The Vice President of the Lao Coffee Association now applies the OSH lessons he learned during the Vision Zero Fund training course to his daily life in Champasak province.
“I am more cautious of possible risks of accidents.”
“I have even applied occupational safety and health knowledge to my daily life. For example, I store knives properly in my kitchen, because I know that if an accident happens, it will waste my time and money and could lead to injuries or disability.”
Sengchanh Khammountha is the 52-year-old Vice President of the Lao Coffee Association. He is thoughtful and careful – about his health, work, and words.
He was born in Pak Lay, in Sainyabuli province, which sits on the Mekong River in the western part of the country. When he was 18, he moved to Vientiane, the capital, with its broad boulevards, tree-lined streets, and notable shrines. At 24, he moved to Savannakhet, on the border with Thailand, and got married there. Finally, in 1999, he moved to Champasak province in the southwest, where he lives now.
His days begin at 6 a.m. with exercise and breakfast. He spends time with his wife and three children before driving to his office in Pakse.
But one day, instead of going to work as usual, he met with the Vision Zero Fund team and members of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They had a proposal for him: Would he like to attend training sessions for employers and workers on occupational safety and health?
“I was very interested in the Vision Zero Fund from the first meeting,” he said. “My coffee association had observed that farmers lacked knowledge on OSH, so I wanted to be a part of it.”
Over the next few months, his initial interest turned into a life-changing experience.
Coffee in Laos
Coffee has been produced in Laos for more than a century.
Improving OSH across the supply chain
VFZ Lao PDR has enhanced both employers’ and workers’ awareness of OSH.
Learn more
- Vision Zero Fund: Lao PDR
- Improving occupational safety and health in the global value chain of coffee in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Drivers and constraints. A case study
- Working on the plateau: Improving the safety and health of coffee farmers in Lao PDR
These impact stories were produced with the financial support of the European Union.