Youth Smart Love: Teaching Love, Rights, and Respect.
How Young People Are Changing the Conversation on Love and Rights in the community.
“Lao people say, 'Falling in love during studying is like setting fire to the candle under the rain,' but you know what? Love can motivate us to be better people, and I believe in that.” Baitoey, 18 years old, a leader of Youth Smart Love.
In Laos, tradition shapes how people act, and think including controls conversations about what can or cannot be said. Many girls still face life-changing decisions before they fully understand them. Some become pregnant at a young age, while others are married before they feel ready. In Lao PDR, recent data shows that more than 3 in 10 girls are married before they turn 18, and nearly 1 in 5 young women experience pregnancy during adolescence.
These realities highlight why safe spaces like the Youth Smart Love Project matter so much. By giving young people the chance to talk openly about love, relationships, readiness and their rights, the project is helping them make informed choices about their futures.
This High School in Savannakhet Province is one of the schools that is facing child marriage or child pregnancy in Savannakhet, where a youth group under Project Sinxay is conducting the activity. A one-hour drive from the city, although the distance may seem short, the realities faced by young people in this rural community are vastly different from those in urban areas.
“Each year, at least one schoolgirl gets married because of pregnancy; they do not know about their rights or how to use the protection. Even though we have it as a mandatory subject in high school, because of the culture, young people are too shy to talk about it," Thongvanh Sitthisak, a principal of the school shared.
This year, however, things were different.
Baitoey returned to her former school with a group of friends under the name “Youth Smart Love” to provide essential information on child marriage, child rights, and family planning to teenagers aged 14–17 studying in the school.
I chose to travel to this school to conduct activities (Youth Smart Love project) because when I studied here, one of my friends got pregnant at the age of thirteen, and there were no youth activities in the school. Now that I have this opportunity, I want to give back to where I came from - my old school.
During the activity, all members from Youth Smart Love provide information about child marriage, child rights, and create a safe space for young people in the community through conversation, real-life case studies, interaction games, and group discussion, as well as demonstrations on protection. Throughout the workshop, the participants enjoy the conversations, sharing their experiences, and expressing their thoughts to each other, making the classroom beyond a classroom but a safe space for all.
For example, one case study asked: “If a boyfriend asks his girlfriend to have sexual activity without protection, how should she respond?”
This common real-life scenario helped young people think about consent, communication, and protection in relationships in a way that felt relatable and practical.
I believe that every girl has the right to choose her own life. Love is part of our lives, but we also need to protect ourselves.
“The youth are very passionate. This is the first time we have seen sensitive topics simplified into fun activities and conversational sessions. I’m glad the team chose to conduct the workshop in our school,” the principal said.
For Jinny, she also found the sessions meaningful and engaging.
I liked the way they gave us real-life situations to explore our feelings. It’s not about pleasing our partner, but about understanding and respecting each other.
I’m so shy to demonstrate at first, but everyone made me feel comfortable to do it. As a boy, understanding and knowing how to use protection is crucial
“One thing I am truly proud of as part of the youth group is seeing young people enjoy the activities. Even though some sessions were sensitive, like discussing how to talk about condom use, they were open-minded and engaged throughout the day. Their energy and positive vibes made my day.” Baitoey.
I found that young people were very open-minded, and the atmosphere was very positive. We also received strong support from the school principal. With the facilitation skills from the Youth Smart Love group, sensitive topics were turned into conversational discussions that young people found very useful.
Through conversational case studies and engaging activities, young people were able to better understand their rights and shape pathways for their future. For first-time facilitators like Baitoey, the journey came with challenges, but close mentorship played a key role in making the initiative successful.
“I received a lot of support from my mentor (Paiyfon). Having her support us as first-time facilitators was very helpful” Baitoey shared.
With programmes like Project Sinxay, and with close support from mentors, young people are encouraged to launch small but meaningful initiatives in their communities. Through youth leadership, mentorship, and community support, positive change is beginning to take root - demonstrating that when young people are empowered, communities become stronger and can build a better future together.
