MAKING HOPE CONTAGIOUS – RLABS ZLTO (South Africa)

RLABS’ ZLTO APP FOR DISADVANTAGED YOUTH

Zlto is an online, reward-based platform that has created a range of StayHome and KeepSafe activities that drives positive behaviour amongst young South Africans and allows them to earn digital rewards, giving them access to a range of emergency goods and services assisting with the financial constraints in families, especially those with children, across South Africa.

RECONSTRUCTED LIVING LABS

With its tagline “making hope contagious” the Cape Town-based not-for-profit Reconstructed Living Labs (RLabs) has set a target of supporting some 40,000 youth and their families during COVID-19 and beyond.

To accomplish this feat, RLabs is deploying its fully auditable blockchain-based solution Zlto. Currently, Zlto is ensuring that essential items like groceries, electricity vouchers, data vouchers and airtime, among others, are reaching the intended recipients on time, during the pandemic.

“Our aim is to provide 40,000 young adults with access to vouchers through the Zlto app, so that these young adults can continue to buy necessary essential items to support an extended network of at least 200,000 family members and their community during this time,” Marlon Parker founder of RLabs says. “In addition we are also ensuring that they are connected to the government’s COVID-19 portal to receive up-to-date and correct information, access to facilities, and services such as free COVID-19 online doctor consultations, available to all South Africans.”

ELECTRONIC COUPON

The online system, rewards young people for completing courses, or tasked community services such as tutoring, helping with deliveries or cleaning someone’s yard. After work is verified, participants are able to download Zlto – an electronic coupon onto their e-wallet on their cell phones. These coupons can be exchanged for further training, for groceries, clothing, electricity and mobile airtime and data vouchers or services such as transport, doctors, dentists and hairdressers.

FREE ONLINE COURSES

Since COVID-19 cases emerged in South Africa, Zlto has been activating a number of initiatives to support youth and children during the pandemic and has accelerated its offering of services during the lockdown period in South Africa.

The Zlto team has also curated a range of FREE online courses and learning materials that can be used at home by youth and children. It offers a range of educational tools and activities that support youth and their families with financial resilience. It is also working with some partners to further develop resources and activities to support the youth and their families.

By UNDP Africa Innovates: 50 Homegrown African Innovations Tackling COVID-19.