Australian trained Banthida Komphasouk is a Development Coordination Officer at the United Nations in Lao PDR. She received an Australia Awards Scholarship to do her Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Development and Health, and awarded First Class Honours in 2010 from the University of Queensland.

For more than six years, she has been working on health and community development.

Banthida was rewarded an Alumni Innovation Grant in June 2020 for her innovative project that aimed to support the Lao community and school in response to the COVID-19 and prevention measures.

In partnership with Soap4Life, Banthida’s initiative successfully raised Covid 19 awareness and prevention knowledge especially on correct handwashing steps to 32 teachers and 397 students in 4 selected primary schools in Phoukhod district, Xiengkhuang province through the provision of Covid-19 in schools manual for teachers, distribution of Covid 19 and handwashing posters as well as proper handwashing demonstrations for teachers and students.

To further support an enabling environment for Covid 19 prevention in schools, handwashing stations, soap and reusable facemasks were provided through the project.

“Promoting basic hygiene measures and providing an enabling environment in schools is one of the most effective ways for improved children’s health as well as for protecting them and their community from the COVID-19 infection and other diseases,” Banthida said.