“Because This is Our Home"

Chanphone Xongchaiyieu or Chan is a 19-year-old Hmong girl from Houaphanh province. Born in Thadmueang Village of Xamneua District, her home is nestled within the embrace of Houaphanh’s green and picturesque mountain ranges, a haven of natural beauty where her passion for the environment and volunteerism was nurtured. Today, she is working with UNICEF as its first Youth Advocate on Environment and Climate Action in Lao PDR – but how did her journey begin?

Chan’s journey into volunteerism began in grade seven, drawn in by the fun and engaging activities of a small local volunteer group in her province. Every weekend, the “Xamneua Young Volunteers” would organise workshops, English cafes and trash clean-up activities around Xamneua to keep their home province clean and green. These activities were what first ignited Chan's passion for community service.

Today, the Xamneua Young Volunteers group has grown to over 30 members and now regularly hosts activities in schools and public parks throughout Houaphanh.

Chan's dedication opened doors to new opportunities. She later joined the Lao Youth Media group in her province, an initiative led by the Lao National Radio of the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism and UNICEF, as a radio MC. She would lend her support in doing radio programme broadcasts for the Houaphanh Lao Youth Media group every evening until 2022. Her talents in dancing and singing also became evident during that time. Paired with her confident and radiant smile, she became one of the most active faces in Houaphanh’s Lao Youth Media and would go on to collaborate with the Lao Youth Media group nationally.

As the years passed, Chan’s involvement in volunteerism and community service only continued to deepen. She participated in an emergency donation project supporting victims of floods in her province. Witnessing the environmental and human impacts of the floods, she was moved to do action. 

It was this experience that truly solidified her desire to work on environmental issues, believing that even small actions could inspire big changes.

This inspiration led her to UNICEF. In June 2023, Chan would become UNICEF’s first ever Youth Advocate in Lao PDR, lending her voice in advocating for environmental and climate action. With support from UNICEF, Chan and her friends initiated various projects and led field activities to engage Lao children and youth to create environmental awareness,  whether its speaking in public events or doing stage plays that talk about the importance of safeguarding the environment.

"I’m proud that I can help people understand environmental issues in a simple and fun way. Educating children is especially crucial because they are the future," Chan shared.

Chan’s efforts left a positive impact in Houaphanh and even earned her the support and admiration of older generations. Working alongside them, she bridged the gap between generations and helped spread the word about environmental and climate action.

And one of Chan’s biggest supporters is her mother. Chan’s family is a modest one and her mother worked as a seller at the local market. Initially, Chan’s mother didn’t understand her passion for community service and volunteerism. However, she was soon able to recognize the positive impact of Chan’s work on the community.

"At first, I didn’t understand why she wanted to do all this but seeing the impact of her actions, I am incredibly proud," said Chan’s mother with a huge smile.