Nashra Hasan, Midori Mishyel, and Zafira Rashid, were just 13 years old when they joined the Young Climate Prize Cycle 02 Cohort. They are the founders of EcoWave, a project dedicated to protecting four of Bangladesh’s most polluted lakes and rivers. Each body of water faces a distinct challenge, yet all are shaped by the accelerating impacts of climate change, from rising temperatures to increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns that endanger ecosystems and local livelihoods.

Through EcoWave, the trio raises awareness with a combination of social media campaigns and a research journal that educates the public while linking local water issues to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on clean water and sanitation, climate action, and life below water. The initiative also includes a self-tutoring segment offering practical steps for restoring rivers and lakes, encouraging young people and communities to adopt climate-resilient and sustainable practices. In this way, the team demonstrates how environmental stewardship can be rooted in both education and collective action.

The EcoWave Team was mentored by Diana Campbell, a curator and cultural producer known for her leadership of the Dhaka Art Summit and for championing artistic practices that engage with urgent social and environmental issues.