Meet Legacies of War’s Team
Meet Legacies of War’s Team

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Meet Legacies of War’s Team

 

As an organization, Legacies of War has increased U.S. funding to clear UXO from Laos and help survivors from $1.3 million in 2004 to $37.5 million in 2020. We are a small, but mighty team, who gets tangible results through our hard work and dedication. Our team currently consists of 2 staff members, 17 board members, and 3 interns. 

 

MEET OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.  

Sera Koulabdara recently became the Executive Director of Legacies of War in 2019. Prior to this role, Sera was a long time volunteer and served on Legacies’ board for 4 years in multiple leadership positions including Vice Chair. Sera began her non-profit career with The United Way of Central Ohio where she served as Sr. Relationship Manager for four years. In this role, she acted as a philanthropic thought partner and trusted advisor to major central Ohio corporations. Sera also has tenure working at national non-profits like The American Heart Association, Make-A-Wish and Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Fresh out of college, Sera launched her career in Lommel, Belgium as an International Business Consultant. Sera specialized in helping emerging markets and completed projects in over 10 countries including Kuwait, Ghana, and South Africa. While in Botswana, Sera discovered her passion for helping others while volunteering with the Clinton Foundation.

Sera is extremely honored to be the Executive Director of Legacies because she has strong connections with her Lao heritage and wants to advocate for the survivors and victims from UXO. In addition, Sera has her very own blog http://www.loveiswhy.blog/, where she goes more in-depth to her own personal family connections of the Secret War. Sera is motivated by the legacy of what her father carried out when her family still lived in Laos. She inherited her father's bravery and persistence in helping those in need.  

 

CURRENT WORK.

This summer, Executive Director, Sera Koulabdara, works with Chief of Staff, Aleena Inthaly, and their 3 summer interns to produce educational and informative content. Due to Covid-19, planned events have been modified and converted digitally. Once a month, our team hosts a Thip Kaow Talk, which is a virtual discussion featuring people in the Southeast Asian diaspora community discussing various topics pertaining to the Secret War in Laos. Past Thip Kaow talks can be seen in our Facebook page @ Legacies of War.

First Thip Kaow Talk: https://www.facebook.com/legaciesofwar/videos/277442453423786  

Second Thip Kaow Talk: https://www.facebook.com/legaciesofwar/videos/582283149060243  

 

Later in July, we will also be hosting a Midsummer Movie Night on Zoom. We will be screening a documentary called “This Little Land of Mines,” directed by Erin McGoff. Those who donate a minimum of $5 will have access to the documentary as well as a discussion with Sera and Erin afterwards on any questions that came up during the screening. Funds collected will go towards the Legacies of War internship program.  

We also have an ongoing fundraiser, called the Lam Vong Circle, where individuals can sign up and donate a minimum of $10 every month/quarter/year to sustain and grow Legacies of War's life-saving advocacy and community engagement work.  

Donate here: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/legacieslamvongcircle  

EDUCATION.  

For more information about our work, please visit our website http://legaciesofwar.org/. To learn more about the Secret War, here are some books we recommend reading:  

 

Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life Under an Air War (1971, 2013), by Fred Branfman

Laos: War and Revolution (1970), by Nina Adams and Alfred McCoy.

Shooting at the Moon (1998), by Roger Warner

Another Quiet American (2003), by Brett Dakin

Eternal Harvest (2013), by Karen J Coates and Jerry Redfern

A Great Place to have a War (2017) , by Joshua Kurlantzick

Street Without Joy (1961), by Bernard Fall  

Hell in a very Small Place (1966), by Bernard Fall

Memories of a Soldier Scholar (2006), by Dorothy Fall

 

 

                                                                ພົບກັບທີມງານ Legacies of War

ໃນຖານະຂອງອົງການ, Legacies of War ໄດ້ຮັບເງິນທຶນຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອເພີ່ມຈາກສະຫະລັດອາເມລິກາເພື່ອເກັບກູ້ລະເບີດຈາກປະເທດລາວ ແລະ ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອປະຊາຊົນທີ່ລອດຊີວິດ ຈາກ13ລ້ານໂດລາໃນປີ 2004 ມາເປັນ 37,5ລ້ານໂດລາໃນປີ2020. ພວກເຮົາເປັນທີມງານນ້ອຍແຕ່ມີຄວາມສາມັກຄີແລະມັນເຮັດໃຫ້ເຮົາໄດ້ຮັບຜົນລັບທີ່ທ່ານສາມາດເຫັນໄດ້ຜ່ານການເຮັດວຽກໜັກ ແລະ ຄວາມທຸ່ມເທຂອງພວກເຮົາ. ປະຈຸບັນທີມງານຂອງພວກເຮົາມີ: ພະນັກງານ 2ຄົນ, ຄະນະກຳມະການ 17ທ່ານ ແລະ ພະນັກງານຝຶກງານ 3ຄົນ.

