~17 million
people live in the Mekong Delta region
Source: 2019 Population and Housing Census
A non-profit initiative for the Mekong Delta
AI for a resilient Mekong — learning, adapting, thriving together.
Mekong United brings artificial intelligence to the people who need it most: the families, farmers and students of the Mekong Delta, who are facing drought, saltwater intrusion and rising seas.
Our mission
To help Mekong Delta communities learn and adapt in a changing climate, by building practical, affordable and community-led AI tools for education and climate resilience.
The Mekong Delta
A land shaped by water
For generations, the rivers of the Mekong have carried rich silt into the delta, building fertile land for rice paddies, orchards and floating markets. This is the life we want to protect.
The challenge
One of the world's most climate-vulnerable deltas
The Mekong Delta is home to millions of people and helps feed the wider region. It is also low-lying, sinking and increasingly exposed to drought and salinity.
~0.8 m
average elevation above sea level across the delta
Source: Minderhoud et al., Nature Communications, 2019
~50%
of the country's rice is grown in the delta
Source: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Drought & saltwater intrusion
In severe dry seasons, seawater pushes far inland, damaging rice fields, orchards and drinking water supplies for whole communities.
Rising seas & subsidence
Sea-level rise combined with land subsidence threatens homes, farmland and livelihoods across the low-lying delta.
Unequal access to learning
Many rural students and families lack access to quality learning resources — and to the knowledge needed to adapt to a changing climate.
When the water rises
Every year, the water comes higher.
Rising seas, higher tides and sinking land are pushing water into homes, roads and fields that once stayed dry. The families who live here did little to cause this crisis — but they are among the first to face it.
We believe they deserve the best tools the world can offer.
Background: floodwaters in Ô Long Vĩ, An Giang, September 2011
Our focus
Two pillars, one future
Education
AI-powered learning in the local language, designed for low-cost phones and limited connectivity, so every child in the delta can learn at their own pace — and grow up understanding the climate they will inherit.
Climate resilience
AI that turns open data — river levels, weather, satellite imagery — into timely, local guidance, helping farmers and families prepare for drought, salinity and flooding before they strike.
Initiatives
What we want to build
Mekong United is at its beginning. These are the ideas we are developing and looking for partners to shape, test and bring to life with local communities.
Salinity Early Warning
Forecasting saltwater intrusion days to weeks ahead using open hydrological and satellite data, with alerts delivered by SMS and messaging apps in plain local language.
Farmer Voice Assistant
A voice-first advisor that helps farmers choose crops, planting windows and water strategies suited to changing conditions — no literacy or smartphone skills required.
Mekong Learning Companion
An AI tutor for rural students that works on affordable devices and patchy internet, supporting core subjects alongside teachers — never replacing them.
Climate Classroom
Open lesson materials that help schools teach climate change through the lens of the delta itself — its rivers, its seasons, its future.
How we work
Our principles
Community first
We design with local people, not just for them. Their knowledge comes first.
Practical & affordable
Tools must work on the phones people already own, in the language they speak.
Open by default
We aim to share our data, models and learning openly so others can build on them.
Transparent
We will report openly on how every contribution is used and what it achieves.
Responsible AI
We protect privacy, explain our tools' limits, and keep humans in the loop.
Roadmap
Where we are, and where we're going
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Phase 1 · Now
Foundation
Define our mission, share our vision, and begin building a community of supporters, advisors and partners.
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Phase 2
Listen & research
Work with communities, schools and local experts in the delta to understand their most urgent needs and validate our ideas.
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Phase 3
Pilot
Launch a first small-scale pilot with a partner community, measure the results honestly, and learn.
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Phase 4
Grow
Scale what works across more provinces, and share our tools openly across the region.
About
A message from our founder
“The Mekong Delta gave life to generations of families. Today, those families face a future shaped by forces they did not create. I started Mekong United because I believe technology — used with care and humility — can help them learn, adapt and stay on the land they love.”
Founder, Mekong United
Get involved
The Mekong needs many hands
Whether you are a funder, an expert, an educator or simply someone who cares, there is a place for you in Mekong United.
Partner with us
Foundations, NGOs, universities and companies working on climate, education or AI in Southeast Asia.
Start a conversation →Share your expertise
Data scientists, hydrologists, agronomists, teachers and designers who want to volunteer their skills.
Offer your skills →Support the mission
Help us take our first steps. Get in touch to learn how your support can make a difference.
Get in touch →Write to us anytime
founder@mekongunited.com