THE ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTRE in Laos and local village schools are set to have another pair of hands at work, as Claire Edwards embarks on a unique Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA) volunteer eco-tour.

Claire will play a key role in establishing a new era for the conservation of the Asian elephant. She will get up close and personal with many of the majestic residents of the Elephant Conservation Centre, a rehabilitation, research and breeding facility which also has a purpose-built hospital dedicated to elephant rescued from the logging trade and promotes responsible tourism.

Riding elephants to and from their jungle bedroom and helping with calves in the elephant nursery are just a couple of ‘perks’ Claire will enjoy as part of her volunteering. She will also assist in the veterinary clinic, viewing platform maintenance plus works on new infrastructure projects.

Laos conservation efforts are diverse and Claire will get well acquainted with local flora, fauna and environmental initiatives within the Nam Tien protected area.

Elephants are not the only Laos residents to benefit from Claire’s visit – or to lend rich colour to her Laotian experience. Besides helping elephants, Claire will also support local village schools in improving education opportunities. She will spend time teaching English to school children, boosting their employment options and enhancing their futures.

Claire will also have the opportunity to experience authentic school life in a way that few other travellers will. She will be involved in initiatives like building bathrooms and classrooms to help improve the schools. Another important initiative is planting banana and sugar cane, the main source of food for those stunning elephants.

But it’s not all volunteer work for Claire in beautiful Laos. The second week of her trip comprises an incredible cultural and adventure experience. With so much to explore plus plenty of delicious local food, she will truly enjoy incredible moments in one of the most beautiful, remote parts of the world.

To Claire, the opportunity of a volunteer Laos adventure tour is a once in a lifetime chance.

VESA is the organisation making Claire Edwards Laos adventure possible. This unique initiative offers students the chance to fuse supporting the indigenous people of remote villages with true adventure tourism. Every VESA tour is tailored to the individual student’s skills and experience. So they are able to contribute their fullest potential to communities in need while experiencing authentically immersive adventure travel.

Each student also raises sponsorship funds that help to cover the costs involved in participating in the program. These costs include hiring local skilled tradespeople to supervise and assist in the building projects, building materials and donations to local organisations.

VESA Director Tom McDowell explains the contribution volunteers make.

“The efforts of the students will make a real, positive difference to the elephants, by helping to plant sufficient food for these heavy weight grazers to last them through the long dry season’,” he says.

“By teaching the youngsters basic English,” he added, “we’re also helping them to communicate with the wider world, and empowering them to improve their own lives.”

Currently VESA organises eco-breaks in Laos, as well as South Africa, Fiji and Ecuador. To learn more about VESA, visit www.vesabroad.com.

Claire Edwards can be contacted by email – [email protected] or to donate to this meaningful project, she has set up a gofundme page – https://www.gofundme.com/vesa-volunteer-work-in-se-asia