Soccer: The Universal Language
Lao/Hmong Boys From Phonsavanh, Make History in The Gothia Cup, Sweden

By Mai Kou Xiong

Thursday, September 09, 2010

The team members cheer while one of the boys kisses their Fair Play trophy. (Photo by Rob Lewis)

Laos is being represented for the first time at The Gothia Cup by Team EDS at Ullevi National Stadium in front of 55,000 people during the opening ceremony. (Photo by Per Friske)

English Development School

If a smile is classified as a universal language, then soccer should be as well. Soccer, known to most of the world as ‘football’, is capable of building friendship across the miles, opening up a world of endless possibilities, and bringing nations together. Nowhere is this better proven than by some local school boys from Phonsavanh, Xieng Khouang Province, Laos.

English Development School (EDS) is located in Phonsavanh, the most heavily bombed area during the Vietnam War. Craters in the Plain of Jars still serve as haunting reminders of this tragedy. EDS was founded by Monaphet, who died unexpectedly in May, just months before the team was due to travel abroad for the competition. He was their English teacher and their soccer coach. The vision of EDS was for youngsters to learn English so they would have a better chance competing in the job market, thus a chance at a brighter future. EDS has between 250 to 325 students ranging in age from 13 to 18 years old. Each class has approximately 40 to 50 students. Seventy percent of the student body is Hmong.

The Gothia Cup

The Gothia Cup, also known as “The World Cup” for youth soccer ages 12 -18, takes place each year in Sweden. The very first Gothia Cup was held in 1975 with teams mainly from Europe. By the third year, the United States participated, soon followed by South America, Asia and Africa. From its infancy stage, the Gothia Cup started with 200 teams from 7 nations. This year it took place from July 18-24 with more than 1,500 teams participating and over 4,500 matches played. Laos, making history by appearing in its first ever European tournament, was among the 70 nations to compete this year. The team was made up of 10 Laotian and 4 Hmong boys.

Team EDS competed against many strong teams from Scotland, Hungary, England, Sweden, the United States, Norway and Brazil, just to name a few. After a spectacular opening ceremony where the boys marched into Nya Ullevi Arena following their country’s flag, the team played their first game against Orgryte (Sweden) with a win of 1-0. Next they had a 2-1win over the United States, with Nouad Phomlatee scoring both goals. They had an incredible win over the Scottish team after a 3-2 win in a penalty shootout. Team EDS then had a 0-0 tie with the strongest team, Lorenskogs IFO, a team of veritable giants from Norway. They followed this with a 5-0 win over Brazil. Through their many victories, they quickly made Swedish national headlines as well as back in Laos.

In the semi-final, they played against Paksi SE 2 of Hungary. Team EDS had a 1-0 lead in the game until the last ten minutes when the Hungarian team tied the score. With the 1-1 draw, the semi-final went to the penalty phase. The boys lost the penalties 2- 4.

Although they didn’t win the semi-final game, Team EDS had the distinction of having made the final four play-off over 100s of other teams. They returned home knowing that they played skillfully and had an amazing experience in the Gothia Cup tournament. They played a total of nine games where they won six, drew one, and lost two with one of those to penalties. The boys played with great speed and skill amazing their audiences. They competed against and beat some of the best soccer teams in the world who towered over them and who had access to modern training facilities.

The highlight of their experience was being awarded the Fair Play trophy, the highest award given to any team. Dennis Andersson, Chairman of Gothia Cup, recognized the team for its good sportsmanship which was broadcast live on Swedish TV during the closing ceremony in front of 25,000 spectators. The Lao boys were the most respectful, well-behaved, skilled players – and were the most famous team at The Gothia Cup. Toulie Phommaxai stated, “We won the trophy and it surprised me. We didn’t know we would get the Fair Play trophy and I am very happy about it.”

Team EDS realized that it was not about the competition, but rather, being a part of something much bigger. What was more important was playing their best in their teacher’s memory, representing Laos well and making history as the first team from Laos to be involved in something of such magnitude as The Gothia Cup.

Experiencing Europe

The boys had never flown on an airplane, much less left Phonsavanh City. In a whirlwind tour, they flew out of Laos en route to Gothenburg, Sweden. Some of the things they found most intriguing were the escalators in Bangkok, which they called the “moving floor”; manipulating the in-flight entertainments available at their finger tips; a 120km/hr (approximately 75 mph) car ride; a train ride from Denmark to Gothenburg; a ferry ride through a strait; and topping it all off with thrilling roller coaster rides.

