southeast Asia . The jars' striking and enigmatic presence has given to the Xieng Khouang Plateau another name: The Plain of Jars.

In 1998, UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization) and the Government of Lao PDR initiated a multi-year, phased project to safeguard and develop the Plain of Jars. The goal of this Lao-UNESCO Programme is to ensure the protection of the region’s heritage resources while bringing significant socio-economic benefits for the local communities. Ultimatel the goal is to have the Plain of Jars inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Major components of the project include UXO clearance and the creation of a sustainable, community-based heritage tourism infrastructure. Seven villages in Xieng Khouang Province have been designated for heritage tourism development; Ban Phakeo is the most remote and most in need of immediate help. 

 Ban Phakeo Water Project
Ban Phakeo is a Hmong hill tribe village located in a remote corner of Paek District, which, in 2006, was described as the most impoverished district of one of Asia ’s most impoverished nations. Ban Phakeo presently has no water supply, sanitation, or energy infrastructure. Similarly, the other villages associated with the project lack basic infrastructure. The annual income in this region was estimate in 2006 at a mere US $250 per household (4-8 people). Comparing this to the United Nations extreme poverty benchmark of $1 per day per person puts the condition of Ban Phakeo in perspective.  

Ban Phakeo is one of seven villages identified by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and the Government of Lao PDR to be developed for community-based heritage tourism as part of the proposed World Heritage inscription of the “Plain of Jars”, an area of exceptional archeological importance in Southeast Asia . In partnership with UNESCO, Engineers Without Borders at Fort Lewis College is developing a long term development plan for these communities. The first phase of this project consists of the design and construction of a water system for the 32 households in this village. The proposed system would collect water from a stream approximately 1.5 km from the village, transport it to a storage tank, and distribute the water to communal taps.  

The desperate economic situation in these villages does not allow them to financially participate in this project. They will however, contribute in-kind labor, providing accommodation and cook meals for the EWB team. Remote Ban Phakeo is a 2 ½ hour walk from the nearest road and up to this point the inhabitants have endured the same type of subsistence lifestyle that plagues people in the world’s poorest rural communities. With a boost from the UNESCO project, Xieng Khouang Province as a whole and Ban Phakeo in particular have a very unique opportunity to overcome some of this crippling poverty. UNESCO has been studying and planning this project since 1998, taking the time to assure an appropriate and sustainable development process. Providing water and sanitation are two of the first and most important steps.

Total Estimated Project Cost: $$24,625  -------- Become a sponsor