I never would have imagined the Brighter Future group receiving the Global Youth Action Fund’s top grant of US$3,000. As someone who has always found peace among the quiet shelves of the school library, it feels surreal that our e-library and publishing start-up is gaining international recognition.
Encouraged by Mrs Ferguson, our CAS supervisor, we applied for the Global Youth Action Fund to expand our joint initiatives: Brighter Future, a fundraising club, and Brightly Beaming, Thailand’s first student-run digital library and interschool publishing house. Our school sponsor, Mr Murgatroyd, graciously helped us formalise the submission.
Among 1,100 applications from 48 countries, we were honoured to be selected as a 2025 award winner. The grant, part of the Festival of Hope led by the International Baccalaureate (IB), fosters youth-led changemaking around the world.
Looking back, the launch of our book publishing venture, integrated with the digital library, was supported by Kru Pu (Ms. Kullakan Iamthadanai), whose trust in me, in founding this project, made it possible, even when the whole concept initially seemed impossible.
After three years of relentless effort, fundraising, writing, translation and publication, we are grateful to our team for helping us progress this far. From personally delivering books to children’s homes and libraries to hosting the “Librarython” contest, even the dozens of hours spent at book sale stalls weren’t for nothing.
Today, as grant recipients, we remain committed to our hybrid model of e-books and print, expanding our reach both online and offline. Collaborating with student authors and translators from 15 schools in 10 countries, we aim to grow our digital library with new titles for young readers in 20 countries, accessible through social media and QR-linked print books.
This mission comes to life through the voices of our student authors. Alisa and James, “Librarython” book contest winners, shared:
“When planning the book, the idea suddenly came to me: why not create a story that entertains children while also teaching important moral lessons? I have been aware of the issue of bullying for a long time, so I realised this was the perfect topic to explore, as it is something children can understand and relate to. Therefore, I set out to create something fun to read, represented by crayon characters, while also leaving children with a lesson strong enough to guide them in the future.”
Alisa Thanomsat (10T)
“The Librarython competition was an excellent opportunity to develop my writing skills whilst having a positive impact by promoting literacy in underserved and remote communities in Thailand. I believe that every child deserves to enjoy the pleasure of reading, and this had a major role in the inspiration for my novel as taking place in a captivating, magical world. I think the kind of escape and adventure that I tried to create is something that every child should be able to experience, so I am grateful that the competition allowed me to help contribute towards this cause.”
James Tonkin 12S
To date, in partnership with NGOs such as World Vision, the Lutheran Christian Foundation, and CCF, we’ve distributed over 3,600 books to 10,000 vulnerable children, including Karen, Lua, Lahu, and Akha communities. Our reach spans schools across Thailand and its borders with Myanmar and Laos, and extends to 20 international libraries, most notably the legendary Osaka Prefectural Library, one of Japan’s most prestigious public libraries.
We have received positive feedback from the National Library of Thailand, NGOs, and many schools, who have found the books to be valuable classroom and library resources. Backed by this IB grant, we will print and distribute an additional 5,000 books in collaboration with UNESCO Regional Bangkok.
This international recognition reinforces our mission to promote inclusive learning, both in reach and in sustainable impact. It also inspires us to expand our efforts further, as reflected by Alisa:
“Receiving the Global Youth Action Grant Award paves the way for endless possibilities for the future of Brightly Beaming. I’m so excited for us to work on more projects and further aid our community!”
Alisa Sangiambut (12H)
We will continue to democratise learning, reaching both remote learners and those without connectivity, addressing the digital divide.
Be part of the movement to build a brighter, more equal future. Join us here!
Find out more about us: Youth in Action – International Baccalaureate
Website: Brighter Future Group
Library: Brightly Beaming
Instagram: Brighter Future
Instagram: Brightly Beaming
Email: contact@brighterfuture.live
Book samples from “Librarython” contest winners:
Why can’t i do it too by Alisa Willowbane by James
