A Day In The Life – Peuan Mit Outreach Team Leader

In this edition of ‘A Day In The Life’ we are introduced to Khampam, outreach team leader at Peuan Mit.

My name is Khampam and I have been working for Peaun Mit since the project began in 2004. I am the Outreach Team Leader, providing support to our outreach staff. I drive my motorbike to work, arriving at 8am each morning. Every Monday, I prepare a schedule with my team detailing our plans for the coming week. The majority of my time is spent in the office although I do take frequent trips throughout the communities in order to stay up-to-date with the situation on the street and to help the team. While I have about 40 cases on my list; twice a week I will visit those on the street and see people in their homes or detention centre. As some of our cases are in other provinces, I travel to follow their cases; sometimes this can take a day or so as the roads are not always in a great state, especially in the wet season! While in the office, I attend team meetings, work on reports and co-ordinate profiles of the youth we work with. Sometimes I need to purchase supplies for the team such as sports equipment, hygiene materials or educational resources.

Peaun Mit outreach team

I’ll usually eat lunch around 12:30pm near our office in Vientiane and then in the afternoon I’ll help the drop in centre team leader.  Together we prepare and schedule games/educational activities for the youth we work with. At times I’ll assist the life skills trainer complete the curriculum for topics such as reproductive health and HIV/Aids and will also train staff in the use our drug educational materials. I am also responsible for the emergency phone service so I always need to be ready to respond to referrals or to go out on the streets when I hear of children who need assistance. All of the team will help to cover when a staff member needs to visit one of their cases unexpectedly – it’s nice that we can support each other. Occasionally I will attend meetings with government officials and other NGOs.

I usually leave the office at 5pm, but depending on whether I have English classes or night outreach I may get home later in the evening. I have dinner at home with my parents and will sometimes go out to meet friends or colleagues unless I have some English homework to work on!