Legacies Post 
You've Got Mail!

From the desk of: Gillian Flude, Project Officer,  Mine Action Canada Sera and Gillian on top of Patuxai (Victory Monument) in Vientiane.   It’s been one year since my visit to Vientiane, Laos with Legacies of War, but the memories from the trip feel much closer. I was so honoured to be personally invited by Sera, Legacies of War’s incredible “KOUL-mander in Chief”. The entire trip was a testament to Sera and the Legacies of War team’s love of Laos, a love that is impossible

From the desk of Alexandra Hansen , Legacies Advocacy Ambassador Growing up south of Houston, Texas, I was surrounded by an infectious enthusiasm for innovation. My father was a career engineer at NASA, and has contributed to many incredible innovations that have sent men and women (some who were parents of my high school classmates) into orbit. I have always been thrilled by the belief that even the toughest challenges can be overcome with a team and a shared vision. I follo

From the desk of Lucas Sadoul , Legacies of War Lam Vong Circle Member, Advocacy Ambassador While studying Electrical Engineering at Paris-Saclay University—one of the most prestigious institutions in France—I learned about an incredible opportunity: a 10-week internship in Laos. This was made possible through a former professor of mine who now leads the association D2E Laos (Development, Energy & Education Laos), which advances renewable energy in Laos by sending electrical

By Justina Poskeviciute On this International Youth Day, I can’t help but solemnly reflect on the lack of care much of the world is giving to the suffering that young people are facing. How horrible it is to say that this should sound familiar: bombs tearing children’s bodies to pieces, thousands of lives either destroyed or permanently altered, and a continuous, collective trauma that spans generations. Racist narratives are used to justify it all, built upon a complete disr

From the desk of Dr. Ramya Ravisankar , Associate Professor Columbus College of Art & Design Before starting the fall 2024 semester at Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), I joined a meeting with my colleagues to discuss a partnership and exhibition with Legacies of War. I was unsure what to expect, but when I heard Sera Koulabdara share her personal recollections and the impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos, I was deeply moved and excited to begin this project. At

From the desk of  Murphy Nosanchuk , Legacies of War Advocacy Ambassador, Intern Emeritus, and Mines Action Fellow There is a tangible difference between the academic knowledge of a subject and the application of that knowledge. When I began my work with Legacies of War in 2021, it was during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. I worked remotely, seeing faces periodically over Zoom and getting a crash course in modern Laotian history through videos and books. I knew the thip

From the desk of Lily Poulom Baugher  During the spring semester of my freshman year, I was unhappy with the direction my life was taking. My major at the time, computer science, no longer felt like the right fit for me. I was close to failing my coding class, and the rest of my grades reflected my struggles. Noticing my behavior, my dad decided to buy plane tickets for us to Laos in the summer of 2023. He told me the trip would be a perfect getaway from my stressful life at