Since our humble beginnings in 2009 RLabs have become a leader in Social Innovation and Impact. All this is possible due to wonderful partners and an incredible team of champions who believe that HOPE should be Contagious.
RLabs have since expanded its model in 23 countries across 5 continents impacting more than 13.5 million people through its work. To date, more than 135,000 community members have directly accessed the RLabs skills training and economic empowerment programmes. The community who through RLabs have accessed economic opportunities or increased their income collective have over the past 10 years earned more than $1 Billion in income.
RLabs have been acknowledged by the United Nations, World Economic Forum and World Bank for its innovative approaches to creating economic opportunities for youth and women. Other awards and acknowledgements that RLabs have achieved (Selected List):
(2010) SA Blog Awards: Best Company Blog
(2011) Finnish Foreign Ministry’s SAFIPA Programme: Best Commercialized Innovation
(2012) Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative Award
(2014) World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
(2014) Ashoka Fellowship
(2014) 100 World Class South Africans
(2014) Most Important Africans in Technology
(2014) Western Cape Lead SA Hero
(2014) Dangote Fellowship
(2014) United Nations Report in Entrepreneurship for Development
(2014) Unashamedly Ethical for Youth Programmes
(2015) South Africa Lead SA Hero
(2017) Quartz African Innovator 2017
(2017) SA Blog Awards: Best Educational Blog
(2018) Class Central Top 50 MOOCS
(2018) CNN African Tech Hubs Fostering Innovation
(2018) Google Impact Awards Winner
(2019) Anzisha Prize for Youth Entrepreneurship
RLabs also featured in publications such as The Washington Post, Forbes, NiemanLab, BBC, CNN, and New Scientist.
RLabs have also worked with institutions such as MIT, London School of Economics, Amsterdam School of Business, SDG Academy and the University of Cape Town where RLabs co-created a course on Social Innovation. RLabs have also partnered and provided services to organisations such as the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, DFID, USAID, BBC, Facebook, Finnish Foreign Ministry, Naspers, Media24, WeChat and UNWomen.
