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.