Spotlight on student initiatives to tackle real-world problems

Driving through the mountainous regions of northern Thailand, from Chiang Mai towards the national parks beyond the Mae Chaem district, a bright yellow sign stands out among the usual roadside markers.

- Koh Ming Lun

The sign, that reads “Welcome to the Huay Pakkoot Elephant Community Foundation” in English, was installed by a group of NUS College (NUSC) students in May 2024. It invites travellers to stop by the Karen village of Huay Pakkoot, which is known for its close connections with a community of about 60 elephants.

Before the sign was installed, many travellers were unaware of the village’s location along the route due to its lack of visibility. Home to about 250 villagers, its only entrance for travellers is via a slip road that did not have any accompanying signs.

In a bid to boost ecotourism in the village, the team of seven students also created a short documentary series about the village, which will be featured on the Huay Pakkoot Elephant Community Foundation’s website and used as promotional material.

They also started a wildlife project to track and document sightings of different animal species around the village.

One of the students, Mr Chen Zeyuan, 24, who is studying chemistry and philosophy, said: “The wildlife project functions not only as publicity material but also as an archive of knowledge that would otherwise have been passed on by word of mouth.”

This student-led initiative was one of more than 40 projects showcased on Sept 17 at the inaugural Impact Festival, organised by NUSC and held at NUS University Town.