With Laos being a land-locked country, they never had the chance to see the ocean, but now they swam in the sea in Helsingborg, Sweden. “I have never seen the sea other than on TV. It is so big and salty”, recalled Long Vang, Manophet’s adopted son who took over the team after his father’s death.

Long realized how small Laos is after seeing Sweden. From its economy to its educational system, Sweden’s prosperity prompted him to question: “What can the team do to better Laos?” He concluded that education is the key to Laos’ future if it wants to compete globally.

The team wasn’t too impressed with hotdogs or hamburgers, although Xaipanya Sisomboun said he liked hamburgers. The food they missed most was sticky rice which was almost impossible to find in Sweden. When the local Lao and Thai communities heard about team EDS, they rolled up their sleeves and cooked meals for the boys the whole time they were there. The Lao and Thai communities quickly became fans of the team as well.

Friendships were established with players from other countries. They were very shy toward the European girls who showed much interest in them, but learned that it was alright for girls to be the first to greet the boys. It did not take long for the boys to come out of their shells. They quickly became the most sought after team at the tournament. Their soccer skills and ability to speak English made connecting with other players possible. Nouad Phomlatee, said in English, “We made many friends and we are still connected with them through emails.”

Coach Chanthone Phomlaty who worked with Manophet in training the boys, felt that the team learned a great deal about soccer from their trip to Sweden. The teams exchanged skills and techniques. He was anxious about the success of team EDS due to the fact that other countries are able to provide their teams with proper equipment and good playing fields for practices. The EDS boys practiced in a soccer field where cattle regularly grazed. “Even though Laos is a small and poor country, the boys played soccer out of love,” he shared proudly.

Supporters/Sponsorships

Many people played vital roles in the success of The EDS Laos Football Club. Gareth Carter, whose dream is to start a soccer academy in Laos, discovered Manophet and the soccer team while visiting The Plain of Jars in 2009. He was so inspired by Manophet who taught English in his private home and worked for Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Lao. The two became good friends through their shared love of soccer. Gareth felt he had to do something for this country. “I want to create a legacy, create something lasting. If I didn’t do something to help, my only reason was being lazy.” He returned to Sweden and secured sponsorships from Sony Ericsson, Stena Line, and Adidas who provided uniforms for the boys.

Monaphet

Gareth did not learn about Manophet’s death until he returned to Laos, bringing the sponsorship news. He wanted to make sure the boys’ dream of playing in The Gothia Cup came true. Despite the death of their coach and beloved teacher, the boys were still determined to be the first team ever from Laos to participate.

Barbara and Dori Shomadi, founders of ‘Give a Child a Choice’, a non-profit organization that built pre-schools in poor rural areas of Laos, dedicated their time and effort in supporting the boys. Through the monetary support of her clients and Facebook friends, Barbara was able to help with some of the trip’s expenses. “Manophet waited on tables at a restaurant during his lunch hour to save money for the team’s trip”, Barbara recalled. She too, was moved to do something great.

The Future of EDS Lao Football Club

Since the death of Manophet, his son Long Vang now runs the English school. They would like to go back to Sweden for another round of The Gothia Cup if they can secure sponsorship next year. The team’s dream is to also come to America someday and play the game they love so much. Gareth would like to see one or more of these boys playing for the Lao national team someday. He is in the process of creating a documentary film featuring Laos and the team’s success called “On Safer Ground” which will be released worldwide in early 2011. The trailer is now available at:

Sources:

Mai Kou Xiong conducted personal interviews with Gareth Carter, the EDS Laos Football Club, Barbara and Dori Shomadi.

Lao Diaspora: Give Children A Choice, 8.57 MB  - Download (MP3)
Lao Diaspora: Give Children A Choice, 8.57 MB  - Listen to (MP3)

Dr. Chanthala, Barbara & Vilakone

As you might have heard from our previous reports, the non-profit “Give Children A Choice (GCAC)” organization has built 21 pre-schools in Luang Prabang, Laos, since 2003. GCAC’s mission has recently shifted to a more remote region of Laos such as Xieng Khouang province, where three pre-schools have been built and many more are planned.

VOA has previously aired an interview with GCAC founders, Dori and Barbara Shimoda, about their organization’s new mission which includes providing vitamins to children in Xieng Khouang. This week, we bring you an interview with two valuable GCAC coordinators in Laos: Miss Vilakone Chansamouth and Dr. Chanthala Phetdaoheuang.

