Hilit is a 16-year-old student from Israel who possesses a diverse array of interests and a fervent drive to make a positive impact in her community. She is a dedicated student and also serves as the Chairperson of the Youth Council in her city, Ramat Hasharon. With a heart for giving back, Hilit has demonstrated her compassion through acts of kindness, such as volunteering and helping elderly people in the city. Inspired by her observations of her close society and the lack of recycling in Israel and many other countries in the world, she conceived the project- “EcoRivals: Where Recycling Meets Social Competition” to address this pressing issue.

“EcoRivals” is meant to motivate people- especially children and youth to recycle more and increase awareness of the subject through recycling competitions with family and friends. Through an AI-based application, the users will earn points, receive awards and win challenges to create an enjoyable recycling experience from a young age. The app benefits the children by creating a pleasant app while expanding their knowledge, saving the earth and minimizing plastic pollution. To ensure the success and sustainability of her initiative, Hilit has conducted thorough research, including surveys with local elementary schools and people from her community.
Marketing strategies will further promote the initiative with the help of the local authorities. At the beginning of September, we will launch a competition between all elementary schools in the city to scale up the use of the application. In addition, we will work with the main recycling organization in Israel- “Tamir”, through social media campaigns, and media outreach.

With ambitious targets for schools, the recycling organization “ Tamir ”, and user adoption, Hilit envisions a significant increase in recycling (and awareness for the subject) among youth, and expansion of the project to other cities in the future. Through “EcoRivals”, Hilit seeks to make a tangible change in its community while nurturing the new generation to reduce plastic waste (which damages the atmosphere and sea animals) and recycle more in their life.

SDGs: 4. Quality Education, 5. Gender Equality, 12. Responsible consumption and Production, 13. Climate action