My Dream English School: Lia's dream in Muang Xon

Lia Tor studied at the University of Languages in Luang Prabang. In 2022, he began teaching English in Nong Khiaw, at NK English School. Then he went back to his village, Muang Xon, with one idea in mind: that the children back home should have the same opportunities he had.

With NK Seeds' support, the dream took shape. In October 2022, Lia and his wife Xisidapeth opened My Dream English School in Muang Xon, in Houaphan province, in north-eastern Laos, close to the Vietnamese border. It is NK Seeds' second English school. Like the others, it is free.

The school was also able to open thanks to the association Enfants du Mékong, which funds the programme through collective sponsorship: by sponsoring a pupil, each sponsor guarantees free access to English classes. In March 2024, the NK Seeds team and Enfants du Mékong travelled to Muang Xon together, to see the students' motivation first-hand.

The children come after school, full of enthusiasm. In class, they also learn through songs. One week, the vocabulary was about health: in Laos, many children dream of becoming doctors. At the end of the school year, the teachers cooked a meal to celebrate with the students, before a few weeks of holiday.

Three years after opening, the progress is huge. The students speak English confidently with their teachers. Lia also coordinates the sponsorship programme in the region, so that every child is closely followed. In July 2026, more than 80 children are learning English at My Dream English School.