Pimai or Pee Mai is the celebration of the beginning of the new year and water in Laos. In Cambodia, April is also the month to celebrate the Khmer New Year.

This period, which is the hottest of the year, represents a time of festivity and rest after the end of the harvest and just before the start of the rainy season. Water fights, dances and popular games take place in the streets for the population to share the joy of the festivities. Flowers, decorations and other various ornaments adorn Laos and its inhabitants.

During the week of the 15th of April, to celebrate the Lao New Year, Enfants d’Asie organised activities and games for the children in the village of Ban Buam Xieng in Luang Prabang. Student volunteers joined forces with Enfants d’Asie to lead the activities. They have been volunteering more and more since 2023 to support the actions of the association in Laos.

The children and volunteers met in the village of Buan Buam Xieng for a day of fun activities and sharing. Team games and balloon inflation competition were part of the program. The children then participated in garland workshops with DokChampa flowers, the frangipani flower symbol of Laos and storytelling time about Pimai traditions. A meal was also shared with music and traditional dances to strenghten the bonds between the children and volunteers !

The highlight of the day was the water fight, echoing the increasingly widespread and famous Lao New Year tradition.

New Year celebrations are important moments for young children as much as for adults. It is also an opportunity for Enfants d’Asie to strenghten its actions for children’s rights to play and take part in leisure activities. We want to say a big thank you to the volunteers of Enfants d’Asie for their commitment and enthusiasm !