Bangkok, Thailand – Phoonseeraah “Ada” Tieanworn, a student at Choate Rosemary Hall, USA, has been named by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB)—a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and founded in 1968—as a recipient of the Global Youth Action Fund 2025. This highly competitive award includes $2,500 USD in funding to expand her initiative, Global Hospitality Aid (GHA), which pioneers upcycling of byproducts from Thailand’s hotel industry into survival kits for displaced individuals in conflict and disaster zones around the world.
Ada launched GHA in 2023 with the mission of repurposing defective hotel linens, used coffee grounds, and surplus toiletries into essential items such as soap, clothing, and sanitary kits, which are donated to refugees across Southeast Asia. The initiative currently partners with 11 leading hotels, including Waldorf Astoria Bangkok and Holiday Inn, and works closely with local Muslim communities to facilitate distribution. GHA also supports the efforts of UNHCR Southeast Asia, contributing to humanitarian aid missions that deliver relief and dignity to those who are forced to flee their homes.
