Ismatulloh Bakhtiyorov, Yulduz Juliboyeva, and Rukhshona Isakova, 8th graders at Presidential School in Jizzakh City, are catching eyes on the global stage after winning 1st place in the World of 8 Billion International Student Video Contest—a competition that drew thousands of entries from teens in 67 countries around the world. 

Their 60-second video, Brighter Future for Every Child, tackles the impact of world population on children’s well-being with solutions focused on the equitable distribution of resources, specifically investing in education, healthcare and sustainable farming. “We are all passionate about child wellbeing, which we discuss in our school lessons,” says Rukhshona. “We wanted to bring a global perspective to the issue and to the solutions.”

Ismatulloh is a graphic designer, photographer, media editor and musician. He has a huge portfolio, plays many instruments, and is also an accomplished taekwondo practitioner. Yulduz loves historical fantasy fiction and would like one day to be someone's favorite writer. Her field of study is biology and chemistry and she also plays volleyball and chess. Rukhshona is a musician and singer who enjoys dancing and animation. She studies physics and computer science. All three students want to go to Ivy League schools someday and hope winning the video contest will help them get there. 

This year’s contest challenged students to explore how population growth intersects with three critical global issues:

• Child Wellbeing: The physical, mental, and emotional state of children greatly depends on their access to resources, the safety of their communities, and the reliability of the services around them. 
• Rainforest Ecosystems: Climate change, mining, agriculture, and deforestation threaten the biodiversity and health of rainforests, which not only provide habitat for wildlife, but critical resources that humans rely on and benefit from. 
• Sanitation: People have always struggled for proper sanitation - access to clean water for drinking and cleaning, as well as a system for safely handling human waste. It is crucial for public health and has been recognized as a human right.

“The thousands of students who took part in this year’s contest showed depth of thought, creativity, and a sense of collective responsibility for our environment and the wellbeing of people in their communities and around the globe,” said John Seager, President of Population Connection. 

More than 4,600 students participated in the annual contest, organized by Population Connection’s Population Education program, and judged by a panel of educators, filmmakers, and experts in sustainability. With compelling messages and creative approaches, winners proposed innovative solutions such as solar-powered composting toilets, farm-to-family partnerships, agroforestry, and reimagining public transit. 

Prizes for high schools included $1,200 for first place, $600 for second, and $300 for honorable mention. Middle school first- and second-place winners received $600 and $300, respectively.