Across Laos, Australia Awards Alumni are turning practical ideas into meaningful community outcomes through the Alumni Innovation Grants. The grants are delivered as part of the Australia Awards Scholarship and Alumni Engagement program, managed in Laos by Tetra Tech International Development through the Laos Australia Institute.
Over the past six years, the grants have supported 39 alumni-led projects across the country, demonstrating how graduates are using their knowledge, networks, and leadership to respond to local needs. Two recent examples from southern Laos show how targeted support can continue to benefit communities well beyond the life of a project.
Expanding disability outreach in Salavan Province
Ms. Chayphet Phanthakesone is the Deputy Head of the Champasak Medical Rehabilitation Centre and a longtime advocate for people with disability. After completing a master’s degree in Disability Policy and Practice at Flinders University through Australia Awards, she has continued working to improve access to rehabilitation and support services.
In 2023, Chayphet received an Alumni Innovation Grant to extend disability outreach services to rural communities in Salavan Province. The project raised awareness of disability inclusion and helped connect people with essential services, including rehabilitation support and referral pathways.
By bringing information and services closer to people in rural areas, the initiative has helped reduce barriers for communities that may otherwise have limited access to specialist support.
Watch how Chayphet’s project is helping connect people with disability to essential services
A bright idea for rural health services
Another alumni-led initiative, “Solar Health”, is improving access to health services for communities near Pong Village in rural southern Laos.
Led by Australia Awards alumna Ms Sengthida Sivilay, the 2023 project used Australian grant support to reach more than 3,500 people. Its practical, locally relevant approach is helping strengthen health service access in an area where distance, infrastructure, and resources can create challenges.
The project reflects the purpose of the Alumni Innovation Grants: backing locally led ideas that respond directly to community needs.
Watch how Sengthida’s Solar Health project is supporting communities near Pong Village
Alumni leadership in action
Together, these projects show how Australia Awards Alumni are contributing to inclusive, locally led development across Laos.
From disability outreach in Salavan Province to solar-powered health support near Pong Village, the stories of Chayphet and Sengthida demonstrate the value of investing in alumni leadership — and the lasting benefits that can grow from small, community-focused grants.
Read more about Tetra Tech International Development’s work across the region International Development Solutions – Tetra Tech International Development