“Educating and connecting individuals and communities to raise environmental awareness and take active responsibility for a globally sustainable future.”
Traidhos Three-Generation Barge Program’s experiential learning focuses on the Chao Phraya watershed to promote awareness of global sustainability issues and encourage creative solutions and positive action. Our interdisciplinary, interactive and cooperative approaches to field trips, emphasise the interconnections between physical, cultural, ethical, social and historical aspects of watershed environments.
Since January 1995...
1,725
Days on Trips
376
Service Projects
73,543
Participants
A World of Connection and Learning
Our interdisciplinary, interactive and cooperative approaches, emphasize the interconnections between physical, cultural, ethical, social and historical aspects of watershed environments.
Hands On Learning
Experience Teaches Best!
We believe that being in the outside classroom is the most effective way to understand and appreciate the complex relationships in our environment when activities are structured to engage students through all of their senses. During activities students will ask questions and take time to reflect on what they have experienced.
Small Group Collaboration
Traidhos Barge Program encourages collaboration.
Discovery learning: Students are given ownership in learning to further classroom study.
Listening and questioning: Students collect, analyse and evaluate information.
Conflict resolution: Students negotiate for collaborative problem-solving.
Challenging Action
Our everyday individual actions shape our future. Traidhos Barge Program challenges students to break old habits and provides the motivation required to design creative solutions and take action to promote sustainability as a global citizen.
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Challenge students to make responsible choices as consumers
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Equip students to speak out with confidence and initiate dialogues
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Bolster students’ ideas with complementing activities
Community Service
Creating Positive Impact.
We want to leave our trip sites in better conditions than when we arrived. By taking part in community service projects during the trip, students have the opportunity to create lasting, positive impact on the environment and local communities, as well as acquire life skills and knowledge.
Find out more about community service projects.
We are committed to aligning our environmental education and sustainability
programs to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In doing so Traidhos Barge Program can help achieve a better and
more sustainable future for all.
Traidhos Barge Program Ethos
The hidden curriculum is an important part of all Barge Programs in helping students to live sustainably, from discussing how to live peacefully together throughout the trip, to messages about eating local, seasonal food, carrying reusable water bottles and marine-safe sunscreen, Traidhos Barge Program works to immerse participants in education as sustainability.
GOAL 3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Target 3.3 Fight Communicable Diseases
We care about food hygiene and act on precautions to limit pandemics.
Target 3.D Improve Early Warning Systems for Global Health Risks
Lifeguard qualification to ensure the students are safe while doing activities in the water
GOAL 4 QUALITY EDUCATION
Target 4.1 Free Primary and Secondary Education
On some International world days or trips, we contact thai school to do free community service and educational activities
Target 4.7 Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship
Traidhos Barge Program introduces all participants to the ideas behind Education for Sustainability helping them to make decisions as global citizens. This is the key focus of all of our work. Staff commit to practicing sustainable lifestyles.
GOAL 5 GENDER EQUALITY
Target 5.5 Ensure Full Participation in Leadership and Decision-Making
All discussion and group forming, includes mixed gender so everyone knows that both genders are equal and capable of completing the same trip activities. Everyone is encouraged to speak out. Our organization is an equal opportunity employer and values all staff equally.
GOAL 10 REDUCE INEQUALITY
10.1 Reduce Income Inequalities
Traidhos Barge Program has worked to reduce inequalities in pay and conditions between local hire and overseas hire staff.
10.3 Ensure Equal Opportunities and End Discrimination
All staff are encouraged to pursue interests and develop abilities within the program
GOAL 12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
12.5 Substantially Reduce Waste Generation
On trips, Traidhos Barge Program works to minimize waste in snack packaging and with single use water bottles. Participants are encouraged to take food portions that they can eat to reduce food waste. Small size toiletries are removed from hotels and resorts. These actions are discussed with participants.
12.6 Encourage Companies to Adopt Sustainable Practices and Sustainable Reporting
The office has a sustainability policy concerning use of resources, staff hiring, and staff commit to practicing sustainable lifestyles.
