Group photo of children and adults in uniforms, with a banner in the background, outdoors under a clear sky.

Indigenous youth leading change

Progress update on the RISK Award 2025 project in Bolivia

November 2025

In Bolivia’s Chiquitano Indigenous Territory, children and youths are taking the lead in making their schools and communities safer, greener, and better prepared for disasters. As winner of our RISK Award 2025, ChildFund Bolivia — together with the local partners We Effect and APCOB — is implementing a pioneering community-driven initiative that empowers indigenous schoolchildren to become agents of change for climate resilience and disaster preparedness. Located in the municipality of Concepción in Santa Cruz Province, the project addresses the severe impacts of recurrent wildfires, droughts, and water scarcity in the Amazon lowlands. Five months into implementation, the project has already achieved significant milestones, combining ancestral knowledge, nature-based solutions, and innovative low-cost technologies to protect both people and ecosystems.

A group of children and adults participate in a circle dance on a sunny day in a schoolyard. — Emergency drill in Palmarito de la Frontera

Transforming schools into safer and more resilient spaces

To address water-related challenges such as limited water access and the contamination of existing sources in the Chiquitano region, the project began with a detailed technical assessment. Based on its findings, the team adapted its strategy from constructing new water supply and purification systems to enhancing and integrating existing infrastructure.

Cuatro personas interactúan con un equipo en un área al aire libre, con un tanque de agua visible en el fondo. — ChildFund Bolivia conducts an on-site assessment of the damaged water purification system in Río Blanco

In the most affected schools of Monteverde and Río Blanco, tailored improvements are now underway. In Monteverde, a solar-powered water pumping system will replace diesel-based technology to ensure a continuous, reliable water supply, while an alternative water distribution model will help reduce leakage within the system. In Río Blanco, the project is revitalizing an existing rainwater harvesting system by repairing solar panels and upgrading purification equipment, restoring access to safe drinking water for both students and families.

At the same time, the co-creation of the “Guardians of the Forest” backpack marks a major step forward. Developed jointly with teachers, elders, and students, this playful, culturally rooted educational toolkit uses storytelling, games, and comics to teach hygiene, water management, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in engaging and locally relevant ways. It will serve as the backbone of upcoming Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and DRR trainings, ensuring that environmental education takes root in everyday school life.

A group of children sitting on the ground, listening to an adult speaking in a forested area. — Students test and review the “Guardians of the Forest” toolkit games as part of the co-creation process

Preparing students for disasters and teaching environmental care

A group of children in white shirts and black skirts stand outdoors, with one person holding a megaphone. — Emergency drill in Monte Verde

The project has supported the participatory design of eight School and Community Emergency Preparedness Plans (EPPs), engaging over 500 children and community members. Evacuation drills, risk mapping, and firefighter workshops have strengthened local emergency capacities and coordination with the Municipal Government of Concepción. In addition, teachers and community leaders have been trained in Psychological First Aid, ensuring that children receive mental health support during crises.

The project’s Educational Forest approach is taking shape through the creation of biocultural learning spaces in three pilot communities — Makanaté, Cosorio Palestina, and Palmarito de la Frontera — where students and elders work together to restore damaged forest areas, learn about biodiversity, and cultivate long-term environmental stewardship.

Progress is also being made on integrating the eight schools, selected for the project into the local early warning system. In cooperation with the Municipal Government of Concepción, two drones will be purchased in order to monitor and assess bushfire risks. This partnership ensures a reliable monitoring capacity for the warning system.

A group of people gathered around a computer screen displaying a map in an office setting. — ChildFund Bolivia meets with the Disaster Risk Management Unit of the Municipality of Concepción

Empowering indigenous youth to defend their land and future

Across the Chiquitano Territory, indigenous youths are stepping into leadership roles. Through the youth organization JUMA (Youth United for the Environment), the project supports young people in documenting environmental challenges, sharing their perspectives, and engaging their communities in climate action. Equipped with smartphones and digital training, JUMA members are now producing social media campaigns on water protection and forest conservation, amplifying local voices and strengthening youth-led environmental advocacy.

JUMA is also using creative formats to reach younger audiences. With guidance from a theatre instructor, the group co-created a theatre play on disaster risk reduction, which has already been performed in several communities. In parallel, six representatives took part in the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Bolivia 2025, contributing to a youth declaration ahead of COP30 and strengthening their role as advocates for climate justice and the protection of their ancestral lands.

A group of six people poses with a green and yellow flag in front of banners promoting environmental initiatives. — A JUMA delegation participates in the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Looking Ahead

In the coming months, ChildFund Bolivia and its partners will deepen their collaboration with local authorities and schools to ensure long-term impact. Work will continue on installing the solar water systems in Monteverde and Río Blanco and on delivering WASH and DRR workshops using the “Guardians of the Forest” backpack. The eight Emergency Preparedness Plans will be finalised and activated with trained school-community brigades, while students develop their own nature-based solutions in a project-wide contest. At the same time, the schools will be integrated into the municipal early warning network, supported by drone-based monitoring, and youth advocates will advance their campaigns and prepare a policy brief for local and national decision-makers.

Interest in the project is also growing beyond the current intervention area, with additional communities expressing their wish to join future activities. With this strong collaboration and expanding local engagement, the project is already demonstrating how indigenous children and youths can drive resilience from the ground up — protecting not only their schools but also their forests, water, and future.

The RISK Award 2025, jointly hosted by the Munich Re Foundation and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), supports innovative solutions for disaster risk reduction. This year’s winning project — “Indigenous children and youths on the front line of emergency preparedness and climate resilience in Bolivia” — runs from July 2025 to June 2026.