Huam Jai Asasamak Association (HJA)

The Huam Jai Asasamak Association/United in Volunteering (HJA) is a Lao civil society organization formed following a research project commissioned by the CUSO International Laos in 2003. In 2007 HJA established the Lao PDR’s first national youth Volunteering Internship Programme (VIP), focusing on volunteers from rural areas and ethnic minorities aged between 18 and 35. The program provides opportunities for youth to work as volunteers for twelve (12) months with selected partner organizations engaged in community work, and so gain skills and experience they can use for both their own and their community’s growth. To date, over 314 youth volunteers (189 female) have successfully completed this volunteer internship programme from 13 provinces, 20 ethnic groups and cooperated with local and international organizations, more than 30 partner organizations across the Lao PDR.

In 2013 HJA put in place an alumni volunteer programme (AVP). Continue to support youth volunteers who have completed their placements to take forward development projects within their own and other rural communities as a means of building the capacity of marginalized groups, and in particular ethnic minorities and women, as Community development work and participate by community (focusing on activities to provide knowledge, capacity building, building a career and generate income for the community) A total of 67 villages in 23 districts of 13 provinces.

Since 2014 HJA has been formally registered as a Non-Profit Association (NPA) with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), No: 71/MOHA, dated 06/02/2014. Under HJA’s strategy plan 2022-2026, HJA has the goal to develop young people in both urban and rural areas to be leaders and facilitators and to promote volunteering to community development. In the meantime, HJA has developed its strategy in order to build capacity and mission achievement to be advantageous and acknowledged in all public under the title “HJA has standard administration, services, and is the central capacity building of young people.” HJA is a strong organization and representative for young people’s rights protection, promotion, and fulfillment for all young people at all community levels.

In addition, HJA has grown up and implemented a number of different program developments to improve the knowledge, skills, and experiences of young people as well as to build the capacity of HJA itself. For instance, (1) improving the HJA office management, operation, and running programme implementation with funding support from different donors such as the Samdhana Institute, the McKnight Foundation, EU, GEF-SGP, CARE International in Laos, Plan International Laos, GIZ, and Oxfam International in Laos. HJA is improved and trained in terms of the administration and management system within the organization by professional staff, technical, and funding support, such as management and financial rules and measurement, staff and human resource management, and information technology engagement and social media. (2) Staff capacity development. HJA staff also improve and develop themselves; they both participate in training and provide training services to other organizations’ staff. There are several different trainings that were organized and participated in by HJA staff, while HJA staff also provide the training services to others in capacity building, project development, and intervention, and (3) strategy development compliance with government and international organizations. Currently. The HJA has reviewed the strategic plan for five years (2022-2026) in order to ensure strengthening capacity development, providing quality services, and responding to agriculture, public health, environment-climate change, gender equality, law, and career building for better livelihoods. to poverty eradication and leave the list of the least developed countries in 2025, according to the Lao government’s policy on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030. Therefore, HJA uses all resources to develop new projects and find new opportunities for initiative engagement and commitment to HJA’s goal. Particularly, this proposal is a comprehensive design to project intervention like previous funding support for project interventions.

HJA has standard administration, services, and central capacity building for youth. HJA is a strong organization and representative for youth’s rights protection, promotion, and fulfillment for all youth at all community levels, especially in the strategic plan. HJA has focused on community development. That meant HJA has expertise in this area with valuable experiences, lessons learned, and best practices to extend to the new project development. HJA is confident in applying previous experience and resources to the project intervention for the achievement of its goal.