Our global team at YLabs is dedicated to developing youth-driven solutions that address the biggest challenges to young people’s health and economic opportunity worldwide. We are facing an unprecedented challenge that affects all of the countries where we work. We are committed to ensuring that young people can still get access to services that protect their health, wellbeing, and economic opportunity at this time of global disruption. 

We are so inspired by the power and positivity of young people leading efforts to support their communities at this time, and grateful to all of our staff, partners and supporters at this time for their commitment to continue YLabs’ global work. 

YLabs is uniquely positioned to help

The world needs creative and nimble responses to make sure that young people can still get access to services that protect their health and economic opportunity at this time of global disruption. Here is how our team is supporting youth health and wellbeing amidst COVID-19.

YLabs has built a suite of digital tools to support young people to order health products like contraception, HIV self-testing, and menstrual hygiene products for delivery or pick-up. Our digital training app can remotely train health workers on youth-centered reproductive health care. We're looking to rapidly scale these tools to additional geographies to support young people’s access to essential health products like contraception and HIV testing. 

Please get in touch if you’d like to learn more. Let’s work to ensure young people can continue to get the services they need to prevent pregnancy, gender-based violence, STIs, and HIV.

Resources for young people during COVID-19

Young people are acutely impacted by COVID-19, as this age presents a heightened vulnerability to mental health challenges. Recent data from Young Minds is already showing an increased impact on young people’s psychological well being. Young people are seeing global disruptions to their education which may have lasting effects on their future economic opportunity. 

We're sharing resources that can help young people understand and navigate the stresses caused by coronavirus at this time. 

• Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/ 

• Young Minds: https://youngminds.org.uk/

• UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/how-teenagers-can-protect-their-mental-health-during-coronavirus-covid-19

This young generation, 1.8 billion strong, from Karachi to Kigali, is the generation that are already using technology to learn, grow, and shop. This trend will only increase in the coming years with increased spread and accessibility of mobile technology. We need to think beyond the clinic as the only way to deliver sexual and reproductive health services, especially at this time when health services are stretched thin. Let’s listen to what young people want and need, and meet them where they are, providing accurate information and access to essential services in the palm of their hands.