WORKING PAPERS FOR SHARING COUNTRY EXPERIENCES
Homenet Southeast Asia’s Subregional Workshop on Membership-based Organizing, linking OSH and Fair Trade Concerns

COUNTRY REPORT -  HOMENET LAOS/CDEA

• How does CDEA Organize village Banks and self-help groups?

• The project starts by conducting an orientation meeting on the establishment of savings  groups and to develop a policy for implementation at the local level, to be participated by district and village Authorities.

• This will be followed by mobilization of villagers, to be led by the village authority. The village will then submit a letter to the Lao Women’s Union in the district, which will be referred to the CDEA office for approval.   If the request for approval is granted, CDEA staff/ team will set up the savings group officially.

• After savings group formation, the CDEA staff will help in administration and financial management ( for  newly formed savings group  monitoring will be done once a month ).  Savings groups that have been in existence for more than six months  will still be assisted by the CDEA staff,  depending on the need/s  of the group.

• Depending on the resources needed by the savings group to meet basic needs, CDEA conducts vocational training intended to generate and  increase incomes and promote their activities. Workshops on experience sharing among various groups have been conducted by CDEA.

• What are the structures of these Banks and groups ?

            Savings groups will be composed of the following: Committee Board, members, the advisors and committee for rules and  regulations.

• The Committee board

                        He/She has garnered high score/ ranking in the election of the savings      group, either  by secret balloting  or raising of the hand.

• The group members

            He/She was selected/appointed and accepted by the committee board.

• The Advisors

            He/She is a village authority representative, famous (well- known), respectable,  with leadership qualities, willing to serve supportive,  acceptable and garnering  high vote ranking among group members.

• The rules and regulations

            Setting up rules and regulations will be determined by majority decision or vote of group members and the committee based on their special and appropriated conditions or the power of each village and local representatives. Therefore rules and regulation of each saving group will tend to be different or may vary from that of other groups.

• How does HBW become a member ?

            They become members because their own village established the savings group which gives them the right to be members automatically. They will have the capability to deposit and borrow money for the purpose of creating their income generation activity from the business.

• How are the leaders chosen and what are their functions ?

            The leaders are elected by the members based on whether s/he is a good person, mentally stable,  displays good behavior, willing to sacrifice for all, just, and patient. S/he does not discriminate race, color, sex, religion, ethnicity , political affiliation, union membership, nationality, social origin or physical disability.
 

• How do these Banks and groups sustain themselves, etc . . .

• Understanding  the roles of the committee, advisors and members.

• Dividing the group committee’s and advisors’ responsibilities separately.

• Holding a regular monthly meeting where implementation of activities are reported, monitored, discussed and acted upon, taking into consideration  relevant matters such as Financial, Loan releasing, situation movement, planning the next steps and discussing other issues.

• Presenting a  summary of  financial status on a monthly basis as a means of affirming the integrity among the committee,  Advisors and their members.

• Creating a transparent  financial system and  strict compliance with  auditing rules on : savings fund, micro-credit fund,  daily record book of income and expenditure ,  deposit/withdrawal  of funds and petty cash.

• Dividing the profit from the interest of micro-credit fund among the members annually/yearly.

• Occupational Safety and Health ( OSH) problems occurring among  home based workers are:

• The work place is not properly ventilated, narrow, dusty due to lack of cleaning and insufficiently  lighted.
• Home based workers  do not undergo  annual medical examination as  required by the Law. There is  no medical treatment/service in the work place.
• Home based workers do not use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPEs) such as: a mouth guard, steel mesh – gloves are provided for cutters, masks, goggles, earplugs and rubber boots.

Those issues mentioned above cause the workers to get sick, or may even  present some serious health and safety risks.

• Linking OSH and fair trade

            In order to improve  the OSH standards and working conditions of home based workers  and for their products to be considered fair trade products the following are being considered:

• The home based workers ( HBW ) must have a healthy and  safe  workplace and environment.

• They  must have passed or undergone OSH training before working at home/work place.

• They should obtain social security card to enable visit to a doctor free of charge.

• Their products should be of good quality, acceptable in both  domestic and international market.

• These will be supported and sustained by having a self-sufficient living standard that comes from  HBWs earnings from selling their products.