12.8 Promote Universal Understanding of Sustainable Lifestyles
All website, PR materials and interactions with participants promote making lifestyle choices and developing a habit of mind that is in line with leading a sustainable lifestyle. Staff model this and engage participants in conversations.
GOAL 16 PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
16.1 Reduce Violence Everywhere
Traidhos Program staff spend time at the start of each trip discussing appropriate behaviors and manners with students and expect all participants to resolve conflicts and demonstrate good manner towards each other.
16.2 Protect Children from Abuse, Exploitation, Trafficking and Violence
All staff and suppliers in contact with children must share a recent criminal background check. Traidhos recruiting policy includes a section concerning safeguarding. Staff complete annual safeguarding trainings. Traidhos Barge Program safeguarding policy, brings awareness about safe behaviors for all adults during trips.
16.7 Ensure Responsive, Inclusive and Representative Decision Making
Staff decisions concerning program activity and development are made collectively.
Ko Kret Learning Centre
Located on the side of the Chao Phraya River, part of the Ko Kret Community, this program allows students to consider a rural area close to the urban area of Bangkok. We investigate the quality of river water and biodiversity of the land. The site allows students to explore concepts of zero hunger as they tend and harvest the vegetable garden, develop partnerships with entrepreneurs, and support local businesses on Ko Kret.
GOAL 2 ZERO HUNGER
Target 2.4 Sustainable Food Production and Agricultural Production
On a micro scale, Ko Kret Learning Centre’s vegetable garden models the importance of planting local vegetables and native plants resistant to seasonal flooding – following local wisdom. The land floods annually, restoring fertility of the land. We plant vegetables most frequently used for meals with participant groups.
GOAL 12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
Target 12.2 Sustainable Management and Use of Natural Resources
Based on a wooden boat, surrounded by wetland and a vegetable garden, allows Ko Kret Learning Centre to focus on using all natural resources sustainably.
Target 12.3 Halve Global Per Capita Food Waste
Participants cook all meals at KKLC, allowing us to consider seasonal local food and to control food waste as part of daily routines. By raising awareness of this, we hope students will consider the same choices after their trips.
Target 12.5 Substantially Reduce Waste Generation
Traidhos Barge Program considers the entire system of KKLC: the waste water, waste food, the opportunities to compost, to recycle, reduce consumption and to use safe detergent for washing plates. By modelling in everyday life and involving students with specific activities to help them understand about the issues of waste, we take positive action towards this target.
Community Service
Partnering with local communities and schools, is a 3-way partnership bringing benefit and learning to our participants, the local community, and the environment. Service activities include environmental and social projects working to reduce inequalities, developing understanding about local situations and an appreciation of Thai lifestyle. Service activities are supported by games and discussions to further deep understanding.
River
Chao Phraya Watershed, extends from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Our unique River programs, taking place on a boat seeing the river first hand, explicitly teach about the importance of rivers, and help students to understand their importance for life on land and life below water. Rivers also connect students to the value of rivers for wellbeing and their role in producing clean energy. With Bangkok less than 1m above sea level, the future impact of climate change cannot be ignored.
GOAL 6 CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
Target 6.6 Protect and Restore water – related Ecosystems
Traidhos Barge Program’s Explicit EE activities encourage participants to appreciate the importance of water related ecosystems, how they become damaged and individual actions that can help water health. Supported by river testing activities and visits to waste water treatment plants, students think more deeply about all water related issues.
GOAL 12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
Target 12.8 Promote Universal Understanding of Sustainable Lifestyles.
Living on the River, students explore the nature of Chao Phraya River being a shared resource, sharing the same watershed address and appreciate the need for everyone to practice a sustainable lifestyle.
