In order to fully understand the scope of the issue and maximize the targeted impact that we aim to make, our team consistently collaborates with stakeholders such as the Tha Chin River families, ensuring quality work and alignment towards a common purpose. Communication, resourcefulness, and transparency are key in every step of our process. We hope to combine ภูมิปัญญาของแผ่นดิน or "local wisdom of the land" with innovation. Often, we set up discussions and focus group; arguably, one of the most vital and useful sources is when we openly listen and step into the shoes of the impacted families as well as people such as government officials who decide how funds for the river are allocated. After all, our initiative first stemmed from hearing about this local predicament from a neighbor in a casual conversation. The persisting Tha Chin River community is at the core of our work and is the root inspiration of every decision we make.

"Volunteer Day" is a series of events that gather locals and youth volunteers together to plan for and initiate the removal of water hyacinths from the river with available resources, working together to transform them into animal food. These hands-on activities ignite an interest in and passion for civic engagement, service learning, and empowerment. It makes clear our ability to come together as a community for a greater change.

Our team is consistently researching and testing water hyacinth samples from the Tha Chin river as well as other local sources in order to analyze and maximize the nutritional value of these plants, such as by distinguising between the nutritional advantages of different parts of the plant. This consists of research and tests from data bases and published reports online, laboratory-based tests run by our student-led team, and community-centered tests with common animals.

Goals of research & tests

Examples of just some of the tests we have run:

1. Concentration of protein in the stem, root, and leaves: fresh and freeze-dried extracts (protein salt extraction) + Biuret Assay

2. Concentration of starch in the stem, root, and leaves: iodine test (qualitative) + amylase breakdown into reducing sugars for Benedict's test (quantitative vis colorimetry)

3. Protein & starch concentration tests with simulated polluted water conditions (agricultural sector area) with tested effects of varying ammonium phosphate concentrations

4. Testing which parts of the hyacinths and forms of animal feed local animals prefer (included locally common animals such as geese, ducks, and chickens) with consideration for recommended amounts by biomass and animal type