CHILDREN OF THE MEKONG

A Unicef initiative is helping youth protect a changing ecosystem and disappearing traditions

- STORY AND PHOTOS: NATTHA KEENAPAN

As morning mist lifted over the Mekong River, a group of children, aged five to 17, gathered along its banks not just to admire its beauty but to tell its story. Over the course of three days, 40 children from Chiang Khan, a scenic town in the northeastern province of Loei, participated in a workshop to reconnect with their roots and raise their voice for the environment.

The activity was designed to connect children with their communities and environment through storytelling. With support from Mahasarakham University, the Hug Mekong Association, Thai PBS, and Chiang Khan Children and Youth Council and local volunteers, the workshop, organised as part of Unicef's I AM UNICEF volunteer programme and #CountMeIn campaign, offered children tools to express the changes they see and feel in their rapidly transforming community.

"Children know their communities better than anyone," said Channarong Wongla, president of the Hug Mekong Association. "If we create a space for them to explore, ask questions and tell stories, they thrive. Their insights can help preserve both the environment and the cultural identity of this place."

Chiang Khan, nestled on the banks of the Mekong River, is renowned for its cultural heritage and riverside charm. But today, the town grapples with a sobering reality — declining fish stock, vanishing traditions and a younger generation that's increasingly disconnected from a way of life once shaped by the river.

To bridge this growing gap, the workshop began with immersive activities. Children learned Gyotaku, a traditional Japanese printmaking technique using real fish, to better understand Mekong fish species and biodiversity. The fish were later cooked and shared as meals. They also took boat rides along the river with local fishermen, witnessing firsthand the struggle to catch fish in a river that once teemed with life.