Addressing Health Challenges through Education
Kenan Foundation Asia believes that every child has the potential to lead positive changes. We aim to inspire them to address issues that matters to them , whether in education, the environment, or health.
The Inno-Health Club project, supported by MSD Thailand and conducted by Kenan Foundation Asia, promotes health knowledge and well-being for adolescent girls in vulnerable areas in Bangkok.
The program focuses on six key topics:
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Nutrition and exercise
- Substance abuse
- Reproductive health and sex education
- Children’s rights
We empowered youth to share their knowledge and create health solutions in their communities, believing that knowledge and accurate understanding of community contexts are keys to addressing health challenges.
Over the past year, Kenan Foundation Asia mentors have spoken to the children on various topics, and found that many share vulnerabilities to social problems in their communities, especially concerning physical and mental health. A student representative and Youth Health volunteer from King Phet School shared:
“I have encountered drug addicts approaching me for money, and it feels dangerous. I really wish they could receive proper treatment and get better.”
“I get stressed easily. When I feel bad, I don’t know how to handle it, so those emotions just stay bottled up inside for a long time.”
Thitirat Sawaengsuk, Project Coordinator at Kenan Foundation Asia, explained:
“We want young people to pass on health knowledge to their friends and those around them through everyday conversations and interactions. We also want them to understand that, even as children, they have an important role in driving positive change in the community.”
The project’s long-term goal is to see every child grow into a strong and resilient adult—physically and mentally. This requires consistent work and collaboration from multiple sectors, especially adults and community leaders.
After completing the health education program, students interested in community health issues could apply to become YouthHealth volunteers, or student leaders dedicated to addressing health challenges.
These students actively and independently initiate, design, and implement activities to tackle health issues. They receive guidance and support from Bangkok Community Health Volunteers (CHV), teachers, and Kenan Foundation Asia staff.
Thitirat emphasized the importance of fostering adult participation, “We work with both children and adults in the community . Previously, we discussed ways to empower young people to play a role in promoting community health. We invited Bangkok CHVs to share their experiences with the students, help strengthen the bond between the two generations. Through this process, we discovered that these two groups lack spaces where they can openly communicate and exchange ideas.”
To bridge communication gap between students and community adults, the activities were designed to create spaces for collaboration co-create on health and well-being activities.
Developing Understanding and Designing Solutions
Before Youth Health Volunteers took action, the Kenan team guided them through activity-based learning to foster better understand on the health issues in their communities. For example, a community mappinghelped children visualize their surroundings and health challenges. This created opportunities for children and adults to share perspectives and solve problems collaboratively.
Students developed health-focused initiatives, such as art therapy spaces, random deck of card with hidden encouragement messages , and short films on drug abuse.
The ‘Khlong Toei: Art for Well-being’ project, by Youth Health Volunteers from Chumchon Moo Baan Pattana School, addressed mental health issues in school and surrounding community, which are mainly caused by stress and a lack of mutual support among community members. The volunteers encourage their peers, other students and community members to spend time paining on canvas, creating a shared space for positive emotions and well-being.
Nittaya Thummanon and Panida Thongsak, Bangkok Community Health Volunteer and community representatives shared their thoughts with us:
“There are so many family problems in the community, but at least this activity provides a space where they can relax,”
“This kind of activity has never happened in the community before—not even once. When I first invited the children to join, they told me they would only stay for just an hour. But once they arrived, they stayed much longer—they loved it. I think it’s really good for their well-being,”
Teacher and project advisor, Surasat Wanthurat, explained, “What has changed is that they have become more expressive, more willing to think and take action. They have developed leadership skills and learned how to manage their emotions in a way that doesn’t negatively impact those around them.”
He affirmed this initiative fostered leadership in problem-solving and contributed to improving children’s mental well-being.
Youth Health Volunteers from King Phet School organized the “Teen Health Awareness Booth.” This event was designed as a series of interactive stations where students could participate in engaging activities, such as spinning a health quiz wheel to win prizes and watching a short film about drug awareness.
These activities not only expanded health knowledge to other students but also showcased the children’s leadership development. They took on roles as hosts, facilitators and support staff, ensuring that participants had a great experience throughout the event.
Reflecting on the Journey to Better Health
The event received overwhelmingly positive feedback and brought smiles to everyone involved.
“After the activity, I felt so fulfilled! It was really heartwarming to see that sharing information helped others understand more. It made me want to keep learning and sharing even more.”
“My friends and I researched health topics to present to younger students at our school. Seeing how happy they were to participate in our activities made me really happy, too.”
These were reflections shared by Youth Health Volunteers from King Phet School.
As these volunteers engaged with peers, we witnessed new ideas and effective ways of delivering information tailored to their age groups. This reaffirmed that, when given the opportunity, children can leave a lasting impact.
“The new generation has diverse perspectives. I truly believe that young people can spread accurate information,” asserted a Youth Health volunteer from King Phet School.
The voices of these young volunteers reflect how far they have come—not just as recipients of knowledge, but as contributors who can pass on accurate information and essential skills to others in society.With adult support, these young leaders can drive change on issues they care about. Today’s small successes will pave the way toward a healthier community and society, led by youth.
