The winners and runners-up have been announced for the fifth installment of The Iris Prize, an international award that recognises and backs young environmental stewards dedicated to catalysing climate action within their communities, and safeguarding the future of our planet’s ecosystems. This year’s winners and runners-up, collectively, will receive $45,000 in prize awards alongside mentoring and other non-financial support to help scale their work for years to come.
From restoring one of southern India’s most important rivers and tackling plastic pollution in Ghana, to developing new solutions for reforesting wildfire-ravaged landscapes in Portugal, this year’s winners are addressing some of the defining environmental challenges of our time. Their work spans biodiversity loss, freshwater protection, wildfire recovery and plastic waste. Two of this year’s three winners are based in Africa and Asia, regions that are rich in biodiversity and home to many of the communities most exposed to the impacts of ecosystem degradation and climate change. This year’s winners include:
- Vidhya Vigashini and Sneha Shahi, recognised for the RE-Verse Initiative (Iris Prize – $15,000): Based in India, Vidhya and Sneha are recognised for their work developing the RE-Verse Initiative, an approach combining river science, biodiversity assessment, community co-design and the revival of traditional stone riverfront structures along the Tamiraparani River.
- Sebastião Mendonça and Marta Bernardino, Trovador (Stem Prize – $10,000): This student-led robotics initiative based in Lisbon, Portugal is developing a tree-planting robot to restore wildfire-burned forest on steep terrain. The initiative has been recognised by UNEP, National Geographic, and WWF.
- Khadijah Yamyiya, Ecofurn Ghana (Seed Prize – $5,000): Ecofurn Ghana aims to address plastic pollution, deforestation, and a shortage of desks for millions of Ghanaian children through the youth-led initiative’s work. The team converts plastic waste and rice husk into composite boards to manufacture school furniture
Millie Edwards, Director at The Iris Project, adds:
“The 2026 winners are a brilliant example of the kind of youth-led environmental leadership we see around the world: ambitious, locally rooted and shaped by a deep understanding of the places and communities they are working in. From restoring rivers in India, to responding to wildfires in Portugal and tackling plastic pollution in Ghana, these young leaders are already developing solutions to some of the most urgent challenges facing people and nature.
“Too often, what stands between young people and the full potential of their work is access to funding, resources and the right support. Our role is to back them early, trust their expertise and give them the space and support to take their work further.”
Since its inception in 2022, The Iris Prize has directed over £925,000 in funding and support to youth-led action – including 38 youth-led projects across 25 countries, as well as youth advisors and wider initiatives that amplify young leaders’ voices. Previous winners of the award have ranged from a wide variety of innovative and exciting projects, from working to end Mongolia’s air pollution crisis and reconnecting communities with rivers through science to protecting the endangered species dugongs by blending science with community action.
With eighty-five per cent of the youth-led initiatives claiming they lack adequate funding, the sector remains massively underfunded. The Iris Prize’s approach focuses on supporting youth-led projects and is designed to address this disparity by highlighting the initiatives undertaken by young teams to protect and restore nature, as well as recognising the contributions of those committed to defending their environment.
Enkhuun Byambadorj, Co-Founder of Breathe Mongolia – Clean Air Coalition and 2025 Iris Prize winner said:
“Funding young people who have the ideas and determination to create an environmentally just world holds more power than we currently recognize. The funds themselves are vital, but they are just one part. Funding young people signals to us that we are trusted and that our expertise is a part of the solution. It supports us to continue doing work that challenges the status quo. And this year’s honorees are doing just that, and I feel incredibly grateful to be witnessing this new chapter in their journey.”
The Iris Project’s Youth-Focused Funding Model
As a trust-based and flexible funder, The Iris Project provides holistic, context-specific support that empowers young leaders to deliver lasting environmental change. Its approach goes beyond a financial prize, combining mentorship, organisational development and peer learning to strengthen collective leadership and amplify the impact of youth-driven initiatives worldwide.
Rather than concentrating solely on individual achievements, The Iris Project emphasises strong, collective leadership. By fostering collaboration and shared responsibility, the model amplifies the overall impact of youth-led environmental initiatives, helping to maximise the positive effects of their work on a global scale.