Two years of closed borders, then the return

For two years, Laos kept its borders closed. For the NK Seeds team, there was no way to return to Nong Khiaw. At the end of 2021, a glimmer of hope: the Lao government announced a three-phase reopening plan, starting on 1 January 2022.

But at first, nothing was simple. In January, only organised tours approved by the Lao Travel Green Zone label were allowed. No tourist visas were issued, and a PCR test was required on departure and on arrival. The return was still uncertain. In April, the second phase was supposed to pave the way, but no official announcement confirmed it. The team kept hoping.

On 9 May 2022, the news finally came: Laos was fully reopening after two years of closure. The team could confirm its return for early June.

In early June, part of the team was finally back at the NK Seeds site. Mélissa said she felt she was back home. The first job was to get the place back in shape: painting, tidying, small improvements. The team also went to the school to play with the children. They had missed their smiles so much.

After two years away, the office needed a fresh coat of paint. Mélissa, Élodie, Matthieu, Jeff and Ollie gave it a second youth, with bright colours and murals. The team also adopted Billie, a little dog taken in a few days after the return, who became the association's mascot.

A new sign went up at the entrance of the site, to be more visible to tourists, locals and the authorities. It is already drawing travellers curious to learn about NK Seeds. And thanks to handy volunteers, the site gained a pétanque court, a garden and a bamboo platform.