Logo of Little Elephant school, part of the Big Brother Mouse school network in Laos
 
Little Elephant School
A part of the Big Brother Mouse school network
Children maintain a vegetable garden at Little Elephant school, part of the Big Brother Mouse school network.
Even at a very young age, children take pride in helping to maintain vegetable and flower gardens.
A girl looks through books on the shelves of Little Elephant preschool in Bokeo, Laos
Before opening any schools, Big Brother Mouse had published over 400 books, in a country where books were rare. Having a wide range of books to choose from, encourages children to read.
Preschool children play in a sandbox outside Little Elephant school in Huai Xai, Bokeo Province, Laos.
Free, undirected play is crucial for young girls and boys. They develop imagination, coordination, and learn to get along with others.
Children at Little Elephant preschool school in Bokeo, Laos, enjoy learning sign language
Children like to move. They need to move. They enjoy learning sign language, in which both their hands and minds are working. Furthermore, it helps them develop general language skills. There's evidence it benefits children learning to read.

At our Bokeo school children learn as they play

Little Elephant started as a preschool; it has added a primary school.

Little Elephant School (The Lao name translates as Good Little Elephant School)

 Director: Khamkeo Vongsavanh

 Location: Phonsavang Village, Huai Xai District, Bokeo Province

 First opened: September 2023 as preschool

 Primary school added: September 2025

 Classrooms: 10

 Enrollment: 356 children,

 Grades: Preschool and primary school through grade 4, ages 2-9

A long-time partner in literacy
Keo Vongsavanh was one of us, even before Big Brother Mouse existed. In 2005 Keo, Khamla, and Siphone were students at the Teacher Training College in Luang Prabang. Keo volunteered at a small shop that Siphone set up, where students could learn to use computers, in an era where laptops were rare and smartphones didn't exist. Five of our first books were written and revised together in that shop, and published a year later.

Keo Vongsavanh, who worked at Big Brother Mouse making books for children, then founded Little Elephant School When they graduated in 2006, Khamla and Siphone started Big Brother Mouse with Sasha. Keo worked at other jobs for a while, then came to Big Brother Mouse and quickly became a valued member of the staff. (This photo is from that period.) He particularly enjoyed activities with preschool children. We were producing a lot of very simple books at that time, just a few words per page; he wrote and designed a beginning-reader about colors.

We were sorry but not surprised that he chose to move back to his home province, Bokeo, in the north. He took a job at the police station in Huai Xai, the provincial capital. These are highly desirable jobs, with reasonably good pay and high job security. We were all happy for him, but disappointed that his abilities and drive wouldn't benefit education or literacy.

Reading Elephant
A few years later, Keo came back for a visit. "I'm leaving that job," he told us. "It's not what I want to spend my life doing." He opted to start something far less secure: Reading Elephant, which took books into the countryside, just as he'd helped us to do from Luang Prabang. He also created a lively, well-stocked reading room in the center of town.

Then he dreamed even bigger. In 2019 he resolved to open a preschool, for children ages two to five. We started discussing plans with him.

Pandemic
And then came 2020. Remember? Laos shut down quickly and firmly as the Covid-19 pandemic spread. Because of that, we were spared the high death rates that some countries faced, but all plans went on hold. As soon as the country re-opened, Keo got to work and opened Little Elephant preschool in September 2023. When several of us visited the next month, it was already a lively and happy place.

Little Elephant school is part of the Big Brother Mouse network, through which it gets toys such as these wooden blocks.
Very simple wooden toys provide hours of enjoyment and stimulation for children, as they imagine what to build, then make it.
A small boy waters flowers in garden at Little Elephant preschool in Laos
When flowers and vegetables grow in the school garden, children learn about what is sometimes called delayed gratification. Work and patience pay off!
Children play on swings, with Little Elephant school in background
The school made this playground equipment rather than buying it. That meant lower cost, stronger equipment, and they'll know how to repair it when the time comes.

Within a month, however, parents were saying, "We love this school! But where will our children go when they reach age six? Please add a primary school!"

With support from generous donors, he has done so. A new 6-room primary school was built and opened in September of 2025.

Puppets in the shade

An outdoor puppet show at Little Elephant preschool in Udom Xai, Laos.

Children love to play outside but the Lao sun can be brutal. Keo rigged poles and a large netting to provide some shade, but it was destroyed in a heavy storm.

So all of us, especially the children, are particularly grateful to our friend Emily Benz, who donated funds to put up a new structure with solid posts and a strong roof. (Emily has donated much more than this; see Emily's Gifts.) Children play here; it's also used for special events such as this puppet show.

Our modest tuition fees cover basic expenses such as teacher salaries, but extras such as this are possible only with donations. Can you help? Any amount will make a difference. Our Donations page gives details.

Little Elephant primary school in Bokeo Province, Laos: 2 floors, 3 classrooms per floor
Despite delays caused by unusually heavy rain and some flooding in the summer of 2025, Little Elephant Primary School opened as scheduled, that September.
Children sit at tables in the grade 2 classroom at Little Elephant school in Laos
Keo originally planned to open for just grades 1 to 3, and add two more levels a year later. Demand was so high that he opened grade 4, as well, the first year.      
Teacher at Little Elephant preschool in Huai Xai, Laos, telling a story to a group of small boys and girls
Nearly all our students can read by the end of grade one, some in kindergarten. One key factor: A lot of storytelling, so they know there's something good in those books.
Young Lao children make a small floating candle from banana leaves and marigold flowers
Little Elephant is a very hands-on school, with a strong focus on children learning by doing. For the Loy Kratong festival in October, students made small floating candles from banana leaves and marigold flowers, for an twilight river launching.

Back to top

Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire.