Vedant Rastogi, Accelerator Lab
Have you ever wondered how your coding skills could change the world?
August 12, 2024
![a person sitting at a table using a laptop computer](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/isha_2.jpeg)
Meet Isha, an engineering graduate who starts her Monday morning like many others—ready for a long day of coding. But today, she’s reflecting on a bigger question: How can my coding skills make a real difference?
Later that day, Isha discovers an opportunity to volunteer with Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture (DiCRA), the world’s first digital public good focused on climate-resilient farming. Led by UNDP and its partners, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, mistEO, and ICRISAT, DiCRA brings together data scientists and citizen scientists from around the world. It empowers young people like Isha to use their digital expertise to foster a sustainable future. This initiative plays a crucial role in equipping decision-makers with insights into agricultural practices resilient to adverse impacts of climate change.
![a man that is standing in the grass](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/dicra_2.jpg)
Through youth engagement, the initiative benefits everyone: young people find new ways to progress, feel a sense of purpose, and help solve complex problems. They lead the charge in adopting digital technologies, which can play a crucial role in addressing over 70% of the 169 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets, potentially reducing the cost of achieving these goals by up to USD 55 million.
For Isha, this experience gives her a sense of achievement in contributing to an initiative that has national significance for supporting farmers in the years to come. While this is just one example, it illustrates how young people can come together to tackle complex problems, providing a starting point for collective action.
Digital innovations also have the potential to generate new sources of information. Branching out from UNDP's Geo AI project, 100 young volunteers from the UN Volunteer Force are now using similar technology for hyperlocal mapping of air pollution hotspots. This exciting new research engages young people in tackling air pollution by identifying various point sources such as industrial emissions, vehicular emissions, biomass, and solid waste burning.
Young people contribute to various initiatives at UNDP through volunteering, and we equally support those who aspire to lead change with new and innovative products and services. Supporting young minds in leveraging new and emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning for social development showcases great potential for innovation in this field.
![a man sitting in front of a computer](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/sputnik_brain.jpeg)
For example, Sputnik Brain, an AI-powered social enterprise supported by Youth Co:Lab, an initiative by UNDP and the Citi Foundation, has developed an AI-driven, non-surgical neural interface aimed at alleviating the $300 billion burden of stress by targeting the brain's pleasure systems. “Let’s abolish human suffering through biomarker-driven technology and revolutionize mental health,” says Shankar Sri, founder of Sputnik Brain.
![a man sitting in front of a group of people posing for the camera](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/saral_x_2.jpeg)
Another inspiring example from Youth Co:Lab is Saral X, developed by Akashdeep Bansal and Sunil Choudhary. Saral X provides accessibility solutions for individuals with disabilities by utilizing AI to extract and understand text, layout, and semantic information from images. Through this initiative, Saral X has supported over 2,000 people, five different organizations, and has converted over 600,000 pages into accessible formats.
Digitalization is more than a trend—it's a pathway for youth to drive sustainable progress. The innovative tools and vast information available today empower young people to create significant environmental, social, and economic impacts. By embracing these digital pathways, youth are not just part of the change—they’re leading it.
So, how will you use your coding skills to change the world? The opportunities are endless, and the future is yours to shape.