At just 24 years old, Wasana Chokchiwa has already lived a life marked by resistance, resilience, and a deep-rooted connection to her land.
A member of the Karen ethnic group from Huai Hom Village in northern Thailand, Chokchiwa’s fight to protect the traditional way of life of her community has made her a voice for Indigenous rights and environmental justice.
Wasana Chokchiwa: “EarthRights School has given me a lot of opportunities to learn.”
“My village has existed for generations,” Chokchiwa says. “But forest reserve laws restrict our right to use our own land, even though our community existed before those laws were enforced.”
Huai Hom sits within a designated national park, areas in which the Thai government restricts certain activities from taking place. These restrictions claim to protect the environment, but they come at the expense of Indigenous people who have lived sustainably in these regions for generations. For Chokchiwa’s community, the forest reserve laws have been devastating.
Rotational farming is their main livelihood. This is a traditional agricultural practice that allows forest land to regenerate in between harvests, but this has been labeled as encroachment on state land by the government. Officials have reduced the land available for the Karen people for cultivation, and farming cycles have been shortened from seven years to just five.
This has degraded soil fertility and threatened the food security of Chokchiwa’s community.
“Our rice harvest is no longer enough,” she says. “Now we have to buy rice from the city, which we never had to do before.”
From Environmental Defender to EarthRights School Student
Wasana Chokchiwa, student with the EarthRights School, participates in a class activity at the Mithasuu training center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, July 2025. (Chalefun Ditphudee/EarthRights International)
Chokchiwa is currently a student at the EarthRights School, alongside 12 other activists from across the Mekong region.
Located in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the EarthRights School offers a unique blend of education in human rights, environmental law, and community advocacy, as part of a residential program lasting seven months. The program combines classroom learning with field research, preparing young leaders to return to their communities armed with tools for change.
“EarthRights School has given me a lot of opportunities to learn,” she says. “The learning environment here isn’t pressured. There are no grades. We’re here to learn and grow together through diverse experiences.”
Her research project at the school will focus on how rotational farming in her village is adapting to legal restrictions. She hopes to present her findings to others outside of her community to raise awareness, especially among urban audiences who often misunderstand Indigenous farming practices.
“This school offers a great learning space, and if others can receive what I’ve received, it would be incredibly valuable,” Wasana Chokchiwa, EarthRights School Student and Environmental Activist
“We never spent a single baht on pesticides,” Chokchiwa explains. “Our crops are truly organic and safe, perfect for those who care about their health.”
Beyond the classroom, EarthRights School has also provided Chokchiwa with moments of joy and connection. The Mitharsuu Center, where students live and study, offers sports facilities and weekend hikes, creating a sense of home far from home. It is also a place of cultural exchange where Chokchiwa has formed bonds with other students and like-minded young people from across the Mekong region.
“Building a network will help strengthen the EarthRights School community and allow us to support one another,” Chokchiwa says.
What makes the EarthRights School teaching methodology different from other experiences for Chokchiwa is the emphasis on real-world application. After three months of coursework, students return to their communities for six weeks of fieldwork, putting their new skills into practice.
Chokchiwa now dreams of continuing her advocacy, supporting her community, defending land rights, and uplifting Indigenous knowledge systems. She urges others like her to apply to EarthRights School in the future.
“This school offers a great learning space, and if others can receive what I’ve received, it would be incredibly valuable,” she said. “I would definitely recommend EarthRights School.”
