Young 1ove

Young 1ove. It is a non-governmental organization based in Botswana that scales evidence-based health and education programs to improve outcomes for youth across Sub-Saharan Africa. Co-founded by Noam Angrist and Moitshepi Matsheng, the organization is renowned for its rigorous use of randomized evaluations to identify and expand interventions with proven impact. Young 1ove works in close partnership with governments and major research institutions to translate academic evidence into large-scale national policy.

Overview

Established in 2014, Young 1ove emerged from research collaborations with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The organization's mission is to address critical gaps in Adolescent health and learning by identifying programs proven through scientific research and supporting their adoption by ministries. Its work initially gained prominence through the successful scale-up of a HIV prevention program, drawing attention from global bodies like the World Health Organization and the World Bank. The team is led by co-founders with expertise in Economics and community mobilization, operating from its headquarters in the capital city of Gaborone.

Programs and interventions

A flagship initiative is the "No Sugar" program, an evidence-based HIV prevention curriculum adapted from a model originally evaluated in Kenya. This intervention, focused on reducing STI incidence and teenage pregnancy, has been delivered to hundreds of thousands of adolescents across Botswana. In education, Young 1ove implements "Teaching at the Right Level," a pedagogical approach pioneered by Pratham in India that groups students by learning level rather than grade. The organization has also worked on initiatives addressing Malaria prevention and, more recently, learning loss recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, often partnering with researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Botswana.

Evidence and impact

The organization's approach is fundamentally rooted in generating and acting on high-quality evidence from field experiments. Its initial scale-up of the HIV prevention program was informed by a large-scale randomized evaluation conducted in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania and the Botswana Ministry of Health, which demonstrated significant reductions in biological markers of HIV risk. Subsequent studies, published in journals like *Science* and supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, have shown the cost-effectiveness and positive impact of its education interventions on foundational Literacy and Numeracy. This commitment to measurement has positioned its work as a case study in effective Policy translation for institutions like the International Growth Centre.

Partnerships and funding

Young 1ove operates through strategic collaborations with both governmental and non-governmental entities. Key partners include the Botswana Ministry of Education and Skills Development, the Botswana Ministry of Health, and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. For research and evaluation, it collaborates with networks such as the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab and academics from Harvard University. Financial and operational support has been provided by a consortium of funders including the Wellcome Trust, CIFF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. These partnerships enable the organization to pilot, evaluate, and ultimately support the national adoption of its programs.

Recognition and awards

The work of Young 1ove has received international acclaim for demonstrating how evidence can drive large-scale social change. Co-founder Noam Angrist was named to the Forbes "30 Under 30" list for social impact. The organization's research has been recognized with awards and presentations at major forums, including the International AIDS Conference. Its model of scaling proven interventions has been featured by prominent media outlets such as The Economist and cited in policy briefings by the World Health Organization as an exemplary approach to adolescent health.

Category:Non-governmental organizations based in Botswana Category:Public health organizations Category:Education organizations