12-Year-Old Bahraini Student Launches Sustainability App "EcoBuddy" on Google Play Store
TDT i Manama
At just 12 years old, Mahatva Jain, a student at St. Christopher's School in Bahrain, has achieved a remarkable feat: successfully publishing "EcoBuddy," a fully functional Android mobile app, on the Google Play Store. His accomplishment came after navigating and clearing Google's stringent multi-layered review and approval process, a challenge even for seasoned developers.
EcoBuddy is a thoughtfully designed carbon footprint tracker app aimed at helping individuals calculate their environmental impact based on daily activities such as travel, food consumption, and gadget use. The app then calculates monthly emissions, assesses if they fall within safe environmental limits, and, if not, offers personalized suggestions for reduction. It also educates users on the number of trees needed to offset their excess emissions, empowering them to take meaningful climate-positive actions.
What makes Mahatva’s achievement truly inspiring is the complete ownership he demonstrated in conceptualizing, designing, and publishing the app, all at an age when most children are just beginning to explore digital tools.
"He came up with the idea during the STEMX Competition held by STEM Best Practice Bahrain, where he developed an early version of EcoBuddy and went on to win First Prize and the Special Jury Award," his parents shared. "The recognition he received encouraged him to take the app beyond the competition and bring it to the public."
Determined to launch on the Google Play Store, Mahatva brainstormed with his family before finalizing the name "EcoBuddy." He designed the app logo using Adobe Express, learned how to build app bundles using Thunkable (a no-code app platform), and meticulously navigated the Play Console for submission. As he is under 18, he utilized his mother’s Google Developer Account to submit the app. He also conducted closed testing with friends and family, diligently collected structured feedback, and implemented improvements. Even after two rejections from Google during the rigorous review process, Mahatva remained persistent, learning from the feedback and seeking advice from professional testers to enhance his app.
After multiple rounds of testing, updates, and fulfilling additional country-specific publishing requirements, EcoBuddy finally received approval for global distribution. The app is now available for free download on the Google Play Store in all countries.
"We have always encouraged him to dream big, but the discipline, technical curiosity, and resilience he showed truly surprised even us," his parents expressed. "He now hopes schools and families will start using EcoBuddy to build more environmentally conscious habits."
In recognition of this remarkable achievement, Mahatva's school awarded him the Young Innovator Award, applauding his creativity, environmental commitment, and determination. Further acknowledging his efforts, STEM Best Practice Bahrain has invited Mahatva to contribute an article to the upcoming edition of their STEM Best Practice Magazine, where he will share his journey, challenges, learnings, and the development process behind EcoBuddy with a wider audience of students, educators, and innovation enthusiasts.
Mahatva is already working on enhancing the app further and continues to explore new coding concepts, eager to create more solutions for real-world problems in the future.
EcoBuddy is now available for download on the Google Play Store.
About EcoBuddy: EcoBuddy is a mobile app designed by 12-year-old Mahatva Jain to help individuals track and reduce their carbon footprint based on daily habits. The app uses simple inputs to deliver powerful environmental insights and personalized recommendations to make everyday life more sustainable.
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