ພົບກັບຫົວໜ້າຝ່າຍປະຕິບັດງານຂອງພວກເຮົາ

ເມື່ອບໍ່ດົນມານີ້ ໃນປີ 2019, Sera Koulabdara ໄດ້ກາຍເປັນຜູ້ບໍລິຫານຂອງ Legacies of War. ກ່ອນໜ້ານີ້,ຊາຣາ ເຄີຍເປັນອາສາສະໝັກມາດົນ ແລະ ໄດ້ເປັນຄະນະກຳມະການຂອງ Legacies ເປັນເວລາ4ປີໃນຫຼາຍຕຳແໜ່ງໜ້າທີ່ລວມທັງໄດ້ເປັນຮອງປະທານ.ຊາຣາໄດ້ເລີ່ມເຮັດໂຄງການແບບບໍ່ຫວັງຜົນກຳໄລຂອງຕົນເອງກັບ United Way Of Central Ohio, ເຊິ່ງ ຊາຣາ ໄດ້ເຮັດໜ້າທີ່ເປັນຜູ້ຈັດການຝ່າຍຄວາມສຳພັນເປັນເວລາ 4ປີ.ໃນບົດບາດນີ້,ຊາຣາໄດ້ເຮັດໜ້າທີ່ເປັນຫຸ້ນສ່ວນທາງຄວາມຄິດເພື່ອການກຸສົນແລະເປັນທີ່ປຶກສາສຳຄັນໃຫ້ກັບບໍລິສັດ Ohio. ນອກຈາກນີ້, ຊາຣາຍັງເຮັດວຽກັບໂຄງການບໍ່ຫວັງຜົນກຳໄລຕ່າງໆອີກ ເຊັ່ນ: ສະມາຄົມຫົວໃຈອາເມລິກາ, Make-A-Wish ແລະ Crohn’s & Colotis Fundation.

 

ຊາຣາໄດ້ອອກຈາກມະຫາວິທະຍາໄລ ແລະ ໄດ້ເລີ່ມຕົ້ນອາຊີບຂອງລາວໃນ Lommel ປະເທດເບລຢ່ຽມ (Belgium) ໃນຖານະທີ່ປຶກສາທຸລະກິດລະຫວ່າງປະເທດ. ຊາຣາມີຄວາມສາມາດໃນການຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອດ້ານການຕະຫຼາດ ແລະ ໄດ້ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອໂຄງການຕ່າງໆໃນຫຼາຍປະເທດ,ຫຼາຍກວ່າ 10ປະເທດລວມເຖິງ ຄູເວດ, ຄານາດາ ແລະ ອາຟຣິກາໃຕ້. ໃນຂະນະທີ່ຢູ່ບອດສະວານາ (Botswana), ຊາຣາໄດ້ມີຄວາມຕ້ອງການທີ່ຈະຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຄົນອື່ນ ແລະ ໃນຂະນະດຽວກັນ ຊາຣາກຳລັງເປັນອາສາສະໝັກຮ່ວມກັບ Clinton Foundation ຢູ່.

ຊາຣາຮູ້ສຶກເປັນກຽດ ແລະ ດີໃນຫຼາຍທີ່ໄດ້ຮັບໜ້າທີ່ເປັນຜູ້ອຳນວຍການຝ່າຍບໍລິຫານມໍລະດົກໂລກ ເພາະຊາຣາເອງກໍມີຄວາມຜູກພັນກັບມໍລະດົກໂລກທາງວັດທະນະທຳຂອງລາວຢູ່ແລ້ວແລະຕ້ອງການຢາກສະໜັບສະໜູນ ແລະ ຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອຜູ້ທີ່ລອດຊີວິດຈາກລະເບີດທີ່ຍັງຫຼົງເຫຼືອຢູ່. ນອກຈາກນີ້ ຊາຣາຍັງມີ Blog ເປັນຂອງຕົນເອງ http://www.loveiswhy.blog/,ເຊິ່ງເປັນບ່ອນທີ່ຊາຣາໃຊ້ເພື່ອເຊື່ອມຕໍ່ກັບຄອບຄົວຂອງຕົນເອງ.ຊາຣາໄດ້ຮັບແຮງບັນດານໃຈມາຈາກສິ່ງທີ່ພໍ່ຂອງລາວໄດ້ເຮັດໄວ້ໃນຕອນທີ່ຍັງອາໄສຢູ່ປະເທດລາວ.ຊາຣາໄດ້ຮັບຄວາມກ້າຫານນີ້ມາຈາກພໍ່ຂອງລາວ ແລະ ຄວາມພະຍາຍາມທີ່ຢາກຈະໃຫ້ຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອກັບຄົນທີ່ຕ້ອງການຄວາມຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອ.

 

ວຽກປະຈຸບັນ

ໃນຊ່ວງລະດູຮ້ອນນີ້ຜູ້ອຳນວຍການບໍລິຫານ, ຊາຣາ ກຸຫຼາບດາຣາ ໄດ້ເຮັດວຽກຮ່ວມກັບຫົວໜ້າພະນັກງານ, Aleena Inthaly, ແລະ ນັກຮຽນທີ່ມາຝຶກງານ 3ຄົນຂອງພວກເຂົາ ເພື່ອຜະລິດເນື້ອຫາດ້ານການສຶກສາ ແລະ ຂໍ້ມູນຕ່າງໆ.ເນື່ອງຈາກCovid-19ກິດຈະກຳຕ່າງໆທີ່ໄດ້ວາງໄວ້ຈຶ່ງຖືກແກ້ໄຂແລະປ່ຽນແປງແບບດິຈິຕອລ.ທີມງານຂອງພວກເຮົາໄດ້ຈັດງານ Thip Kaow Talk ໜຶ່ງຄັ້ງຕໍ່ເດືອນ,ເຊິ່ງເປັນການສົນທະນາສະເໝືອນຈິງທີ່ມີຜູ້ຄົນໃນຊຸມຊົນຕ່າງໆໃນອາຊີຕາເວັນອອກສ່ຽງໃຕ້ມາປຶກສາຫາລືກັນໃນຫົວຂໍ້ຕ່າງໆທີ່ກ່ຽວກັບ  Secret War ໃນປະເທດລາວ. ທ່ານສາມາດເບິ່ງງານ Thip Kaow Talk ທັງໝົດໄດ້ທີ່ເພຈເຟສບຸກຂອງພວກເຮົາ @Legacies Of War.

ຄັ້ງທຳອິດຂອງ Thip Kaow Talk: https://www.facebook.com/legaciesofwar/videos/277442453423786  

 

ຄັ້ງທີ່ 2 ຂອງ Thip Kaow Talk: https://www.facebook.com/legaciesofwar/videos/582283149060243

ຕໍ່ມາໃນເດືອນ ກໍລະກົດ, ພວກເຮົາຈະຈັດງານ Midsummer Movie Night on Zoom ໂດຍພວກເຮົາຈະເປີດໜັງສາລະຄະດີເລື່ອງ: “ດິນແດນເໝືອງນ້ອຍແຫ່ງນີ້“ ກຳກັບໂດຍ Erin McGoff. ຄົນທີ່ບໍລິຈາກຫຼາຍກວ່າ 5ໂດລາ ຂຶ້ນໄປຈະສາມາດເຂົ້າຮ່ວມງານໄດ້ ລວມເຖິງສາມາດສົນທະນາກັບຊາຣາ ແລະ ອິລິກ (Eric McGoff) ໄດ້ຫລັງຈາກຈົບງານ. ເງິນທັງໝົດທີ່ໄດ້ ຈະເກັບໄວ້ສຳລັບໂຄງການຝຶກງານຂອງ Legacies Of War.

ນອກຈາກນີ້ ພວກເຮົາຍັງມີຜູ້ລະດົມທຶນຢ່າງຕໍ່ເນື່ອງທີ່ເອີ້ນວ່າ Circle Lam Vong, ເຊິ່ງທຸກຄົນສາມາດລົງທະບຽນ ແລະ ບໍລິຈາກຂັ້ນຕ່ຳ 10ໂດລາທຸກເດືອນ/ໄຕມາດ/ປີ ເພື່ອຮັກສາ ແລະ ຊ່ວຍໃຫ້ Legacy of war ເຕີບໂຕຕໍ່ໄປ ເພື່ອໃຫ້ພວກເຮົາສາມາດຊ່ວຍເຫຼືອປະຊາຊົນ ແລະ ຊຸມຊົນໃຫ້ໄດ້ຫຼາຍກວ່າເກົ່າ.

ບໍລິຈາກໄດ້ທີ່: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/legacieslamvongcircle  

 

ການສຶກສາ

ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນເພີ່ມເຕີມກ່ຽວກັບສິ່ງທີ່ພວກເຮົາເຮັດໄດ້ ທີ່ເວັບໄຊຂອງພວກເຮົາ http://legaciesofwar.org/. ຫາກທ່ານຕ້ອງການຮຽນຮູ້ເພີ່ມເຕີມກ່ຽວກັບ  The Secret War, ນີ້ແມ່ນໜັງສືທີ່ພວກເຮົາຢາກແນະນຳ:

 

Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life Under an Air War (1971, 2013), by Fred Branfman

Laos: War and Revolution (1970), by Nina Adams and Alfred McCoy.

Shooting at the Moon (1998), by Roger Warner

Another Quiet American (2003), by Brett Dakin

Eternal Harvest (2013), by Karen J Coates and Jerry Redfern

A Great Place to have a War (2017) , by Joshua Kurlantzick

Street Without Joy (1961), by Bernard Fall  

Hell in a very Small Place (1966), by Bernard Fall

Memories of a Soldier Scholar (2006), by Dorothy Fall

 

 
POSTED BY

Legacies of War

Legacies of War is the leading international U.S.-based educational and advocacy organization working to address the impact of conflict in Laos during the Vietnam War era, including removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and survivor assistance. 

We are working toward a future of healing and hope in Laos when there are zero deaths and injuries from unexploded bombs, when all survivors receive the support that they need, and when people can farm and build on their land in safety and peace.