Thanhvar Phouthamaxang
Thanhvar Phouthamaxang, known as Lu, moved from Xiangkhouang province to Vientiane after high school to study forestry, environment, and English. In 2007, university classmates introduced him to DDD. He was one of six people selected out of about 50 applicants, and eventually was promoted to team leader, overseeing 10-15 staff. Before DDD, most of his work experience was physical labor. DDD was his first office setting where he learned concrete skills in computers and technology through working with international colleagues.
After DDD he returned to Xiangkhouang to start his own business, then returned to the capital to work with international NGOs. He now has two sources of income: working at Wildlife Conservation Society and running his own construction business, applying DDD knowledge in managing people, planning work schedules, and handling finances. His vision for DDD: expand to all 18 provinces of Laos instead of just Vientiane, because many people have potential but lack opportunities to access personal development. "DDD's role is to teach and provide knowledge, but ultimately it depends on the individual to take that knowledge and continue developing it in the future," he says.
