Empowering Climate-Resilient Education Through Child-Led Photovoice Research in Seponh District, Savannakhet Province

Savannakhet Province, 25 June 2024: In the month of valuing the voice of children, the Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), and Save the Children International in Lao PDR celebrated International Children's Day under the theme "Child Participatory Research through Photovoice” with over 200 students in Seponh District, Savannakhet Province. During this event, 60 selected photos from six schools, representing the voices of children experiencing the effects of climate change, were showcased. The success of this event not only provided children with a space to express their opinions but also marked an important step for the organization in advocating for children's and young people's full rights in climate change work. This initiative aligns with one of Save the Children International's priority tasks under the Country Office Climate Campaign, "Children Changing Our Future Climate."

In collaboration with the governance stakeholders, the Safe Back to School Laos project has implemented child-centred Climate Change Adaptation initiatives in Seponh District, an area frequently affected by extreme weather events and disasters. This initiative aims to empower children, caregivers, and school authorities to rebuild and enhance climate-resilient education for children from ethnic minority backgrounds and those with physical disabilities. This approach seeks not only to reduce school dropout rates but also to increase enrollment, thereby retaining children within the Lower Secondary Education (LSE) system by mitigating vulnerabilities to climate risks, hazards, and gender barriers.

As we know that Children in Laos face significant barriers to fulfilling their rights to education due to constant threats linked to natural hazards, climate change, diseases or pandemic, and other everyday dangers e.g. road accidents, water drowning, air pollution in and around their schools and communities. We started working on The Safe Back to School Laos (SB2SL) project in 6 schools of  Seponh District. The SB2SL project aims to empower the voice of children with Child Participatory approach through Photovoice research to express their perspectives and concerns on how climate change affects their schooling experience.

Luke Ebbs, the Country Director of Save the Children International in Laos, stated, “Children are least responsible for the climate crisis but bear the heaviest burden. Investing in educating our youth – providing them with the tools, knowledge, confidence, and opportunities they need to come up with solutions to the climate crisis – is the best investment we can make in a bright future.”

As part of this effort, the project implemented photovoice research activities, a child-centred approach that allows 298 children from six schools to express their perspectives and concerns regarding the impact of climate change on their schooling experience through photography. During the photovoice implementation, the child and youth participants were educated about the effects of climate change on their health, education, and overall well-being, mobilized in climate action initiatives, received knowledge, skills, and confidence to take action against climate change, and had opportunities to share their experiences of climate change at the national level through their impactful photos.

“I am glad to be a part of the photovoice research activity because this will help my school get clean toilets and a sufficient water supply during the dry season,” stated Soda, an 11-year-old student from Pha Nga Primary School, who presented 10 photos from her school demonstrating the areas affected by climate change as well as other issues that could impact students during the school year.

The 60 selected photos from six schools in Seponh District and their accompanying captions displayed at the event serve as key policy recommendations, representing the voices of children. For instance, some highlighted photos show schools affected by heatwaves, such as those taken by students from Panga and Vanghai Primary Schools. One photo depicts a classroom without a ceiling and fans, with the caption: “My class has many students sitting together, and in the summer, the air in the room is very hot because there is no fan, which makes it difficult to concentrate on studying.”

Additionally, drought and the lack of clean water have impacted hygiene at their schools due to the absence of clean toilets and sufficient water to maintain them. Photos of abandoned toilets at Xienghom Primary School and Lath Hor Lower Secondary Schools were presented with the caption: “In the past, our toilets were in good condition and could be used, but because there was not enough water to clean them, those toilets eventually became dirty and nonfunctional.”

These pictures will inform school, village, and district authorities to finalize the school child-centered climate adaptation plan, which will help to unlock a school grant of USD 8000 to implement short term retrofitting infrastructure and facilities based on identified challenges by students. Additionally, these children’s voices in the form of photos will provide valuable input for the MoNRE as it prepares to review the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). To further empower children and the school community with knowledge and resilience in the face of environmental challenges, Save the Children International in Laos will continue supporting the Government of Laos throughout project works in developing educational materials focused on climate change adaptation and resilience.