Since 2006, we've been publishing books that make literacy fun for Lao children, as well as a growing number of books for older readers. We also do hands-on education. You can help, and also have an enriching travel experience.
Our Big Sister Mouse school #1 has students ranging from preschool to mid-teens. Join us for a day! We offer transportation from our shop in town. More about a day at Big Sister Mouse
In Luang Prabang, you can enjoy games and activities with young Lao people, as you help them develop varied life skills such as communication, problem-solving, and English. Daily 7 days a week, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m. More about World Citizen activities
If you are able to volunteer for a week or more, please let us know after your first day, so we can discuss any special skills you have, that might be incorporated. For example, if you know traditional dances from your country, or can play guitar, or have art skills, and would like to teach those subjects, we'll be happy to see if we can arrange that. Please do not email us about volunteer opportunities. We cannot discuss them until after we've met and we know each other better.
Helping at our Big Sister Mouse school or at a daily English session is the best way to make a difference when you're in Laos. We often hear from travelers who would like to volunteer in other ways. We appreciate the interest and support. But our language, culture, and ways of doing things are probably quite different from what you're used to. The suggestions above are the best ways to get started. We occasionally do need volunteers for special projects. These situations change frequently and are posted in our Luang Prabang office or through our newsletter; we regret that we do not have a staff to answer English-language inquiries or discuss volunteer opportunities by email.
Learn some sign language with us! Our site is mostly in Lao, but with both Lao and English word definitions. Get started with an introductory page in either language
Overview in English
Overview in Lao
After teaching some simple sign language during our first years, we decided to develop a curriculum so that children can carry on a full conversation by signing. They learn a few words, practice using them in sentences, then learn a few more.
We want to hire deaf people, who are fluent in sign language, to teach it. But there are relatively few people who know it well, and often they don't want to relocate to the schools that need teachers.
So our teachers, and some highly enthusiastic students, have done much of the teaching, even as they themselves are learning. But sign language doesn't lend itself to lessons and photographs in a book It is best captured on video.
Our Lao Sign Language web pages, created to support our teachers and students, can be used by anyone. We're up to lesson 30 at this writing (October 2025), and we're steadily adding more. The written text is mostly in Lao, but the heart of these pages is the hand signs. No Lao is needed. Definitions and descriptions of signs are given in both Lao and English.
If you're interested, please take a look! You'll be pleasantly surprised how much easier it is to learn sign language than a spoken foreign language, and you may be inspired to begin learning the sign language used in your country.
Our Lao sign langage pages are designed to be used on a phone, which we expect will be the almost universal way they are viewed in Laos. The link is at the top of this column.