This archive report was first published on 9 December 2019.
Published on December 9, 2019, Zlto, a web-based digital rewards platform, is making a significant impact in South Africa by helping young people find work.
With the world's highest recorded youth unemployment rate, South African youth face significant challenges in accessing job opportunities due to a lack of financial resources and necessary work experience.
Founded by Allan van der Muelen, Zlto allows users to build a digital resume by uploading completed work assignments, showcasing their skills and impact on the project. For each project, users earn Zlto, a digital currency that can be spent on essential items, thanks to collaborations with national retail partners.
'I work with young people to show them that they do have choices and the Web is giving them access to even more,' says Allan van der Muelen.
Since its inception, Zlto has made significant strides, including winning the Google Impact Challenge in 2018 and collaborating with Chrome engineers to streamline its web app.
With a focus on accessibility, the Zlto team has built the app on the web, making it widely accessible to users with limited capabilities and connections. The team uses modern web technologies to ensure the app is responsive and reliable, and they use tools like Google's Lighthouse to monitor the app's performance and make instant fixes.
As a result of its efforts, Zlto has secured permanent work for over 2,300 young people in the Cape Town Flats in the last 12 months, with 36,000 volunteers working with over 1.2 million people in the community. The team is now piloting the launch of Zlto in Tanzania and the United Kingdom, working with the Newbigin House charity in support of asylum seekers and other individuals.
