Rights of the River: A Voice for the Future — Led by Youth and Rooted in Community

The Mekong River is more than water — it is a living lifeline for communities, cultures, and ecosystems across the region. Along its banks live generations of Indigenous peoples whose ancestral knowledge is key to protecting this globally significant watershed. Yet today, the Mekong and its tributaries — like the Kok, Sai, Ruak, and Ing Rivers — face growing threats from hydropower dams, mining, and rapid development. Mekong-Lanna Waterkeeper defends a vital 97-kilometer stretch of the river between the Golden Triangle and the narrows at Pha Dai, and upstream along tributaries. We uplift the rights of local communities to shape the future of their river.

At the heart of this movement are young people working together with their communities. Mekong-Lanna Waterkeeper’s Mekong Youth Program trains students to become citizen scientists and local stewards, monitor water quality, collect data, document stories, and co-create environmental science lessons for their schools. Their learning is inseparable from the landscapes they call home — it is a living, breathing curriculum rooted in cultural wisdom, scientific inquiry, and local action.

With your support, this grassroots momentum can continue to grow. Your donation empowers youth and their communities with the tools, training, and networks they need to protect their rivers today and into the future. Together, we can build a region where those most connected to the Mekong have the agency, resources, and voice to defend its life-giving flow.