--- title: "Laos" url: https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/laos/ publisher: "Not For Sale" --- Asia-Pacific · Where we work # Laos How Not For Sale works alongside communities in Laos to address root causes and build lasting change. [Support this project](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/laos/?campaign=770665) Laos · People ## The Mekong Corridor Not For Sale’s [people](https://wearenotforsale.org/learn/what-is-human-trafficking/) work in Laos launched in 2025 as a program country. Laos sits at the center of the Mekong [trafficking](https://wearenotforsale.org/learn/what-is-human-trafficking/) corridor, with [illegal rare earth mining expanding rapidly](https://news.mongabay.com/2025/10/rare-earth-mining-expands-into-laos-threatening-entire-mekong-river/) in the northeast, including in protected areas, and cyber-scam slavery compounds drawing trafficked people from across the region. ### What We Found Illegal rare earth operations in Laos now dwarf legal mines, with unregulated waste threatening river basins feeding into Vietnam and Cambodia. The [ecocide](https://wearenotforsale.org/learn/what-is-ecocide/) is direct: as local land and water are damaged, communities are pushed into mine labor or migration into opaque regional job markets where [trafficking](https://wearenotforsale.org/learn/what-is-human-trafficking/) risk is high. Not For Sale’s presence in Laos connects directly to the [Thailand](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/thailand/) program through the Golden Triangle region and to [Vietnam](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/vietnam/) through the Mekong system, a corridor where environmental destruction and forced labor are two faces of the same crisis. ### What We Are Building Not For Sale is establishing survivor support and prevention programs with local partners in the communities most affected by recruitment, mining displacement, and trafficking. Impact figures are being gathered as the program develops. [Support this project](https://wearenotforsale.org/donate/) [Support this project](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/laos/?campaign=770665) #### At a glance Region Asia-Pacific Focus Rescue, Safe homes, Education Since 2012 [All projects](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/) #### From the news [What Are the 5 Ps of Human Trafficking? Human Trafficking](https://wearenotforsale.org/human-trafficking/5-ps-human-trafficking/) [Which Organizations Are Fighting Human Trafficking? Human Trafficking](https://wearenotforsale.org/human-trafficking/organizations-fighting-human-trafficking/) [What Is the Difference Between Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking? Human Trafficking](https://wearenotforsale.org/human-trafficking/modern-slavery-vs-human-trafficking/) [How to Help Fight Climate Change in 10 Practical Ways Ecocide](https://wearenotforsale.org/ecocide/how-to-help-fight-climate-change/) [All news →](https://wearenotforsale.org/news/) ## More projects in Asia-Pacific [View all](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/) Active Asia-Pacific [Australia](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/australia/) View project → Past Asia-Pacific [Cambodia](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/cambodia/) View project → Past Asia-Pacific [India](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/india/) View project → Active Asia-Pacific [Japan](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/japan/) View project → Active Asia-Pacific [Myanmar](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/myanmar/) View project → ## Help us build freedom, one community at a time. [Donate](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/laos/?campaign=770665) [Explore all projects](https://wearenotforsale.org/projects/)