UNDP Lao PDR Accelerator Lab

We work and experiment on waste management problems, along with a focus on youth unemployment.

The UNDP Accelerator Lab in Lao PDR has been working to better understand the waste management problems in Vientiane since September 2019 and has narrowed down the focus to open burning. We aimed to explore if open burning is a result of a poor waste management system and whether it contributes to poor air quality in Vientiane. A study on open burning was concluded, we applied the collective intelligence tools, "GIS data from sensor and satellite imagery" along with data from various sources. An Innovation Challenge Prize promoting the circular economy on waste management was organized and a refill station experiment with Unilever Laos and eco packaging experiment with GoTeddy were conducted. The plastic free meeting and office is being experimented with Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Econox Laos.

Another frontier issue of our focus is youth unemployment. A study and issue mapping workshop were carried out in 2020 to understand the current skill demand, and job mismatch between labor market needs and young people’s education and skills and a study report was launched in July 2021. A hackathon or challenge prize and Job Assist Office (JAO) will be conducted with our partners as part of the experimentation.