Welcome to the Rural Research and Development Promoting Knowledge Association (RRDPA) is an independent, non-political Lao Not- for- Profit Association, which is locally managed. We provide training, action research and resources for community development in the Lao PDR.

Since April 2004, RRDPA has been operating under the umbrella of the Lao Union of Science and Engineering Associations (LUSEA) based namely Rural Research & Development Training Center (RRDTC). In 2009, a new decree for the regulation and operation of Lao Non-Profit Associations was created authorizing the Public administration and Civil Service Authority (PACSA), in conjunction with line ministries, to register and monitor all non-profit association in Lao PDR. On September 6, 2012 RRDPA received its license from Ministry of Home Affair to operate as a registered NPA.

RRDPA recognizes that community development in Lao PDR is not yet sustainable because of many factors, including, a lack of education, financial constraints. Institutions, organizations and communities are not able to adapt and respond to these, due to the lack of knowledge, resources, information and social changes.

Our focus is on rural community development and capacity building of the Lao population from “rice roots” or “grassroots”? villagers to senior officials to help achieve the Lao National millennium goals:

* to half poverty by 2015
* to promote gender equality and empowerment of women,
* to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health
* to ensure environmental sustainability
We provide participatory curriculum design, training, research and resources for community development in Lao PDR. Since February 2006, we have worked in 15 of the 18 Provinces of Laos, providing training for more than 10 different ethnic groups