Youth Advocates

What Youth Advocates does

Youth Advocates is a Zimbabwe-headquartered, youth-led non-governmental organization founded in 2004 that operates an integrated support system for adolescents and young people aged 10-35 across six countries in East and Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi). The organization delivers services through three intentional, interconnected components: the 393 Youth Helpline (free, confidential, 24/7 crisis support via voice call, WhatsApp, AI chatbot, and IVR in Shona, Ndebele, and English), Hope Hubs (community-based transition centres offering trauma counselling, vocational and digital skills training, sexual and reproductive health services, peer mentorship using paid youth mentors, and micro-enterprise support), and an SBC & Digital Platform that delivers social behaviour change content across 27 districts. Each contact is human-supported with a standard 72-hour case follow-up, and Hope Hub outcomes are measured at 6 and 12 months. The 393 Helpline can refer into Hope Hubs, while Hope Hubs are supported by SBC campaigns that generate further helpline traffic, creating a closed-loop pipeline from crisis to economic independence.

The underlying technology stack is a multi-channel digital platform combining IVR, WhatsApp Business, chatbot, and case-management workflows, supported by a mobile-first SBC content delivery system that has reached 900K+ mobile users since 2020. The organization is funded through institutional grants and programmatic partnerships with UNICEF, UNFPA, HIVOS, Egmont Trust, Johnson & Johnson, Amplify Change, Bantwana, SADC, and the Zimbabwe Ministries of Health and NAC, with services provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The 44-employee organization operates from Chitungwiza (Zimbabwe) and a Lusaka regional presence, with 150K+ young people reached annually and country-level adoption of its integrated youth support model through Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health and MOSPS.

Beyond direct service delivery, Youth Advocates is coordinating the Model Law on Adolescent Healthcare Access through the SADC Parliamentary Forum, positioning the organization as a regional policy architect rather than solely a service provider. Its programmes target well-documented regional crises: a 49.2% NEET rate among Zimbabwean youth aged 15-35, HIV prevalence (56% of new infections in ages 15-24), GBV (1 in 3 young people affected before 18), and mental health (1 in 4 with no support). The Executive Director is Tatenda Songore, and the organization is governed by young people by design, with peer mentors as paid staff and youth-led co-design of programmes.

Name

Youth Advocates

Legal name

Youth Advocates

Website

https://yadvocates.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Youth Advocates is a Zimbabwe-headquartered youth-led non-profit operating an integrated crisis-helpline, Hope Hubs, and social-behaviour-change platform for adolescents and young people aged 10-35 across six East and Southern African countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services / Non-profit Youth Support

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)

Keywords

• Youth crisis support
• Sexual reproductive health
• Mental health helpline
• Community transition centres
• Social behaviour change

Headquarters

HQ city

Chitungwiza

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Partner/Donor Funding: Non-profit organisation funded through programme funding partnerships, institutional partnerships, research partnerships, and country replication investments from organisations including UNICEF, Egmont Trust, HIVOS, UNFPA, Johnson & Johnson, and government bodies.
2. Programme Funding: Direct investment in specific programme components: Hope Hubs ($50,000/year), 393 helpline operations ($20,000/quarter), and SBC campaigns ($10,000 for 50,000+ reach).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Youth Advocates operates an integrated youth support system combining the 393 Youth Helpline (24/7 crisis support via voice, WhatsApp, AI chatbot, and IVR), Hope Hubs community transition centres (trauma counselling, vocational and digital skills training, SRHR services, peer mentorship, and micro-enterprise support), and a Social Behaviour Change (SBC) digital platform reaching young people before crisis. All services are free, confidential, and delivered to young people aged 10–35 across 6 countries in East and Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi).

Product overview

Youth Advocates operates as an integrated support system with three core products forming a connected pathway: the 393 Youth Helpline (24/7 crisis response via voice, WhatsApp, AI chatbot, and IVR), Hope Hubs (community-based transition centres offering trauma counselling, vocational training, and peer mentorship), and the SBC & Digital Platform (social behaviour change communications reaching young people before crisis). Additional offerings include YALeP (WhatsApp-based leadership programme), the Youth Empowerment Graduate Model (vocational training), and advocacy initiatives like the Model Law on Adolescent Healthcare Access. The three core products are intentionally integrated: every 393 contact can feed into a Hope Hub referral, and every Hope Hub is supported by SBC campaigns that drive more young people to the helpline—creating a continuous loop of crisis support, recovery, and prevention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 393 Youth Helpline: Free, confidential, 24/7 crisis helpline available via voice, WhatsApp, chatbot, and IVR in Shona, Ndebele, and English.
• Hope Hubs
• SBC & Digital Platform
• Youth Empowerment Graduate Model
• YALeP

