Aim Wanglee is using creativity to break barriers and drive meaningful change, focusing on child labour protection.
Thailand, as a signatory to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, has pledged to eliminate all forms of child labour by 2025 and is actively working towards this goal.
Thailand has successfully strengthened its efforts to combat the worst forms of child labour, achieving a “Significant Advancement” rating — the highest level ever received on the international stage — according to the 2024 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labour report by the US Department of Labor, marking the first time since 2017 that the country has moved up from a moderate to the top tier.
Inspired by compassion towards disadvantaged children, she has designed concrete projects for children and young people. During a short school holiday, Aim organised workshops that reached more than 200 students nationwide, and delivered her original board game Freedom Quest: Child Labour to 30 model child-protection schools. These achievements reflect her determination to turn inspiration into action and demonstrate that young people can make a tangible impact on society.
Born and raised in Thailand, Aim is currently a student at Loomis Chaffee in the United States. She is acutely aware of persistent inequalities, particularly issues surrounding child labour. Believing that every child deserves equal opportunities, she chose creativity as a tool to design initiatives that promote social progress.
Empowering Kids Through Awareness and Play
Children around the world often take part in forms of work that are not harmful to their well-being. However, when such work involves excessive hours, hazardous conditions, or children who are too young, it constitutes child labour — a serious violation of children’s rights that threatens their health, safety, and moral development. Despite ongoing public sector efforts, more than 138 children in Thailand remain vulnerable due to family or economic pressures.
To address this, Aim launched her second initiative, Guardians of the Innocence, under the supervision of the Department of Special Investigation and the Department of Children and Youth. The project focuses on child labour prevention through creative education. Aim developed Freedom Quest: Child Labour Awareness Adventure, an interactive board game that turns complex legal and social issues into accessible, engaging lessons about children’s rights and labour laws.
“The idea behind the ‘Guardians of the Innocence’ project didn’t come from a textbook — it came from a realisation that child labour is far more complex and closer to home than we tend to think,” Aim explained. “While we often hear about human trafficking or exploitation in distant industries, the truth is that many children face risks in environments we’d never expect.”
She added, “The way this topic is usually taught can be too heavy or frightening for young children, causing them to shut down. I wanted to create tools that are approachable, engaging, and empowering — ones that help children feel capable of protecting themselves and their friends.”
Aim believes that games are a powerful medium for participatory learning, allowing children to explore important subjects in a way that feels safe, fun, and non-intimidating. Through Freedom Quest, young players learn to recognise the signs of exploitation and understand their rights through collaboration, curiosity, and play.
From Inspiration to Impact
During her school holidays in Thailand, Aim personally led workshops introducing her projects to schools and childcare facilities, including Wat Chantharam School in Pathum Thani and the Rajvithi Home for Girls. More than 100 students have already participated.
Through her creative advocacy, Aim continues to prove that awareness can be both educational and empowering, inspiring a new generation to stand up for the rights of every child.
Recognition and Expansion
Recognising her growing impact, Aim has partnered with the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to distribute 30 Freedom Quest game sets to child-protection model schools across Thailand. Apinya Chomphumart, Director-General of the Department of Children and Youth, praised Aim’s initiatives as “a strong example of how creativity can tackle social challenges. Her projects show that young people have the power to create real impact, inspiring others to think boldly and act for the public good.”
Building on this success, Aim is already planning to expand her projects further in collaboration with the National Youth Council of Thailand, creating a roadmap to reach schools in remote areas. With a network of more than 8,700 members nationwide, the Council will help extend the reach of her initiatives far beyond their pilot phase, bringing awareness and empowerment to children across the country.
Her creative achievements have also gained international recognition. Freedom Quest: Child Labour Awareness Adventure earned Aim a Silver Medal at the 14th World Invention Creativity Olympic (WICO) 2025, organised by the Korea University Invention Association (KUIA) and the World Invention Intellectual Property Association (WIIPA), held at the Seoul University of Education Convention Hall in the Republic of Korea.
Looking Ahead
Driven by a deep commitment to understanding issues at their roots, Aim aspires to build systemic, sustainable solutions that empower young people with the knowledge and tools to shape their own futures.
For her, these projects are more than holiday endeavours — they represent her life’s purpose. “These are not just events or projects,” she said. “They are my way of making the world a better place.”
Aim’s journey exemplifies how youth are not merely passive recipients of change but leaders and creators in their own right. Through resilience, creativity, and empathy, Aim Wanglee is helping to illuminate a path towards a more equitable and compassionate society, proving that age is no barrier to making a meaningful difference.