Marine
Marine trip activities focus on life below water but also include beach and mangrove forests and the issues of climate change, ocean acidification, over-fishing, and pollution on these ecosystems in the Andaman and Gulf of Thailand. The importance of living sustainably with equal rights and justice is highlighted through discussions with Thai fisherfolk and an awareness of local food production. The importance of sustainable tourism in marine environments is discussed.
GOAL 14 LIFE BELOW WATER
Target 14.1 Reduce Marine Pollution
Through analyzing the rubbish collected in beach clean ups and discussing the need for behavioral change, while practicing low impact material consumption during trips, we build the capacity for awareness about how to take action to reduce marine pollution once back at school.
Target 14.2 Protect and Restore Ecosystems
Mangrove re-planting, supported by activities about the value of mangroves, allows students to understand the importance of the ecosystem and take action in helping to regenerate it.
Target 14.8 Increase Scientific Knowledge, Research, and Technology for Ocean Health
We facilitate scientific based learning experiences and connect with local researchers to encourage scientific enquiry and transfer scientific information for students at all levels.
Park & Garden
Most participants are familiar with the urban environment of Bangkok, so park and garden programs seek to show students the importance of the natural world living close to the city. Park and garden programs allow us to reflect about sustainable cities, the importance of green spaces, managing urban pollution and planning for a greener future.
GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
Target 11.6 Reduce the environmental impact of cities
Activities in city parks, water and air quality testing, and activities about waste water and alternative growing techniques expose participants to issues concerning the impact of urbanization our daily lives making them more aware of the need to reduce environmental impact around them.
Forest
Trips immersed in forest environments allow students to experience the importance of diverse forest areas as part of life on land, the role of forest water sources and the ecosystem services forests provide. Climate change and the threat of extinction is very real when you consider the forest you have just walked in disappearing in the future. Learning first hand from real issues affecting forests in Thailand, helps students to understand how planning and development needs to live in balance and harmony with the natural world. Spending time in natural environments allows students to build capacity to strengthen mental health.
GOAL 15 LIFE ON LAND
Target 15.5 Protect natural diversity and natural habitats.
Our Program promotes and cares about reducing the degradation of natural habitats, to halt the loss of biodiversity and supports this goal through explicit EE activities, immersing students in forest environments, and participating in activities about the regeneration of habitats.
Target 15.1 Conserve and restore terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems
Our program educates community learners to understand about the importance of restoration and the sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands and mountains during trip activities at these locations. We believe that after participants have connected positively with these environments that will want to conserve them.
Target 15.2 End Deforestation and Restore Degraded Forest
Explicit EE activities highlight the problems of deforestation and are often followed by students taking action to show we care about sustainable environments. All of our educational courses promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, to halt deforestation and restore degraded forests.
History and Culture
Learning from the past, and experiencing local wisdom, helps students to consider innovations that may solve future problems while keeping old traditions alive. Valuing and celebrating Thai culture at important historical sites, contributes to international students’ sense of place helping them to see big picture concepts that can be applied to different countries.
GOAL 8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Target 8.9 Promote beneficial and sustainable tourism
Traidhos Barge Program supports local artisans, bringing students to learn from local experts and support with purchasing their products. Where possible the Program engages local people to guide on trails and to cater meals for the group.
GOAL 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
Target 11.4 Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Traidhos Barge Program educates students at UNESCO and other cultural locations, making connections between these important sites, their role in history and the students’ appreciation of them today. This connection helps students to understand and strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Wetland
An often overlooked ecosystem, Bueng Boraphet wetland trips allow us to explore the importance of bio diversity on land and in water; the value of wetlands in producing a range of natural resources; and the role of partnerships in providing the protection these fragile environments need. The connections between natural environment, local economy, and traditional culture, is also explored.
GOAL 13 CLIMATE ACTION
Target 13.3 Build knowledge and capacity to meet climate change
Using explicit EE techniques observation, investigation, interview, story, role play, games, experiments, and reflection; we encourage students to understand the connection between wetland ecosystems and climate change so that they feel committed to limit the impact of climate change through their own lifestyle choices.
