Organization
Lao Disabled Women's Development Centre(LDWDC)
LDWDC is a non-profit organisation in Vientiane run by and for Lao women with disabilities, providing skills training, income-generating activities, and rights advocacy since 2002. Its programmes in weaving, sewing, paper-making, and recycled crafts support economic independence for women with disabilities.
About
The Lao Disabled Women's Development Centre (LDWDC) traces its roots to 1990, when a small sewing group met in the home of its founder, Madam Chanhpheng Sivila. By 2002 the group had grown and formalised into the LDWDC — a non-profit organisation in Vientiane run by and for Lao women with disabilities. Today LDWDC is recognised as a leading civil-society organisation in Lao PDR dedicated to education, training, and economic empowerment.
What They Do
LDWDC provides vocational training in handicrafts — including traditional weaving, sewing, paper-making, and production of recycled goods — to enable women with disabilities to generate income and achieve financial independence. The centre also advocates for the civil rights of women with disabilities, offers life-skills education, and maintains a community space where members can support one another.
Who They Serve
LDWDC serves women with physical, sensory, and other disabilities across Lao PDR, with primary services delivered from its Hadsayfong District centre in Vientiane. The organisation prioritises women who face intersecting barriers related to both disability and gender, and who have few other pathways to economic participation.
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