Homestay Training with the Hmong in Lao Chai, Sa Pa

Just as we were about to start the Homestay training class in the Hmong village of Lao Chai (Sa Pa) the class size doubled...then almost tripled!

With at least 40 participants the training in Lao Chai was highly successful. Community members from all over the community, with their involvement in the one-day intensive training session, have shown their support for the Capilano / PATA project, and have shown their eagerness to further contribute to the Sa Pa's tourism economy. Lao Chai, as a overnight destination for trekkers will help to open up new trekking routes in Sa Pa, in turn helping to see tourism dollars spread around the region - and, into some of the region's poorest communities.

The day included a mix of classroom and practical training. Shown in the videos below is Ms. Ngoc Anh conducting a class in Vietnamese and a clip showing some of the Hmong women translating from English to Hmong.

A big thanks goes to Chi and Do (pronounced Za) for their help in notifying community members about the training. The day before the training they walked throughout the village and made numerous phone calls to ensure that the class was full - which it was!

"O Chau!"