“We are very lucky because no one in my family smokes opium.”
SEPTEMBER 2018- NAHIENG VILLAGE, XAMTAI DISTRICT, HUAPHAHN, LAO PDR
“My parents told me that the reason we moved here was because this village used to be dense forestland which was good fertile soil for growing opium poppy. When I was growing up, opium poppy cultivation was the main livelihood in the area without any fear from the authorities. I grew up helping my parents on the fields and learning all the stages of opium production. I was very good at it. It quickly became my livelihood too. Growing opium provides income to feed my family and it also acts as medicine when we are sick.”
“But from the last 3-4 years we could not grow any opium because of the strict control by the authorities. If they find us growing opium we can be prosecuted. It has been hard for my family because growing maize and selling animals is not enough income. And some people who are addicted to opium are now stealing ducks, chickens and other things from people’s farms to sell in order to buy drugs and other harmful things. I hate when people steal in my village.”
“But luckily we had some people come to our village to tell us about growing coffee. In the first year I was hesitant and did not join. At the time I did not understand how coffee could change our livelihoods but also because my wife was injured. She had pain in her foot and could not work so I decided it was better we did not join the project and take on something new. But over the year I watched everyone’s coffee grow and others working hard on their coffee. I became hopeful about coffee being a new way forward for us and so I asked to join the coffee project in the following year. My wife was also doing better then and able to work again. We planted 4,000 coffee seedlings. My wife and I decided we will focus our efforts on coffee and try something new.”
“Now I am learning how to grow coffee and my coffee is doing good. By growing coffee I hope I can get more income for my family and we do not have to worry about prosecution from the authorities. But really I now understand that we need to move away from opium. It was hard before because we did not know of any other options. But if I can grow coffee and keep my children away from the dangers of opium that is very important. Many older people in our villages face addiction and many issues because of opium. I do not want that for my children. I have recently even helped the government eradicate opium fields in my village and if they come again to my village, I will help them again. I see how it is so hard for the families of opium users to make more money because not everyone in the house is working and someone is taking care of the opium user. It is very dangerous. We are very lucky because in my family no one smokes opium.”