Youth Ownership of Digital Health (YO.DH) is a volunteer-led community for digital health professionals aged 35 and under, created to build leadership capacity, foster peer networks, and create a platform for knowledge exchange. The initiative rests on three key pillars: community engagement, capacity-building, and networking, aimed at nurturing young, well-informed, and responsible digital health leaders.

YO.DH was launched in July 2023, with support from the Gates Foundation, and in partnership with International Innovation Corps, Digital Square, and WomenLift Health. Since then, YO.DH has grown into a thriving, self-sustaining community of over 1,000 members, representing 44 countries and 170 cities.

The community prides itself on its gender-inclusive approach, with women constituting 51% of its membership. Members hail from diverse sectors, including civil society organizations, consulting firms, start-ups, non-profits, and government bodies. The community operates based on the principles of Communities of Practice, fostering collaboration, shared learning, and ownership among its members. Its democratic structure ensures broad participation and leadership development, facilitated by a Secretariat, a 19-member core committee comprising members from India and Africa, and rolling cohorts of ambassadors or volunteers serving as champions for youth engagement in digital health.

YO.DH reflects a bold shift toward decentralized, peer-driven leadership that values equity, collaboration, and shared ownership. Looking ahead, YO.DH envisions itself as the go-to global platform for young digital health professionals—connecting, creating, and collaborating across borders.

Find out more about the project here: https://www.yodh.info/