Overview
Bible Society Australia is partnering with the Laos Bible Society (LBS) to develop and run a literacy project among the Hmong people, in response to the needs of churches, who wish to teach their non-literate members to read God’s word.
In Laos, 20% of males and 40% of females over 15 can’t read, with the most affected in remote rural areas and ethnic minority groups constituting 47% of the population. They lack education access due to geographical and subsistence farming needs. Non-literate believers in churches need to read God’s word. The Hmong, Laos’ second-largest ethnic minority, have a Hmong Bible published in 2022, but many can’t read it. Even Hmong children who manage to attend school are taught in Lao, not their native language. A literacy program is vital for Hmong people to read their mother tongue Bible and grow spiritually, but church leaders lack suitable teaching materials. Local churches need systematic tools for clear Bible comprehension.
Statistics:
- 47% of the population are remote ethnic minorities who don’t have easy access to education
- There are 639,900 people in the Hmong people group in Laos (2023, Joshua Project)
- 75,000 Hmong (almost 12%) from unofficial sources, are Christians
- 50% of Hmong believers cannot read and write Hmong
If the appeal is oversubscribed or the project changes due to unforeseen reasons, we will reallocate remaining funds to similar projects.
