Winners of the 2024 Children’s Mangrove Art Contest Revealed

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Children’s Mangrove Art Contest, an annual celebration that blends creativity with education, inspiring a deep appreciation for mangrove forests among young people.

Now in its 23rd year, the contest continues to grow, with this year marking a new milestone—with 350 entries from students aged 7 to 16 across 34 countries. These young artists were challenged to create vibrant works that highlight the critical role mangroves play in protecting coastal ecosystems and supporting communities.

“Choosing the winners was challenging, as we received remarkable artwork from around the world. We are truly amazed by the talent of these young artists and feel honored to showcase their work, which we hope will inspire many to protect mangroves,” said Monica Gutierrez-Quarto, coordinator of the art contest.

MAP’s Children’s Mangrove Art Contest remains a cornerstone in fostering environmental stewardship among the next generation. Each year, more youth, families, schools, and community groups participate, making it a truly global event. By engaging young minds, we hope to spark a lifelong connection to the natural world.

This collection is the result of a thoughtful process that begins by inviting children worldwide to participate in the contest by answering two key questions through their art:

1. Why are mangroves important for local communities?
2. What are the threats facing mangroves today?

After a period of learning, facilitated by their teachers or through independent study, these young participants expressed their reflections through art. The contest serves as a platform for budding artists to explore the beauty and biodiversity of mangrove forests, fostering an awareness of the urgent need for conservation. We are proud to present this heartfelt collection, which showcases the voices of children united in their creative expression.

We invite you to explore this year’s winning artworks which will be featured in our 2025 Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar, starting with our front cover winner, Ooi Qian Ni (Age 10, Malaysia, Nature Classroom), and featuring incredible pieces from 12 other young artists:

1. Sahla Naila (Age 16, Indonesia, MAN IC Pasuruan)
2. Nguyen Hoang Thien Kim (Age 12, Vietnam, Western Australian International School System)
3. Jedidiah Dona-Dei Ofuru (Age 10, Nigeria, RA International School)
4. Grace D Bama (Age 13, Myanmar, IIP)
5. Jinghan Zhao (Age 10, China, International Student Art)
6. Seth Shreyan (Age 10, South Africa, Crawford College Prep)
7. Andre Sian (Age 13, Brazil, School Americano)
8. Nazli Nagavi (Age 14, Iran, School Madani)
9. Grace Ding (Age 15, Canada, Fraser Heights Secondary)
10. Nahin (Age 10, Bangladesh, Cherry Blossoms International School)
11. Chayathip Chantaplaboon (Age 12, Thailand, IWS Online School)
12. Samyuktha Injeti (Age 10, USA, Art World School)

Awarded Young Artists

Ooi Qian Ni, Age 10, Malaysia

Sahla Naila-Indonesia, Age 16, Indonesia

Nguyen Hoang Tgien Kim, Age 12, Vietnam

Jedidiah Dona-Dei Ofuru, Age 10, Nigeria

Jinghan Zhao, Age 10, China

Grace D Bama, Age 13, Myanmar

Seth Shreyan, Age 10, South Africa

Andre Sian, Age 13, Brazil

Nazli Nagavi, Age 14, Iran

Grace Ding, Age 15, Canada

Nahin-Age, Age 10, Bangladesh

Chayathip Chantaplaboon, Age 12, Thailand

Samyuktha Injeti, Age 10, USA

In addition to these 13 awarded pieces, we are pleased to showcase over 80 outstanding artworks in our 2024 Virtual Art Gallery. These winning pieces will also be featured in our 2025 Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar, capturing the creativity and insights of these talented young artists. As a thank you for supporting our conservation efforts, donors contributing $100 or more will receive a complimentary copy of this beautiful calendar. 

This year, we are honored to have an outstanding jury who play a crucial role in selecting the artwork: Francesca Del Piano, Charley Jones, Maya Greven, and Valli Sanstrom.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the gifted students, teachers, parents, and organizations who contributed to this remarkable collection. Please take a moment to explore our wonderful gallery below!