Products and services

• 393 Youth Helpline Free, confidential, 24/7 crisis helpline providing immediate human-centred support to young people via voice calls, WhatsApp, AI chatbot, and IVR in Shona, Ndebele, and English. Every contact receives a human-supported response with 72-hour case follow-up as standard protocol. Target users: young people aged 10–35 in East & Southern Africa.
• Hope Hubs Community-based transition centres (not shelters) offering structured trauma counselling, vocational and digital skills training, SRHR health services, peer mentorship, and micro-enterprise support. Exit outcomes are tracked at 6 and 12 months post-programme, with 100% of graduates receiving exit planning. Target users: young people in recovery and transition, especially those aged 20–24 seeking economic empowerment.
• SBC & Digital Platform Mobile-first social behaviour change platform reaching young people before crisis through digital and community channels. Aligned with UNICEF SBC standards and SADC regional frameworks, covering 900K+ mobile users since 2020 across 27 districts. Target users: young people aged 10–35 in East & Southern Africa.
• Model Law on Adolescent Healthcare Access Proposed regional legislation coordinated by Youth Advocates, enabling adolescents aged 12 and above to independently consent to essential healthcare services including sexual and reproductive health, mental healthcare, and emergency treatment without parental consent. Coordinated through the SADC Parliamentary Forum.
• YALeP (Youth Advocates Leadership Programme) WhatsApp-based leadership and life-skills programme delivering interactive content to young people, providing accessible learning modules on personal development and leadership skills. Promoted via youth camps and community events (e.g., Marondera Youth Camp, July 2026).
• Youth Empowerment Graduate Model Vocational training programme offering hands-on instruction in trades such as building construction, providing practical skills, start-up toolkits, and pathways to establishing independent businesses. Target users: young adults seeking economic empowerment; 70% of Hope Hub graduates are in stable employment or running a business at 12 months.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85% of callers report reduced distress within 48 hours
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgrammatic partner providing SBC framework alignment. UNICEF is a key implementing partner supporting Youth Advocates' social behaviour change programming and standards.
• HIVOSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership on digital rights and youth health. Collaborates on digital-first approaches to youth empowerment and health access.
• UNFPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSexual and reproductive health programme partner. Supports SRHR programming within Hope Hubs and through the 393 helpline.
• BantwanamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren and youth development partner collaborating on programmes serving vulnerable children and youth across programme areas.
• Ministry of Health (Zimbabwe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment health systems alignment partner. Youth Advocates' model has been integrated into Ministry of Health systems at national scale.
• NAC (National AIDS Council)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational AIDS Council programme partner supporting HIV prevention and treatment literacy programming.
• SADCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional framework and policy partner. SADC provides regional framework alignment and Youth Advocates coordinates Model Law on Adolescent Healthcare Access through SADC Parliamentary Forum.
• Zim-TtechmajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnical and health systems partner providing technology integration support for digital platforms and health systems.
• Zimbabwe GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational government strategic partner. Youth Advocates' integrated youth support system has been adopted at national scale through government partnership.
• ZNFPCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational family planning and reproductive health partner supporting SRHR service delivery within programmes.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• AMREF Health Africa: Large African health NGO running adolescent SRHR, GBV response, and community health programmes across East and Southern Africa. Broad incumbent operating in the same geographies with overlapping health and social-support programmes.
• Population Services International (PSI): Large global health organization operating adolescent SRHR, GBV, and youth-focused programmes across East and Southern Africa. Broad incumbent with overlapping portfolio but operating at much larger scale and breadth than Youth Advocates.
• Lifeline International: Global federation of crisis helplines providing 24/7 emotional support and suicide prevention services. Comparable on the multi-channel helpline infrastructure, follow-up protocols, and volunteer/staff training model that underpins the 393 service.

Direct peers

• Childline Zimbabwe: Zimbabwean child helpline and child protection NGO offering crisis counseling and referral services to children and youth. Closest direct peer to the 393 Helpline component within Zimbabwe specifically.
• loveLife (South Africa): South Africa's largest youth-focused health and well-being NGO combining helplines, adolescent SRHR, GBV response, and economic empowerment. Directly comparable integrated model targeting the same 10-35 demographic across the SADC region.
• SAYWHAT (Southern Africa Youth Hub): Zimbabwean youth-led organization focused on SRHR and HIV programming for students and young people. Strong peer on the youth-led governance model and SRHR focus within Zimbabwe.
• Grassroot Soccer: International NGO using sport and youth-led programming to deliver HIV prevention, SRHR, and mental health support to adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strong peer on the youth health/HIV prevention focus and mentor-driven delivery model.
• Shujaaz Inc: Kenya-based youth social behaviour change platform reaching millions of young East Africans through digital content, comics, and media. Comparable as a mobile-first SBC platform driving help-seeking behaviour among adolescents, with similar geographic footprint.
• Restless Development: Youth-led international development NGO operating across Africa and Asia with peer-educator programmes, leadership training, and adolescent SRHR/Mental Health work. Most direct peer given shared youth-led model, geographic overlap in East and Southern Africa, and integrated crisis-to-economy pathway.

Emerging players

• Triggerise: Digital platform leveraging behavioural nudges to drive adolescent and youth SRHR uptake across Sub-Saharan Africa. Comparable on the digital SBC and youth health access angle but operates more as a tech-enabled intermediary than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yadvocates_hub
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@YouthAdvocatesZ
• Facebookfacebook.com/YouthAdvocatesZimbabwe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youthadvocates
• Instagraminstagram.com/youthadvocates

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Youth Advocates