The 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners include fifteen remarkable young activists aged 8-16 who are creating meaningful environmental change in their communities worldwide.
Fifteen young people from around the world have won prestigious awards for their environmental work. Action For Nature announced its 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners on August 11, recognizing kids aged 8 to 16 who are making real changes in their communities.
The 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners tackle problems from plastic pollution to air quality in creative ways. Their projects range from planting trees to creating sustainable products from waste materials. These young activists prove that age doesn’t limit the ability to create environmental change.
An 11-year-old from Kenya leads this year’s first-place winners among the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners. Alice Wanjiru worked to fix problems around a sewage treatment plant in Nairobi. She planted over 2,000 trees near the facility, which helped clean the air and reduce breathing problems for local residents. Children in the area suffered less from bronchitis and asthma after her tree-planting efforts. Alice also convinced the Nairobi County Government to prioritize fixing the treatment plant.
The other first-place winner comes from Nepal. Priyanshi Podar, 16, started Project Saathi to turn rubber waste into useful products. She collects discarded rubber from factories and homes, then transforms it into durable mats and comfortable shoes. These items help families who often sleep on bare ground or children who study on cold floors. Her upcycling project directly improves living conditions for people in her community.
Four young people earned second place among the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners for their environmental work. Charmante Espoire Nduwayo from Burundi spent two years protecting the Gikoma River. This river provides essential water for her community in Bujumbura. Her persistent efforts stabilized the riverbank and reduced the amount of waste entering the water. Residents now have cleaner water thanks to her dedication.
In India, 13-year-old Harsita Priyadarshini Mohanty created a seed and grain bank using her own money. Her project preserves traditional seeds in her rural, tribal community in Koraput, Odisha. She drew inspiration from Padmashree Kamala Pujari, a respected leader in seed conservation. This work helps maintain sustainable farming practices that support local food security.
Michigan teenager Nethanya Fonseka earned recognition for Plant It Forward, her grassroots climate action project. She has planted approximately 860 trees and created special gardens for hummingbirds and pollinators in local parks. Her Heritage Garden in Macomb Township includes rare American Chestnut trees. Through conservation, advocacy, and hands-on restoration work, she fights climate change in her community.
Nicolina Pappas from Illinois founded Nicolina’s Turtle Co. to reduce single-use plastic pollution. The 13-year-old started by making pouches for metal straws, but her movement has grown much larger. Over five years, she raised over $15,000 and influenced policy changes across Illinois and Iowa. Her work has reached thousands of people and created lasting change in how communities handle plastic waste.
The third-place winners among the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners include young activists from three different continents. Josué Arias Caldero from Colombia uses social media to teach people about páramo ecosystems. These unique mountain environments need protection, and Josué creates entertaining videos on his @SuperJosuéOfficial page to spread awareness. He also plants native mountain shrubs called frailejones to restore damaged ecosystems.
From Thailand, Bibhuti Bhattarai launched Girls Leading Organic Way after seeing harmful chemical fertilizer use in Nepal. Her campaign teaches local women and girls about organic farming methods. She provides information and resources that help families make better choices for their health and the environment. This work creates more equitable access to sustainable farming knowledge.
Texas student Eesha Ande tackled period poverty with an environmental focus. After a friend missed school due to a lack of menstrual products, Eesha installed shelves in her high school bathrooms. She stocks them with free products, including sustainable options like washable cloth pads and reusable menstrual cups. She also provides educational materials in English and Spanish. Eesha has distributed nearly 100 portable kits throughout San Antonio.
Two special awards recognize exceptional achievements among the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners. Ana Lucía Pérez Escalera from Puerto Rico won the Dr. Mary Griffin-Jones Award for her organization De a Pokito por Puerto Rico. The 13-year-old focuses on proper waste management and recycling education. Her work has directly reached more than 100,000 people through presentations, beach cleanups, and media appearances. She serves as a NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador and works with multiple environmental organizations.
Dominic Oviedo Löwen from Paraguay received the Shimon Schwarzschild Award for documenting local bird species. The 16-year-old noticed that bird information wasn’t available in his native Guaraní language. He created his own field guide through research and photography. His work has grown into two books and a speaking series that helps protect Paraguay’s biodiversity.
Four additional young people received honourable mentions among the 2025 International Young Eco-Hero Award winners. Lucile Morehouse from Oklahoma started her pollinator project after a tornado destroyed her family’s beehives when she was six. She has distributed 2,000 seed packets across 34 U.S. states and internationally. Nine-year-old Availa Johnson from Florida created the EcoCreators Design Club, which turns plastic waste into useful designs. The club has 30 active members who save thousands of plastic pieces from polluting the environment.
Aziza Kennedy from Virginia brought composting to her Catholic high school, making it one of the first in the Washington, DC area to adopt the practice. In just two weeks, the school composted 200 pounds of food waste. From Spain, 13-year-old Elvia Gómez Troya tracks animals and shares her knowledge through social media. Her Instagram account @elvialarastreadora has nearly 30,000 followers worldwide. She also published a book about wildlife to change negative perceptions of often-feared animals.
Action For Nature has recognized 360 Eco-Heroes from 40 countries and 39 U.S. states over the past 22 years. Independent judges select winners based on their environmental impact, including experts in environmental science, biology, and education. The organization evaluates projects on their innovation, effectiveness, and ability to raise awareness about environmental issues.
These young environmental heroes show that age is no barrier to creating positive change. Their projects address urgent environmental challenges while building stronger, healthier communities. From tree planting to waste reduction, these activists are developing solutions that adults can learn from and support. Their work provides hope for environmental progress and demonstrates the power of grassroots activism in addressing global challenges.
