2025 High School Winners

Harshita Somani is a 9th-grade student at Inventure Academy in Bangalore, India. She was encouraged to enter the World of 8 Billion video contest by her older sister, who had previously participated. With a familiarity in environmental topics through classes and a personal connection to issues of sanitation in India, she felt compelled to create a video that approached a sustainable solution from a new angle.

Inspired by visits to local charities and firsthand experiences of how inadequate sanitation affects girls’ health and education, she initially considered focusing on menstrual hygiene and was intrigued by ideas such as sanitary pads made of banana fibers. “I knew I could definitely do something that would make an impact,” she said, “and sanitation was the topic I could best relate to.” Through her research, she also learned about sustainable toilet designs: from vacuum and biogas toilets to waterless models.

She landed on solar-powered composting toilets as a solution to address growing sanitation issues in parts of the world. Harshita also thinks critically about the applications of this solution, noting “the key for sustainable sanitation really depends on the location. You can’t just use the composting solar powered toilets anywhere, as it’s an investment. Sustainability comes with an expense, but it’s an expense we have to take.” She tied global population growth to the crowded reality of Bangalore, a city where familiar neighborhoods have transformed dramatically in her lifetime. She reflected on how what used to be a forest near her house is now a large stretch of buildings and traffic.

While she had some experience with filmmaking through a school competition, this was her first time tackling a global topic in such a short format. She completed the project by herself, using Canva Pro as an editing platform. The most challenging part was condensing her message into one minute and navigating copyright rules.

In addition to filmmaking and environmental issues, she also has a strong creative side. A trained classical singer for over eight years and a pianist for six, she enjoys being a part of the band “643 Hz” and performing concerts for the community. She also plays badminton and has a passion for photography. Her dream is to study neuroscience and become a researcher or a surgeon. Her advice to future contest participants is to trust your ideas and give it your best shot!