Dori & Barbara hand out balloons to the children

Ms. Vilakone Chansamouth talked to VOA by phone from Vientiane about her involvement with Give Children A Choice. Vilakone had helped GCAC as a volunteer prior to attending graduate school at Syracuse University in New York. “After returning to Laos, I wanted to work with such an organization to help Lao children who are less fortunate in remote regions of the country.   My main responsibility in the Vitamin project is to coordinate with the Lao government, especially the Lao Public Health Department, and Vitamin Angel, provider of the vitamins that Give Children A Choice will be distributing in April in Xieng Khouang province to more than 24,000 children.  We are currently working on the proper paperworks to bring the vitamins to Laos by April. As a Lao person, I am very happy to be a part of this project,” explains Vilakone.

School Children in Xieng Khouang, Lao

Dr. Chanthala Phetdaoheuang, head of the Food & Drug Administration of Xieng Khouang province, also discussed with VOA her involvement in GCAC’s Vitamin project. “I have been involved with the Vitamin project since last year. I’ve coordinated and liasoned with the Central Government (Public Health Department) in Vientiane, the local office and GCAC to facilitate the distribution of vitamins to children in an upcoming event in April. It’s my job to make sure the process goes smoothly and the children receive our help. Our plan was to have the vitamins distributed to three facilities(pre-schools) that GCAC has built, with distribution starting from the town’s health facilities all the way down to the remote villages,” said Dr. Phetdaoheung.



Give Children A Choice, the CHOICE that GIVES to Lao Children.

Dr. Phetdaoheung, herself a Xieng Khouang native, says she is very honored and happy to help her own villagers. “We are still short of many things, especially medical supplies, medical equipments, even though we have a village clinic, but we do not have the necessary medical equipments to provide needed service to all villages. On behalf of the provincial government, I’d  like to thank Give Children A Choice for helping and bringing such needed help to the Xieng Khouang people. I would very much like to encourage all of you to reach out and help us. We are in dire need,” concluded Dr. Phetdaoheung.

VOA will follow up on Give Children A Choice’s future projects and periodically bring them to you. For those who are interested in donating and volunteering for GCAC, please go to http://www.givechildrenachoice.org

GCAC Interview_07Jan10, 7.23 MB  - Download (MP3)
GCAC Interview_07Jan10, 7.23 MB  - Listen to (MP3)

Give Children A Choice (GCAC), a non-profit organization, was created purely out of an American couple’s love and passion of wanting to give the children of Laos a choice in education. Since its establishment in 2003, GCAC has so far built about 21 pre-schools, with new ones springing up every year in Laos. It started off in Luang Prabang province and is currently moving beyond Luang Prabang toward a more remote region of the country.

GCAC meets with villagers

Dori Shimoda, founder of Give Children AChoice, talked to VOA about his latest project. “First of all thank you for having us here. It’s always nice to talk about helping Lao children. We started building the schools in 2003 in Luang Prabang and we’ve completed 21 pre-schools there. And perhaps what is more important is that we have been empowered by the Ministry of Education to continue to promote our preschools. And we now have moved on to Xieng Khouang Province.”

Give Children A Choice’s mission is not only to provide the space for Lao children to study, but also to fill those buildings up with healthy children, as Barbara Shimoda, Vice President of the organization,  mentioned in the interview.  ”We started doing a health fair in 2006. So far we have done 17 health fairs. It started out as an annual health fair – a big event; we were there for a week but covered more than five villages.

GCAC’s Health Mission

Villagers came, parents brought their children, and we – the doctors that we accompanied us from the US – examined them, treated them in some cases and gave them medicines and vitamins. Laos has been known as one of the least developed nations. Children have reportedly been chronically malnourished and physically stunted. Give Children a Choice’s mission has been expanded. We’re not only building schools now, but also filling them with healthy children, and that gave birth to the Vitamin Project.“

Currently, Give Children A Choice is moving toward more remote regions like Xieng Khouang and many others areas, hoping to build more pre-schools for Lao children. For the latest round of the Vitamin Project, Dori told VOA that Give Children A Choice will provide more than 24,000 multi-vitamin packages to children in Xieng Khouang province starting as early as December 2009.

Anyone interested in donating to GCAC and volunteering, please go to http://www.givechildrenachoice.org

 The non-profit organization Legacy of War was founded over five years ago by a group of young Laotian-Americans who wanted to learn more about their heritage, their motherland, and in particular, the secret war and its impacts in Laos. On Nov 5, 2009, the Legacy of War organized a briefing and discussion session in Washington DC, on the legacies of that war – the problems of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos. The event was attended by more than 35 individuals and representative s of leading organizations that have been involved in projects related to this issue. 

