In 2000, Village Focus International was the first international NGO to be founded in Laos. They were determined to operate an organization led by Lao professionals to address challenges faced by rural communities in their country. They began with eight Lao staff members and one expat. Seventeen years later they  employ 55 full-time staff and more than 40 volunteers, with nearly 100 percent of their staff Lao (see some current staff in the above photo). They work across multiple Lao provinces and operate two human trafficking shelters, a border transit center for trafficking survivors, and a 40- hectare agricultural training facility for local farmers.

VFI is an international NGO with an exclusively local mission. They use the overwhelming majority of their funds in-country and do not support offices and staff abroad, which helps them deepen their local focus and empower local people. Their work has earned them recognition as the leader in Laos in the fight against human trafficking and for land and natural resource rights. VFI partners closely with the Lao government, international and domestic NGOs, the private sector, and local communities to strengthen Lao villages