Gallery Art Selection

Aily Binth Ali Shakir, Age 10, Maldives

Aja Aw O’Brian, Age 8, Malaysia

Ashley Siswanto, Age 11, Australia

Audrey Chan, Age 9, Hong Kong

Aysun Feizi Zarnagh, Age 13, Iran

Bardiya Heidari, Age 7, Iran

Batis Khayeri, Age 10, Iran

Bayu Febriyanto, Age 16, Indonesia

Benjamin Gu, Age 12, Canada

Bunga Lailatul Faizah, Age 16, Indonesia

Carol Xia, Age 13, Canada

Carolyn Guo, Age 9, USA

Chairene Audrey, Age 11, Indonesia

Chan Yuet Yin, Age 11, HongKong

Chayanin Thanawith, Age 9, Thailand

Cheng Kai Yi, Age 13, Malaysia

Chloe Angelina Jaya, Age 13, Indonesia

Chloe Chaewon Lee, Age 10, USA

Christine Kadzo Mumba, Kenya

Claire Li, Age 10, USA

Damla Imani, Age 7, Iran

Danesh Batrsya Surya Saputri, Age 11, Indonesia

Ekin Kuşkucu Aytun, Age 15, Turkey

Emma Vatazhok, Age 9, Czech Republic

Eric Qiao, Age 12, Canada

Faris Izzudin, Age 16, Indonesia

Fayn Lim, Age 9, Malaysia

Gilbert Rimba, Kenya

Gimnazija Poljane Ljubljana, Age 16, Slovenia

Grefira Nur Fatimah, Age 13, Indonesia

Hadi Hamidi, Age 14, Iran

Hanna Laura Jaya, Age 11, Indonesia

Hanna Lemus, Age 9, Canada

Hanna Suh, Age 10, Canada

Harlie Chan, Age 8, Hong Kong

Hayoon Jo, South Korea

Helena Marchesini, Age 14, Brazil

Hlib Vatazhok, Age 16, Czech Republic

Kim Yeonsu, Age 9, Korea

Kseniya Tsikhanovich, Age 11, UK

Kyle Sun, Age 12, Canada

Le Yu Qing, Age 10, Malaysia

Liew Li Ann, Malaysia

Lily Elyse Borggren, Age 11, Indonesia

Louisse Breil C Cho, Age 12, Philippines

Lydia Liu, Age 12, Canada

Ma Elizabeth L Armamento, Age 11, Philippines

Mahi Maharaj, Age 12, South Africa

Mahor Kamaei, Age 7, Iran

Mai Le, Age 16, Vietnam

Mani Chahardahcherik, Age 10, Iran

Melina Poorshahbaz, Age 11, Iran

Melisa Aslan, Age 9, USA

Muhammad Daiva, Age 16, Indonesia

Neel Das, Age 15, USA

Nguyen Ngoc Minh Khang, Age 11, Vietnam

Ng Zheng Yang Aaron, Age 13, Singapore

Noor Kaur, Age 10, USA

Oindri Mallick, Age 14, USA

Okorieh Rosemary Cherechi, Age 14, Nigeria

Olivia Young Guan, Age 9, Canada

Pop Csenge-Natalia, Age 14, Romania

Preston Rivera, Age 10, USA

Rajanya Paul, Age 9, USA

Reina Lee, Age 10, Canada

RJ Nano Rafela, Age 9, India

Roxana Mahmoudi, Age 7, Iran

Sahana Karthik, Age 11, USA

Sarina Hosseini Bay, Age 9, Iran

Scarara-paras Saqofah, Age 16, Indonesia

Selena Li, Age 10, USA

Shoumik Kamal, Age 13, Malaysia

Srinitha Nimmagadda, Age 12, USA

Terme Heydarian, Age 8, Iran

Tirtha Chheda, Age 10, India

Vera Antsimonava, Age 10, Belarus

Vihara Naicker, Age 11, South Africa

Wendy Li, Age 14, China

Xanthia Zannya Santos, Age 6, Philippines

Yiting Wang, Age 14, USA

Yi yi Lee, Age 9, Australia

Yuhan Chen, Age 9, China

Ziyansh G. Shah, Age 7, India

More information, including a preview of the calendar, check out our latest blog post! To request your calendar, simply mention it in the comments section of our donation page or contact Monica at monica@mangroveactionproject.org.