Channapha Khamvongsa, Legacies of War executive director, opened the meeting with a brief history of her organization…
“A group of us came together and founded Legacies of War based on the idea that we have to address the lingering impacts of the war in a holistic manner. We have to talk about the history of the war, but we really have to provide a space for healing the wounds of war. And we also have to take some action providing hopes for those who are still affected by it. And that’s how LOW was founded five years ago with four primary goals:

 1. To raise awareness about the history of bombing. 2. To advocate for additional funding support for the UXO sector in Laos. 3. To provide the space for healing the wounds of war. 4. To engage Laotian-Americans and the broader community on this issue as well as other issues that concern the war. There has been growing coordination and collaboration between the government of Laos and the U. S. on this matter. The UXO sector in Laos has really matured, and the world is finally paying attention to Laos. So the combination of these factors provided an opportunity to look at where we are and what we can do. We know that there is more to be done and we know that we can do more. And I hope this meeting will be a beginning of a long conversation, many conversations of about how to… eventually, bring a safe land back to the people of Laos.”

Mrs. Kannika Phommachanh, chief of Laos’ Permanent Mission to the United Nations and Ambassador Phien Philakone, Laos’ envoy to the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, both shared their deep concerns about the gravity of the issue with the meeting. The Lao ambassador opened his remarks by saying …“History is history and it can’t be fixed; one can only learn from history. Today, we see Americans look at the lesson of the Vietnam War to make a comparison in Iraq and in Afghanistan.   During my time as an Ambassador to the U.S., I’ve learned that very few Americans know about Laos. And even fewer know about American actions in Laos during the 60’s and early 70’s. The lessons of war in Laos were raised by very few people, which is why it’s so important that we are here today.”

Another key person that added to the importance of the briefing was Charles Stonechiper, Program Manager for Asia and the Pacific, Office of the Weapons Removal and Abatement, U. S. Department of State. Mr. Stonechiper talked about the United States funding for UXO removal projects in Laos, adding “The NRA (National Regulatory Authority) thought that the program in Laos runs pretty well and it’s a mature program. It sees the increases in the effectiveness and efficiency, but the program faces the need to find a long term sustainable funding. I will agree with every single one of those observations. As all of you in this room consider UXO and mine clearance in Laos, let me tell you that, just based on my one-year dealing with that program, I think it’s an amazing feat that Laos has accomplished so much in a very short period of time.  It is one of the very best programs in the world right now, in term of dealing with this issue.”  

Other participants attending, and some addressing, the briefing include representatives from organizations such as Give Children A Choice,  Mines Advisory Group, World Education/Constortium, Handicap International, The Humpty Dumpty Institute, Mennonite Central Committee,  National Regulatory Agency, Lao PDR National Regulatory Agency and Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise(COPE) etc…

  Thachok Village Children.  Give Children A Choice is completing a three-room preschool in Thachok Village, one of 576 villages in Xieng Khouang Province.

Malnutrition is the greater enemy for children in their neonatal, infant and preschool years.  It denies a child of their right to reach their full mental and physical potential.  The child’s retention of what they learn in school is less, their immunity to illness is lower, their future productive and income potential is lower. 

Give Children A Choice’s mission is to build and fill preschools with children.  We are completing our 26^th preschool next month.  In fulfilling our mission to fill preschools with children, our preschool health fairs focus on health, hygiene and nutrition education as well as providing medical checkups and immunizations for the children.

As we continue to fulfill our mission to fill preschools with healthy children, we are partnering with Vitamin Angels to distribute multi-vitamins to 24,000 preschool children in Xieng Khouang Province, Lao PDR. 

Xieng Khouang.  Left: Plain of Jars, Right: Rice fields,              Bottom: bombed Xieng Khouang Temple

Xieng Khouang is a beautiful province, noted for its higher elevation rolling hills, temperate climate, and ubiquitous breezes.  Xieng Khouang is also noted as one of the most bombed provinces (by the United States military) in Laos, where millions of UXOs greatly retards villagers’ ability to achieve prosperity.  As a result, villagers are poor, children’s nutrition is poor.  40% of Lao children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition. 

Vitamin Angels is graciously procuring and shipping the vitamins to Laos.  Give Children will be transporting the vitamins to Xieng Khouang’s capital Phonsavan.  Give Children A Choice is collaborating with the Xieng Khoung Provincial Health Department, Mother and Child Division to distribute the vitamins and provide parental education on the value and discipline for children to take their vitamins daily. 

Give Children A Choice is also collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help make this program successful.

Again, we ask for your support by donating $20 to help us distribute vitamins to 24,000 preschool children.  Please help us by donating at our website.  

Ask your friends for their help.